The Office actress Lucy Davis has revealed she has been diagnosed with incurable stage four breast cancer. The 53-year-old, daughter of comedian Jasper Carrott, is best known for her role as Dawn Tinsley in the beloved BBC sitcom.
In a post shared on Tuesday, she disclosed she received her diagnosis a year and a half ago, and that the cancer has metastasized to her bones, including her spine, right hip and ribs, and that it is too late for chemotherapy.
Davis on Living with Cancer
She said: "As of now, I'm trying to live out whatever might be left of my life in as fun a way as I possibly can. I always like to find the teachable moments in anything negative that happens. And cancer has not disappointed in that regard; there's a lot I have learned from it, and I'm grateful for that."
Davis explained that pain can be severe, making standing and walking difficult, and she sometimes needs a wheelchair. She added: "So if you see me toddling around in one, feel free to give me a push!"
Humour as a Coping Mechanism
Davis revealed that one of the most significant things helping her cope is humour, urging friends and family to tease her "as much as possible" and not to treat her like a "sick person". She said: "There's nothing that will make you feel more unwell than being treated as if you're unwell."
She added: "I'm not scared of whatever comes next. I'm at peace with it. I'll see my Gracie sooner than expected, and for me, leaving my physical body just means going home. Any and all grieving is for my family; it's far harder for them than for me."
Career and Campaigning
Davis said she will continue campaigning for animal rights and hopes to keep acting, a job which is one of the "biggest joys" of her life. She also shared a clip of herself ringing a bell and reciting a rhyme commonly heard in cancer treatment centres to mark the end of her treatment: "Ring this bell three times well. It's a toll to clearly say my treatments are done, the course is run, and I am on my way."
Davis shot to fame portraying receptionist Dawn in The Office, which follows office workers at Slough paper merchant Wernham Hogg, with co-creator Ricky Gervais as manager David Brent and Martin Freeman as salesman Tim Canterbury. The series, which ran from 2001 to 2003, also starred Mackenzie Crook as Gareth Keenan and featured appearances from Sally Bretton, Ralph Ineson and Joel Beckett. The show is praised for its pioneering mockumentary format.
Davis is also known for her role as Hayley Jordan on BBC Radio 4's The Archers for almost a decade and starred in the 2004 comedy Shaun Of The Dead alongside Simon Pegg.
