EastEnders team up with Hope Support Services for brain tumour plot

'EastEnders' have teamed up with Hope Support Services for heart-breaking scenes where Lexi Mitchell will discover her mum has been diagnosed with with a brain tumour.

The BBC One soap will air scenes tonight (23.11.22) in which they youngster - played by Isabella Brown - will find out her mother Lola Pearce (Danielle Harold) has cancer, after the salon worker had tried to hide the news from her daughter to protect her.

Lorna Russell, Safeguarding Lead at Hope Support Services, said: “It's been great to work with Danielle (Lola) and Isabella (Lexi) on this storyline - lots of families will understand how distressing it can be for children when someone they love has cancer, so we're pleased to see 'EastEnders' focusing on how Lexi is affected by Lola's brain tumour.”

'EastEnders' confirmed in October that Lola was to be diagnosed with a brain tumour, and viewers have recently seen the shocking scenes where the character was tragically told her cancer in terminal.

The soap have been working closely with Brain Tumour Research and Macmillan Cancer Support on the hard-hitting plot.

Brain Tumour Research's Sue Castle-Smith said: "We are extremely grateful to EastEnders for helping to raise awareness of brain tumours. Sadly, Lola’s story is all too familiar to thousands of families.

"Brain tumours are indiscriminate and can affect anyone at any age, they kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer."

Dany Bell from Macmillan Cancer Support added: "Storylines like Lola’s play a crucial role in raising awareness and can genuinely save viewers' lives, so we are really pleased to be helping EastEnders ensure a realistic experience is being portrayed on the show.

"The moving storyline will show how suddenly a diagnosis can impact every aspect of a person’s life and how challenging it can truly be. We know that what Lola and her fictional family are going through on EastEnders is a daily reality for many people around the UK right now, and Macmillan is here to offer advice and support to anyone who needs it.

"Anyone watching with concerns about any potential signs or symptoms of cancer must also speak to their GP as soon as possible."

Danielle - whose departure from Albert Square was teased earlier this year - admitted it meant a lot to her to be “trusted” with such a sensitive story.

She said: "It means so much to be trusted with a storyline like this – one that’s close to many people’s hearts. Sadly many of our viewers will be able to relate to Lola’s story and it’s been heart-breaking to speak to the families affected by brain tumours and hear their stories.

"They’ve been so amazing in sharing their experiences with me, and I’m so lucky to have them. I wouldn’t be able to do this storyline without their support."