EastEnders confirms blood cancer diagnosis for Denise after worrying health symptoms

EastEnders is set to tackle a blood cancer storyline with Denise Fox (Diane Parish) in upcoming scenes.

The character has been experiencing a lot of fatigue recently, and made an appointment with a doctor after Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) walked in on her asleep at work.

In tonight’s episode, Denise revealed that she had a possible iron deficiency – though Sam pointed out that she wouldn’t know for sure until her test results come back.

Later this month, Denise will be diagnosed with a type of blood cancer called acute myeloid leukaemia.

The storyline will depict the impact this diagnosis has on her and her loved ones as it plays out over the rest of the year.

In order to ensure the story is portrayed as accurately and sensitively as possible, EastEnders has been working alongside Blood Cancer UK.

‘It’s been a privilege advising the EastEnders team to ensure Denise’s storyline reflects the real experiences of people living with blood cancer and those who care for them,’ Helen Rowntree, CEO of Blood Cancer UK, said.

‘Blood cancers, which include leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma, do not discriminate yet experiences and outcomes can vary significantly, including by ethnicity.

‘Being Black and living with an aggressive blood cancer like acute myeloid leukaemia can bring additional challenges.

‘We hope viewers gain a greater understanding of blood cancer’s impact and we’re pleased this issue is being highlighted on a powerful platform, helping make a “hidden” cancer more visible.’

Executive producer Ben Wadey added: ‘It was vital to us that Denise’s storyline is portrayed with sensitivity and care, and we’re grateful to Blood Cancer UK for their advice in helping us tell this story accurately.

‘As viewers follow Denise, we hope to shine a light on the realities and challenges of an acute myeloid leukaemia diagnosis and the impact it has on the person affected and those around them.’