NINETIES pop star Lee Brennan has revealed the heartbreaking impact of his cancer battle, admitting he was left infertile as a result of the disease.
The 911 singer, 51, appeared on This Morning today where he opened up to Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley about his devastating diagnosis and how it changed his life.
911 stars Spike Dawbarn, Lee Brennan and Jimmy Constable pictured in 1997[/caption]
The singer was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma when he was just eight years old.
Lee was left wheelchair bound and weighing just two and a half stone.
After beating cancer he then found another lump five years later and had to endure another round of chemotherapy to treat Hodgkin lymphoma.
The uncommon cancer develops in the lymphatic system, a network of vessels and glands spread throughout your body that’s part of the immune system.
Lee recalled: “It was really tough, and I blocked the world out.
“I didn’t really go out and stuff like that- I was isolated, either in hospital or at home.
“I stopped going out because I lost my hair, hated the way I looked, I was skin and bone.”
The star, who shot to fame in the 90s alongside Spike Dawbarn and Jimmy Constable, revealed that his love for Take That inspired him to join a boyband. “I did, I loved Take That and I wanted to get into a boyband, and luckily Spike and Jimmy were looking for someone.”
Now cancer-free, Lee remains positive but admitted he still lives with the aftereffects of his illness.
He said: “I am all clear now. There’s a few things that have happened along the way, but I’m happy and living life. It’s taught me things.”
However, the biggest blow came when he discovered years later that he could no longer have children.
He added: “The main repercussion for me was finding out I couldn’t have children, and that was a huge blow.
“It’s something I’ve come to terms with over the years, and I’m alive—that’s the important thing.”
Lee is now raising awareness for Lymphoma Out Loud‘s campaign Know Your Nodes, encouraging people to check for early signs of cancer and seek medical advice if they notice any changes.
What is Lymphoma?
Lymphoma is the most common cancer in young people.
Around 2,100 people are diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in the UK each year.
The first subtle signs can be fatigue, a common problem that many people struggle with daily.
Common symptoms can include painless swelling of lymph nodes, fever, night sweats, and unexplained weight loss.
Lee found fame when the band formed in 1995 after Jimmy met Spike whilst working as a dancer on the show The Hitman and Her.
In their early days, the band would tour schools across the country and perform for students.
After the band split they reunited in 2012 as part of ITV2’s reality-documentary series The Big Reunion, which also featured the likes of Atomic Kitten, Liberty X, Five, and Honeyz.
They also featured in BBC documentary Boybands Forever last year.
Spike now heads up a youth pop academy, PopSkool.
The English boyband sold out arenas on their tours[/caption]
