Liz Dawn is "determined to get better" to see her new great-grandson.
Liz Dawn
The 'Coronation Street' legend - who quit her role as Vera Duckworth due to ill health in 2008 after 34 years on screen - suffers from lung condition emphysema and was rushed to a Manchester hospital recently suffering from chest pains and fluid on her lungs, and though she's had a "traumatic and difficult" few days, she has vowed to pull through because she wants to meet her grandson Luke Ibbotson and his wife Nicola's new baby boy, who was born last week.
A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "Liz has had a very traumatic and difficult few days but she is determined to get better to see the new baby."
Doctors agreed at the weekend that Liz's condition had improved enough for her to be moved to a special ward to receive oxygen treatment, and she has her friends and family keeping a vigil at all times.
The insider added: "She is a fighter. All her family and friends are rallying round and she is getting excellent care.
"We recognise a definite improvement in Liz's condition and her spirits are high."
The 77-year-old actress has been housebound for several weeks and been using a wheelchair, and in June, she missed the wedding of her grandson, Thomas Borso, to Alice Coughlin in Italy after having surgery related to a heart condition.
She said at the time: "I've got no energy but once the operation is done I will be looking forward to being as back to my normal self and getting my energy back."
In 2013 she had a pacemaker fitted after suffering a heart attack while on holiday in Spain.
She admitted shortly afterwards: "My health is very bad these days."
Liz first appeared on 'Corrie' in 1974 and her partnership with Bill Tarmey, who played Jack Duckworth was a huge hit with fans for years.
Although her character was killed off in 2000, dying peacefully in her sleep, she made a brief reappearance as a vision to Jack as he passed away in a moving scene which saw them share one last dance.
Bill died in 2012.
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