Beloved Aussie comedian and TV star Denise Scott opens up on harrowing cancer battle

Mother and Son star Denise Scott has opened up on her breast cancer battle telling of the “pretty much non-stop” 17 months of treatment she has undergone following her shock diagnosis.

Mother and Son star Denise Scott is fighting breast cancer. Picture: Facebook

Celebrated comedian Denise Scott has opened up on her battle with breast cancer and the 17 months of treatment she has undergone to fight the insidious growth.

The Mother and Son star has revealed she completed her final day of chemotherapy on Thursday.

“Yesterday was my last day of chemo. I’ve been having treatment for breast cancer HER2 positive pretty much non stop for 17 months,” Scott, 69, posted on Facebook.

“Feb 2023-May 2023 Chemo, June 2023 lumpectomy and removal of lymph nodes from right arm pit, August 2023-Sept 2023 Daily Radiation sessions for 6 weeks, (and) Aug 2023- May 2024 9 more months of Chemo.

“For now, at least, the treatment has done its job.

Denise Scott is battling cancer. Picture: Australian Women's Weekly

“Latest mammogram was clear. I lost all my hair (in) the first round of chemo, then got these thin white, quite frankly disappointing, tufts grow in (the) second round - different sort of chemo.

“So many people to thank and acknowledge. But for now I’ll leave it there. Thank you for yr lovely messages.”

Scott thanked her friends, supporters and fans for their positive messages over the near year and a half of treatment.

The comedian, actor and author was diagnosed with breast cancer early last year, being told of the diagnosis as she was about to start filming the lead role in the reboot of the TV series Mother and Son alongside Matt Okine.

It was her first TV leading role. Scott played Maggie in the remake with Okine playing her son Arthur.

The original Mother and Son roles were played by Ruth Cracknell and Garry McDonald.

Judith Lucy and Denise Scott are appearing at the Sydney Comedy Festival in Chatswood. Photographer: Ben King

Denise Scott and Matt Okine starred in the reboot of the TV series Mother and Son. Picture: Supplied.

“The night I noticed the rash, I thought, ‘This is breast cancer’,” Scott told the Women’s Weekly last year.

“Then, when the GP said mastitis, there was a momentary sigh of relief. But she also said, ‘You’ve got to have a mammogram as soon as possible.’ And then I think I knew.”

Scott was soon informed she had cancer and needed to start treatment without delay.

Scott started chemotherapy as filming started and used a body double to stand in for scenes when her character did not need to be facing the camera to preserve her energy.

“This production meant a lot to me,” she said in the Women’s Weekly interview.

“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’.”