Patrick Murray has revealed that he was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in his lung and hopes to raise awareness for others.
The 65-year-old only Fools and Horses actor to play Mickey Pearce in the hit sitcom reveals he discovered his Cancer and encourage others to get tested after unexplained aches and pains.
Patrick tweeted: ‘The other day I saw a government advertisement advising anyone suffering from bloating, pain or discomfort and constipation in the abdominal area to ask their GP to refer them for an ultrasound exam. It is completely painless and it can save your life.
‘I speak from my own experience now. Naturally I wanted to keep my own health problems private, but it would be selfish not to fully support this ad.
‘Thanks to my ultrasound, I have a fighting chance. This showed that my organs needed further examination and a tumor was seen.
‘This led to a pet scan that covers a very large area. To my astonishing surprise these lesions were not cancerous but the scan found an early stage cancerous tumor in my lungs.’
He confirmed: ‘It’s since been taken down and I’m tweeting now, which wouldn’t be the case if I hadn’t had an ultrasound all those months ago.
‘Many people attribute these symptoms to age and discomfort, simply to having a weak stomach. If it persists please don’t ignore it. Thanks to me and to the NHS, I can now see the same beautiful skyline as you. X’
Patrick’s tweets come four months after fellow Only Fools star John Challis, who played Boyce, died of cancer.
He told fans: ‘It is with a heavy heart that we bring you such sad news. Our dear friend and you, John Challis, have died peacefully in their sleep, after a long battle with cancer.
He will always be loved for being the ‘boysy’ and has left a great legacy of work that will continue to bring joy and smiles for many years to come.
‘Please respect the privacy of John’s family and friends during this difficult time, and rest assured that there will be an opportunity to celebrate John’s life in the future – when everyone is more than welcome to come together.’
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