Emmerdale's Chas Dingle encourages breast health checks in powerful scene
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Emmerdale spoilers follow.
Chas Dingle has encouraged the other Dingle women to be vigilant with their breast health checks in a new Emmerdale scene.
Earlier this year, Chas was diagnosed with the same type of breast cancer that her late mother Faith battled — and has informed her family they may be carriers of the same faulty BRCA2 gene that she has.
After a recent break from the village with daughter Eve, Chas got some much-needed support from the other Dingle women in Friday's (March 1) episode.
The women gathered in the backroom of the Woolpack where Chas shared the importance of breast health because it allowed her to be diagnosed early.
Related: Emmerdale confirms police outcome of Charity Dingle's stabbing storyline
The night started out on a down note when Ruby Fox-Miligan found out that Caleb had been hiding that he could carry the faulty gene.
As Chas retreated to the backroom, Lydia joined her to comfort her and soon the other women of the family made their way to the back.
Asked by Moira how she's was coping with everything, Chas explained: "My cancer was caught early so, touch wood, everything's going to be fine."
She also reminded Mandy, Moira, Lydia and Sarah that it was vitally important to regularly check their breasts.
"Check your breasts, ladies, I didn't even though mum died from breast cancer. Still didn't," she admitted. "I mean, I meant to, thought about it every time I was in the shower, I meant to but I was always in a rush, wasn't I?"
Chas went on: "I thought, I'll do it next time and then, guess what? Next time came around and I still flaming didn't."
When Lydia explained that she hesitates to check herself out of fear, Chas pointed out that being told you have Stage 4 breast cancer is much scarier.
"True," Lydia agreed.
Sarah felt she was too young, only for Chas to clarify that "women are getting diagnosed younger and younger" now.
Later, Chas shared with Lydia that she'd decided to have a double mastectomy to reduce the chances of cancer returning.
"I can't risk the cancer coming back," she said. "I want to see Eve grow up… so losing my breasts is small fry in comparison to that."
The men weren't necessarily coping as well, with Aaron swearing Vinny to silence over his decision not to get tested for the BRCA gene.
"This stays between me and you," Aaron demanded.
Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV1, and streams on ITVX.
Read more Emmerdale spoilers on our dedicated homepage
Emmerdale has worked with Breast Cancer Now on Chas's storyline. In addition to its website, Breast Cancer Now's helpline (0808 800 6000) is open 9am-4pm Monday to Friday and 9am-1pm on Saturday.
More information or support about living with breast cancer or treatment is available from organisations including Macmillan Cancer Support, Coppafeel!, Cancer Research UK and Stand Up to Cancer.
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