Janey Godley shares heartbreaking cancer update

The stand-up comedian was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2021

Janey Godley has opened up about how her cancer diagnosis and treatment is impacting her husband.

The Glaswegian comedian, who was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2021, shared a heartbreaking story on Twitter about how her husband reacted.

Godley, 62, wrote on Monday night (15 May): “Walking with husband and pushing the wee dog in the pram through the West End. He stops, bends double, I thought he was being sick.

“He was crying. In the street. The man who stays quiet [saying] ‘I will miss you so much, just simple things like walking home after a coffee’. I hate cancer.”

She included a black-and-white photograph of herself having her hair shaved off by Storrie in the background. The couple have been married for many years and share daughter Ashley Storrie.

Godley continued in a second tweet: “He has been so stoical – coming to every blood test, every scan, every chemo and always stays practical, helpful and keeps his fears to himself.

“He has autism so it’s not easy for him – but cancer is so hard on families.”

Many responded to her tweet to send her and her husband love and well wishes.

“Oh Janey, my heart is breaking for all of you. Your strength (his and Ashley’s too) is incredible. Hold on tight to each other,” one person wrote.

Another said: “Oh Janey, my heart breaks for you both. Anticipatory grief is so very painful indeed. I found (brief but vital) respite from it by staying grounded in the moment as much as I could. Much love and absolute solidarity.”

A third added: “Jeez, Janey. This broke me. It is so hard on all of you. Much love.”

Giving an update on her health, Godley said: “Cancer is a game of waiting/running and hiding for me. I got a clear scan and then it came back on my peritoneum (which is notoriously persistent) then I got weekly chemo and a clear scan but we know it’s coming back, we just don’t know when – I just wait to see in between living.

“I will be on chemo until my body gives up or a new treatment/cure appears but I’m not sure that’ll happen. My body will keep taking a pounding from regular chemo to keep me alive and that’s the best we can hope for just now.”

Godley underwent a hysterectomy in January 2022 to treat the ovarian cancer. Later that year, she was declared free of cancer after a scan came back clear.

However, in December, she told fans that her cancer had returned and she had to resume treatment.

In a video update, she said: “My recent scan and my blood tests showed that my cancer marker went up, and there’s still a bit of disease in my abdomen.

“So I want you all to know that I’ll be going through some more chemotherapy.”

Earlier this year, while she was embarking on her live stand-up tour while still undergoing weekly chemotherapy, Godley shared a positive update about her health and said her “haemoglobin is back up and holding its own”.

Update: an earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Ms Godley’s husband is also a comedian.