Denise Scott reveals breast cancer diagnosis

Veteran comedy performer Denise Scott has revealed a private battle with breast cancer whilst working on upcoming ABC comedy Mother & Son.

Scott, 68, was just days away from starting work on a reboot of the comedy classic with Matt Okine.

Her doctor insisted she’d have to begin chemotherapy immediately, as the type of cancer she had, HER2-positive, was particularly aggressive.

For over six months, undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy, Scott continue to work 12-hour days on her new ABC series.

“I don’t know who first suggested I try to do both, which in hindsight was insane. I think it was me. I was thinking ‘I don’t want to shut this whole production down,’ and also thinking, ‘I want to live!’” she told the Australian Women’s Weekly.

“I learnt the result on a phone consult. It was all just a shock,” she revealed. “I saw a surgeon and said, ‘I can’t do any of this. I’m going to Sydney to film!’”

She and her partner John relocated from Melbourne to Sydney, to deal with filming and treatment.

“On set, there was so much fear of the unknown, feeling sick and thinking, ‘I’m not going to get through this next hour,’” she said.

Her treatment is due to continue for another nine months, but she’s confident of making a full recovery.

“The prognosis has continued to be good,” she said. “There’s a lot of hope.”

The traumatic last few months have, however, made her re-evaluate her life.

“It’s been very humbling, in that I thought I’d be a terrific person in my own health crisis – upbeat, positive, taking it on the chin,” she said. “Oh no! I’ve complained to John all the time.”

“I do console myself that at least I’ve lived a full life that I’m happy with,” she reflected. “But, oh, I don’t want to go yet. There are things I want to do. I’ve realised that my work has been who I am, and that perhaps I’ve been ignoring other parts of life for quite a long time. So I want to rectify that, see more of my grandson. I want to do some gardening. I want to travel. I want to keep doing comedy and writing too, of course. But first, I want to get well.”

Get well soon Denise!

Mother & Son premieres 8:30pm Wednesday August 23 on the ABC.