Neighbours star Michelle Scullys health battle with stage four breast cancer

Kate Keltie rose to fame after joining the cast of Neighbours in 1999 alongside her on-screen family, the Scullys.

The 37-year old played the role Michelle – the younger sister of Flick (Holly Valance) and Steph (Carla Bonner). Four years later, however, she made the decision to move on, stating that she didn't want to be "typecast".

On leaving Ramsay Street, the actress moved on to star as Bec Cleary in Aussie police drama, Blue Heelers. Further roles were sporadic though, prompting Kate to undergo a significant career change in 2017 as she put fame behind her to join the recruitment industry.

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Kate's career was put on hold altogether in 2022, however, with the news she had been diagnosed with "aggressive" stage four breast cancer.

It prompted pals to set up a GoFundMe account, which soon smashed its $25,000 AUD target (£13,900 approx), raising $30,000 (£16,700). Kate's friend Ebony Gilbert detailed her illness on the page at the time, writing: "Kate's cancer is extremely aggressive and it has spread to other parts of her body, including her nymph nodes, blood and hip bones (known as metastatic cancer).

"This week, the fight of her life begins as she starts chemotherapy. Given the severity of the chemotherapy that Kate requires, her oncologist advised that working and maintaining her job during this time is not an option." It went on to add that Kate had been told she wouldn't be able to children in the future. "This is devastating news for anyone, let alone at the age of 36, with no family history of breast cancer," Ebony added.

Five months on from her diagnosis, meanwhile, Kate took to the GoFundMe page herself to detail the miraculous news that she was cancer free following several rounds of chemotherapy. Describing the "fight for her life", she said: "I recently received results of my latest scan and was told that there had been a complete metabolic response to diseased areas. In other words, it seems I am cancer-free."

Prior to her recovery, it had been reported that before her recovery, Kate's cancer had spread to her lymph nodes, blood and hip bones. Following the incredible news, Kate's uncle told uncle told Daily Mail Australia: "All I know is that she qualified for a particular type of treatment and had it. When she went back with her mother and father, the doctor said, 'It's gone – it's completely gone'. They didn't know what they were hearing when they were told. They said, 'What do you mean, it's gone?' He said, 'It's completely gone'."

Just eight months on from her recovery, Kate is set for a dramatic return to the Amazon show as she reprises her Michelle role for the first time time in almost two decades. In dramatic scenes at Erinsborough High, Nicolette Stone and Wendy Rodwell's protest to save the school from closure goes badly wrong.

When principal Jane Harris learns of the protest via a radio broadcast by another returning character in Summer Hoyland, she is visibly moved as Summer interviews Michelle about her time as a pupil.

Neighbours streams on Amazon Freevee.

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