HAVING a three-month-old baby is a precious yet exhausting time for a new mum, as she learns to care for her helpless new-born tot.
Aside from a lack of sleep, the surging hormones leave most mothers an emotional wreck.
But after the birth of her daughter, Freya, Coronation Street star Samia Ghadie has revealed she also had to contend with a frightening lump on her breast.
The worried TV actress rushed to her doctor, hoping she would allay her fears, only to be told she must go for tests immediately to discover if the lump, the size of a pea, was cancerous or not.
As she talks about her cancer scare for the first time, 30-year-old Samia admits she started to panic as the “what ifs” raced through her mind. “It was really scary,” she said.
“Freya was only three months old when I came across a lump on my breast. It wasn’t even a case of checking my breasts, as it was just there and so very obvious. I felt so scared.
“Luckily for me, I have private health insurance, so I could go for a hospital scan to get it checked.
“It was horrendous and in those few hours while I was waiting, all sorts of horrid things went through my mind.”
Just months earlier, her dad, Joseph, died aged 65 of oesophageal cancer. Samia, along with her family, helped nurse him during his year-long fight before he died in a hospice.
So it was to Samia’s huge relief when the scan showed her lump was benign.
“It was a case of my hormones playing up as I was breastfeeding,” she said. “I was so relieved. I am so glad I did get it checked out and it’s made me very aware now. I always check my breasts on a regular basis.
“It’s so important.”
So she is pleased Coronation Street bosses are tackling the subject with her character, Maria, who next month faces her own cancer scare.“Because it’s so sensitive, we worked with Macmillan on the storyline as we wanted to get it right,” she said. “I think a lot of women will identify with what Maria has to go through.
“As an actress, it is challenging filming harrowing scenes and I hope people will feel I have approached it sensitively.
“Maria goes through very similar emotions as I did, but it is far worse for her as she doesn’t get the results back so quickly and really stresses out about it.”
But that is not the only issue Samia is having to face. The hard-hitting cancer plotline paves the way for a budding romance with Maria’s best friend, Marcus, who is gay. Played by Charlie Condou, who’s gay in real life, viewers will see the pair dating.
“Marcus finds Maria crying about her breast-cancer scare and, eventually, he manages to find out what is wrong,” said Samia.
“She is dating Jason Grimshaw but it’s Marcus who she wants to accompany her to the hospital.
“They are good friends but the lines start to get blurred. She knows he is gay but she can’t help her feelings for him.”
The explosive storyline will become a big talking point as it raises the issue of whether gay men should get romantically involved with women or not.
It certainly took Samia by surprise and she admits she was taken aback when she first discovered that Maria would fall hook, line and sinker for Marcus.
“I was completely shocked,” said the actress. “I found it weird and I didn’t want to do it at first. It is such a sensitive area and it was completely unexpected.
“But after a while, I realised this does happen in real life and I do think it is a good issue to tackle. It will get people talking and I know some people will be pleased they actually do get together.”
But there will be repercussions for the couple, revealed Samia. “It is going to affect Jason heavily,” she said. “The whole street turns against them. They are happy initially but, long term, I am not so sure.
“With Maria, there is never a happy ending. At some point I will be crying again.”
Life has mirrored art for Samia over the breast-scare plotline and also in romance – she is dating actor Will Thorp, who played her screen boyfriend Chris Gray. Despite splitting in the soap, in real life they are happily settled.
Before they got together a year ago, Samia had split from husband Matthew, father of Freya who turns three next month.
Much to Samia’s relief, Freya is showing signs of becoming a gymnastic champion, rather than following in her mum’s footsteps.
“She watched the Olympics and she now wants to be a gymnast,” said Samia. “I do think she will be a performer – she is always doing pop routines. But I would never be a pushy mum.”
With a child waking her up early each morning, Samia says her partying days are over,
“I love my job on Corrie so much, but when I have finished, I just want to rush home and spend time with Freya,” she said.
“At weekends, I love nothing more than doing girly things with her and chilling out together. When you are a mum, you know you have got far bigger fish to fry than worrying about the little things.
“I used to be such a worrier but now I don’t give anything a second thought.”
The actress puts her petite size-eight frame down to her fast metabolism and regular workouts in her home gym.
“I use my treadmill at home but I also think I have inherited good genes,” she said.
“My dad had a slight frame, too. I think I must take after the Middle Eastern side of the family.”
Having starred in the soap since the age of 17, has she ever considered quitting?
“I never thought I would still be here if I am honest,” she said. “I was happy to do three months and so to have been in Corrie for more than 12 years is incredible.
“I feel like I have grown up with Maria. I was 17 when I joined and now I am 30.
“It is a great job to have and I love it. There are always great storylines and I’ve got some lovely friends on set.”
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