Caroline Aherne has told how humour helped her cope with cancer.
The 'Royle Family' creator and actress, who is currently battling lung cancer and has previously overcome bladder and eye cancer, joked how her mother used to tell her "only special people get cancer".
The 50-year-old comedienne gave a rousing speech at a conference in Manchester Town Hall yesterday - June 26 - to help improve cancer care in the city.
Caroline quipped: "My brother and I were born with cancer of the eyes, the retina, [and] my mum told us only special people get cancer. I must be very special because I have had it in my lungs and bladder as well."
The 'Mrs Merton' star also made the audience giggle by sharing an anecdote from her chemotherapy treatment sessions, revealing that a cleaner at Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester was more eager to meet her 'Royle Family' co-star Ricky Tomlinson than her.
She said: "The cleaner came in one day, she went, 'Oh, I knew you were here, they told me you were here ... oh, that's great, I love the 'Royle Family' but I would've much preferred it to be Ricky in that bed!'
"She was wishing lung cancer on Ricky Tomlinson!"
Caroline went on to heap praise on Macmillan nurses who help cancer patients and their families come to terms with the diagnosis, and says her own nurse was "like an angel".
She added: "When you come out, she answered all your questions that you hadn't been able to ask at the time or you hadn't thought of. It's as worrying for the family when cancer hits as it is for you.
"She was great with my mum - she explained everything. She is an angel and we couldn't have asked for better support. The best bit is they completely understand what you're going through and what your family's going through."
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