While filming the Mother and Son remake for ABC, Australian comic Denise Scott disclosed she has been battling aggressive breast cancer for the previous six months. In an exclusive interview with The Australian Women’s Weekly, the 68-year-old comic veteran said that not even cancer could prevent her from recording her first major part in a television program.

Speaking to the magazine about her diagnosis, she said:

“It was all just a shock.”

Currently, Denise Scott is undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy and still has nine months of treatment left, according to Scott, and her partner John Lane has been by her side the entire time.

What cancer does Denise Scott have?

Speaking to the magazine, Denise Scott revealed that earlier this year, she had noticed an odd rash before filming the ABC series, Mother and Son. The worst was verified by mammography, which revealed that Scott had HER2-positive, aggressive breast cancer.

Scott struggled with exhaustion and physical pain while working. The production company provided a body double who stepped in for her whenever the cameras weren’t rolling in an effort to reduce the pressure she was experiencing. According to Scott, she couldn’t have accomplished it without her body double.

Talking about what her doctors advised, she said:

“But the doctors were making it clear: ‘You have to start chemotherapy within days.’ 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 I was also thinking, I want to live!”

What is HER2-positive breast cancer?

The overexpression of a protein known as human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) distinguishes the specific subtype of breast cancer known as HER2-positive breast cancer.

This protein, a receptor, is present on the surface of breast cells and regulates cell growth and division. HER2 aids in controlling cell proliferation under healthy conditions, but when it is overexpressed, it can cause breast cancer cells to grow rapidly and uncontrollably.

Approximately 15% to 20% of all breast cancer cases are HER2-positive. In comparison to other forms of breast cancer, it is more aggressive and advances more quickly. However, the therapeutic prospects for people with HER2-positive breast cancer have greatly improved thanks to the availability of targeted treatments.

The Winners & Losers actress said the diagnosis had given her a new outlook on life despite her obvious dedication to her career.