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Charlotte Church reveals her stepfather is terminally ill and may only have six months to live



Charlotte Church‘s stepfather James may have just six months to live after being diagnosed with a rare tissue disease called AL amyloidosis.

The singer, 33, and her stepfather, 53, will discuss the diagnosis with her mother, Maria, in a new Channel 4 documentary, Charlotte Church: My Family & Me.

The documentary explores Church’s rise to fame and her relationship with her family.

During the programme, the family go on a trip Church says she is  “absolutely terrified” about the diagnosis.

She says: “There’s another personal reason why we want to do this trip now. I’m always worried about my dad.”

Charlotte, pictured with James and her mother Maria (Adam Lawrence)

James adds: “I’ve got a serious illness and time isn’t on my side. The disease I’ve got is very rare, one in eight million people have it. It’s called AL amyloidosis.

“The worst scenario is I could only have six months to live, so I’m in a horrible position.”

Church says: “In terms of me and Dada on this trip, I’m really scared. I’m really scared about this situation and him not being here.

“There’s loads of stuff I wanna say, whether or not I’ve got the courage to say it is another thing.”

But James said he remains defiant about the illness, adding: “Everyone says to me, you look so well, you don’t look like you’re ill. When I’m well, I make an effort to look as good as I can.

The singer is due to have a documentary released next week (Christopher Furlong/Getty)

“Dressing smart, looking nice as you can, because there’s loads of days I feel like s***, but I’m trying to make the best of it. Just live today.”

 

According to Dr Ashutosh Wechalekar, consultant haematologist at UCL, amyloidosis is a protein misfolding, when there are abnormal proteins in the bloodstream.

He told charity Myeloma UK: “These proteins, because they’re abnormal and unstable, are very sticky by nature. Therefore as the blood flows through the organs and organ systems, these proteins will deposit into the organ systems, accumulate in the organ systems causing organ damage.”

AL amyloidosis is a form of the disease where abnormal plasma cells produce abnormal forms of proteins, which enter the bloodstream and can form amyloid deposits.

There is currently no cure for the disease but patients can have chemotherapy to prevent organ damage. 

For more information, visit: www.nhs.uk/conditions/amyloidosis

Charlotte Church: My Family & Me airs on Channel 4 at 10pm on Thursday October 17.



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