Emmerdale’s Aaron, Cain and Caleb to discover cancer risk as Chas shares some news
Chas informs her family about the faulty BRCA2 gene.
Emmerdale‘s Chas Dingle encourages three of her close family members to book genetic tests next week after receiving some news about her illness.
Chas has been taking a break from the village following the news that she has breast cancer, but she’ll return home in the coming days as the next chapter of the storyline begins.
In new scenes, Chas tells her family that the cause of her cancer is the faulty BRCA2 gene.
Chas explains to her brothers Cain and Caleb and her son Aaron that there’s a high likelihood they could have the faulty gene too. Cain and Caleb also learn that they could have passed it onto their children.
Looking for a distraction, Chas prepares to go and visit Mandy to celebrate her birthday.
Before Chas leaves, she notices Aaron’s hesitant reaction and encourages him to make an appointment for his gene test referral.
Aaron remains uneasy and evasive as he feels pressured by Chas, but will he go ahead and make the appointment?
BRCA1 and BRCA2 are examples of genes which can raise a person’s cancer risk if they become altered.
A woman who has a variant BRCA gene has an increased chance of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
The variant genes also increase a man’s chance of developing male breast cancer and prostate cancer.
A genetic test can confirm whether a person has inherited one of the cancer risk genes. After a blood test is taken, the results usually arrive within two to four weeks.
Emmerdale announced Chas’ breast cancer storyline last month.
Lucy Pargeter, who plays Chas, said at the time: “When the producers first discussed this storyline with me I knew I didn’t want us to shy away from any aspect of this diagnosis for Chas.
“She saw her own mother ultimately die after an incurable breast cancer diagnosis, so for Chas to receive a breast cancer diagnosis herself, makes it all the more poignant. Our audience knows her so well, they have seen her relationships, know her faults, her passions, her insecurities, quirks and fears.
“So for them to see this story play out will be more meaningful given everything that has happened to both her and her mother. I think this is the beauty of our genre ‘Soap’. However, I am more than aware of the huge responsibility with us telling this story.
“I hope we can do it justice. It won’t be all doom and gloom, there will be ups and downs just like with anything. But I hope it looks and feels real. And if just a few people get help for breast changes that do not feel or look right, it could do some good too.”
Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV1, and streams on ITVX.
