Hayley Cropper and Roy Cropper
Julie Hesmondhalgh wants to create a campaign to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer.
The 'Coronation Street' star's character Hayley Cropper is left devastated when she is told she has the disease, but the 43-year-old actress wants the plot to become her alter-ego's "legacy" and hopes the emotional episodes will help to increase funding for the condition.
She said: "I feel really, really privileged to be doing a story that deals with something that really, really affects so many people. Particularly pancreatic cancer, which is a very unknown cancer and gets so little funding, and affects so many people.
"I feel really, really honoured to be part of this and can hopefully try to change things for the better.
"If more people know about it and we can get a campaign going, I want this to be Hayley's legacy, to get more funding for pancreatic cancer.
"That was my overriding thought about it. And also that it honours Roy and Hayley's love story. I'm really, really chuffed with it."
Despite the shattering storyline, Julie admitted there are still plenty of comedy moments to come from Hayley and husband Roy Cropper (David Neilson), but the mild-mannered café owner infuriates the factory worker when he desperately tries to find out more about her condition.
Speaking on ITV's 'Lorraine', she added: "Roy goes into complete overdrive with his research and trying to keep Hayley as healthy as possible.
"He drives her absolutely mad. So there's lots of comedy to be had from that. But Hayley does what she does which is to be the stalwart, positive little thing she is. So it's very true to them and I think this story really honours them.
"It's very Roy and Hayley, it's still true to them."
Tagged in Julie Hesmondhalgh