The Nolan family have been struck once again by cancer, as Linda Nolan’s brother Brian has been diagnosed with level 2 prostate cancer – just weeks after losing his sister
Brian Nolan has opened up about his own cancer battle, but weeks after losing his sister to the illness.
Organising the perfect tribute for Linda, who succumbed to cancer in January after a 20-year battle, was particularly challenging as just three days later, Brian, 69, received confirmation of his own level 2 prostate cancer diagnosis. The Nolan family have suffered several cancer diagnoses after they mourned the loss of Bernie to breast cancer in 2013 at the age of 52, followed by Linda, 65, earlier this year. Anne, 74, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000 and Coleen, 60, discovered she had skin cancer in 2023.
“I just want cancer to leave us alone,” expresses Brian, the fifth of the eight Nolan siblings.
He continues: “You’re never prepared for someone to say: ‘Yes, you’ve got cancer’. It’s like being struck by a train. You start spiralling into the abyss of: ‘I’m going to die’. The urologist stood up and said ‘We’re going to treat this and we’re going to cure this’. I’m focusing on that and praying I can muster the bravery my sisters demonstrated.”, reports the Mirror.
The news came as a massive shock to Loose Women panel member Coleen. “I was speechless,” she recalls, describing the moment she learned the news. “I went completely numb and about an hour later I wanted to punch walls and scream. In our family, cancer’s just there. But he was so positive and I’m just so proud of him.
“We’re a family that treat everything with as much humour as possible and we go ‘OK, we can face this together.’ That’s what we’ll do.”
Brian, the unsung hero behind the Nolan Sisters’ success, has been through the wringer recently, grappling with his own health woes while mourning the loss of Linda.
He’s gearing up for an operation to have his prostate gland removed, but there’s a silver lining: his cancer hasn’t spread.
From his Blackpool residence, where he’s spent the last quarter-century, Brian shared: “I had a bad moment yesterday just driving the car. I had a terrible moment about Linda. Linda and Bernie were forces of nature. Even when Linda was on her Zimmer frame she was still feisty. To lose people like that is really difficult.”
Back in November, frequent loo trips signalled something amiss, prompting Brian to consult his GP.
Following PSA blood tests to check for prostate cancer, he underwent an MRI scan post-Christmas and a biopsy in the New Year.
With his wife Ann as his steadfast pillar, Brian chose to stay quiet about his cancer scare, sparing his siblings further heartache amidst Linda’s decline.
Linda entered end-of-life care in January and passed away on January 15. Reflecting on his silence, Brian believes: “I thought I was doing the right thing and I still do. It would have meant more tears and we were already knee-deep in tears and knee-deep in grief.”
The streets of Blackpool were lined with fans on the day of Linda’s funeral, as the town bid farewell to the beloved singer. A sparkling pink coffin marked her final journey into St Paul’s church in Blackpool, where a constellation of stars gathered to pay their respects, including ex-EastEnders star Shane Ritchie, 61, comedy legend Paul Chuckle, 77, and Corrie and West End talent Jodie Prenger, 45.
St Paul’s holds sentimental value as it was the very place Linda had married her late husband Brian Hudson, the band’s tour manager, back in 1981. Brian passed away in 2007 after battling skin cancer.
Her brother reflected on the day, saying: “The day was so hard but it went as well as can be expected. Everything she wanted, she got. There were too many people at the wake, we only catered for about 260 and there were 400 but it was great. She wanted a send-off like that.”
In her final moments, Linda was surrounded by love, with Brian dedicating 28 hours by her bedside, even as exhaustion led him to hallucinate.
He shared: “There were about 20 of us in there. We broke all the rules as we always do and the staff were just extraordinary. She went with everyone she loved around her, just peaceful.”
After the emotional ordeal of the funeral, Brian faced the tough task of informing his siblings that he, too, has been diagnosed with cancer. He revealed: “They were devastated but they were great. We’re all in it together.”
Brian has bravely come forward to talk about his prostate cancer diagnosis, hoping to boost awareness of the condition. He’s following in the footsteps of BBC News presenter Bill Turnbull, 66, rock legend Alvin Stardust, 72, and comedy icon Bob Monkhouse, 75, who all sadly lost their battles with the disease.
Brian shared: “My consultant said people are dying through a lack of knowledge, through not doing anything about it.”
He’s on a mission now, advocating for a campaign that would remind men annually to get a PSA test. The experience has given him a new perspective, as he admits: “I’m going to push for a campaign to send guys a letter once a year to tell them to have a PSA test. What has happened to me has made me philosophical in a short time and angry really because I didn’t really know anything about prostates and I’m 69 years of age. The symptoms are very well hidden and they’re slow-growing tumours.”
The NHS website lists symptoms such as increased need to urinate, difficulty starting to pee, and even finding blood. Coleen is bursting with pride over her brother’s courage, saying: “He’s my big brother, I love him very much.”
Now, the Nolan clan might finally crack the mystery behind their family’s extensive history with cancer. Their father, Tommy Nolan Sr, was the first to be struck by the cruel disease, dying from cancer in 1998. “You almost feel like it’s a curse that’s been on you but it’s not. So many families go through this,” said Coleen in an emotional episode of Piers Morgan’s Life Stories in 2021.
Brian, along with Coleen and siblings Tommy, 75, Denise, 72, and Maureen, 70, have been sent off to a genetic clinic in Manchester for some thorough testing. Recounting the process, Brian says: “At the start of the whole process they ask you if there’s any history within the family. We said: ‘Have you got an hour?'”.
It turns out cancer runs deep in their family tree. Brian expressed his shock: “Both sides there were generations of cancer. We had to write them all out. I’m shocked really, especially when cancer wasn’t the prime source of a lot of the deaths.”
Brian shared: “My dad died of systemic cirrhosis but he also had liver cancer. My uncle died of pancreatic cancer. Funnily enough, they now believe that four of these types of cancer may be connected in some way. We either have breast cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer or pancreatic cancer. They definitely think it’s hereditary. They can’t seem to find that magic bullet.”
The sisters he lost to the illness are always on his mind. “They’re not gone, they’re everywhere,” he explained.
“People like that can’t be gone. You keep them alive and remember the positive things.”
Brian visits the cemetery where they are all buried, a regular occurrence which allows him to see his wife and Ann’s son as well, since Ann’s 15 year old son had also sadly passed away due to an epileptic seizure. “Bernie’s got a headstone up there and the funeral director has managed to get a plot for Linda next to Bernie,” he added.
The memory of Linda lives on in a cafe in the seaside town’s Stanley Park, where the Peach Melba Club – which was set up in memory of Linda – still meets monthly at a table reserved for the group, named after Linda’s beloved dessert. Linda’s sister Anne and sister-in-law Ann both attend often, and the Linda Peach Melba is a treat which remains available on request.
Brian said: “I’d like to think I would have even half of Linda’s courage if this went haywire.
“I never heard her whinge, I never heard Bernie whinge either. They had extraordinary hope and positivity.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
