Jane Fallon Shares Updates on Her Breast Cancer Journey
Jane Fallon, the British author and long-time partner of Ricky Gervais, has shared a heartfelt update about her ongoing battle with breast cancer. At 65, Fallon, who transitioned from being a TV producer to a successful author of 13 bestselling books, has been open about her health struggles on social media.
Fallon recently took to Instagram to share an update following her second surgery. “Little update. So, my second surgery went well. They got the clear margin they need on the original excision, which is great,” she wrote. However, she also mentioned that surgeons encountered a small patch of precancerous cells on the other side of the area they removed. “But thankfully, everyone agrees more surgery would be overkill,” she added.
She explained that a significant percentage of pre-cancerous cells do not develop into cancer. “I saw the oncologist today and we’ve agreed the risks of radiation outweigh the benefits in my case. Which leaves Tamoxifen (or similar) or wait and see (my preferred option).”
Fallon expressed her nervousness about taking the drug route due to potential side effects. “I’m very nervous about going the drug route, because I know the side effects can be hideous, but I’m taking all the info on board and, luckily, there’s no pressure to make a quick decision. So, all good and I’m just looking forward to getting back to normal.”
A Series of Surgeries and Updates
The update came 11 days after Fallon informed her fans that she was returning to surgery after doctors failed to get a clear margin around the edge of the tumour during a previous operation. “The surgery will be just to make sure they get everything, which is a bit of a pain, but it isn’t a worry – they just need to make sure they have a clear margin, so will be the exact same operation as last time,” she wrote at the time.
This followed a previous post by Fallon on March 24 after she underwent her first round of surgery. “Little update. Big day. I had my op this morning. I’m feeling remarkably fine (which is possibly the drugs, and they might also explain why I’m cross eyed in photo five). It all went very well, apparently,” she wrote. She then mentioned that she would have to wait 8-10 days for confirmation that they had removed everything and the margins were clear.
Fallon also thanked her fans for their support. “A huge thanks for all the lovely messages I’ve had since I posted about what was happening. I’ve honestly been blown away and I’m reading every single one of them even if I’m not quite keeping up with replying.”
Diagnosis and Public Response
Fallon first announced her diagnosis on Instagram on March 13. “I thought I should post something as I’ve had a few people notice I’ve been a bit quiet on here lately,” she wrote. “About a month ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer – very early stage thankfully and the prognosis is excellent.”
She described the process of getting a diagnosis, including “more mammograms, more biopsies and an MRI” to pinpoint the problem area precisely. “It’s been a lot, I’m not going to lie.” She ended the post by referencing “Dr Eric” (presumably Gervais) and their cat, ‘Nurse’ Pickle.
Fans quickly noticed a connection between her diagnosis and the character of Lisa in the British black comedy After Life, the Netflix series created by Gervais. In the show, Gervais plays Tony Johnson, a small town newspaper journalist whose wife is diagnosed with breast cancer. The character appears throughout the series in flashbacks, as she had passed away from the disease.
Gervais and His Inspiration
Gervais, 64, has spoken about how his relationship with Fallon inspired parts of the show. Speaking to The Mirror, he said, “You don’t get to 60 without seeing most things. I’ve lost both parents and a sibling, and all my pets and some friends. But the ultimate for me would be losing my soulmate. That’s the worst thing that could happen to me.”
