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Samantha Womack has urged social media followers to donate anything they can to a fundraising campaign launched by Calum Best on behalf of his mother – after revealing the TV personality is her cousin.
On Thursday, Best confirmed his mother Angie has been diagnosed with colon cancer and shared details of a new GoFundMe campaign, set up to fund ‘specialist care’ and pay for ‘professionals who can offer the right treatment.’
With a little over £15,000 of a £35,000 target already met, Womack, 53 – best known for her former role as Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders – told her own social media following they needed more support to push them over the line.
Sharing a screenshot of Best’s GoFundMe page, she wrote: ‘This my Auntie Angie, and my cousin Calum. We are both helping as much as we can but we need support’ [sic]
Responding to the post, Best wrote: ‘Thank you Sam ur such a good woman , love u.’ [sic]
Womack and Best are related as first cousins through her musician father, Noel Janus – the brother of former model Angie.
And the actress, who has previously battled breast cancer, admitted her own experience with the illness had inspired her to launch a retreat with her aunt.
Taking to Instagram shortly after Best’s announcement, she wrote: ‘Having just recovered from cancer myself, Angie and I wanted to start a recovery retreat together, just before she was diagnosed. Any help much appreciated.’
So far £15,728 has been raised on Angie’s behalf, with celebrity friends including Roman Kemp, Ferne McCann and former rugby player Martin Offiah all making donations.
In an emotional social media post, Best confirmed his mother had been diagnosed with colon cancer and the disease has now spread to her liver.
He told followers: ‘I wanted to get the words right, but when it comes to health, and when it comes to my mum, the only thing that really matters is honesty. A few weeks ago, my beautiful, wonderful mum was diagnosed with cancer.
‘For as long as I can remember, she has lived her life rooted in health, fitness and wellbeing.
‘She has always believed in taking care of the body, mind and soul. But as we all know, cancer doesn’t discriminate.
‘It doesn’t care where you’re from, how you live, or how healthy you try to be. And now, it’s here – and it’s with my mum.’
The devastated star continued: ‘I’ll be honest, I haven’t cried in years but this has been an emotional rollercoaster I never expected to be on.
‘We’ve reached a point where we felt it was important to share what we’re going through and, humbly, ask for help.
‘My mum has been diagnosed with colon cancer that has spread to her liver.
‘To move forward, we need access to specialist care and professionals who can offer the right treatment.
‘This is incredibly hard for me to say, but financially, I can’t carry this on my own. So we’ve created this GoFundMe page to ask for your support.
‘Any contribution, no matter how small, will help us access the specialists, treatment and care my mum needs during this time.
‘We’ll also be sharing updates along the way, and my mum will be posting videos too, when she feels able.
‘From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading, for caring, for sharing and for supporting us in any way you can.’
Angie met Calum’s footballer father, the Manchester United and Northern Ireland legend George Best, at a dinner party in 1975 as he was signing for the Los Angeles Aztecs, and admitted it was ‘love at first sight’.
They moved to London in 1976. When she returned to Los Angeles, George followed her and persuaded her to marry him.
They wed on 24 January 1976 and welcomed Calum in 1981.
The couple separated the following year and divorced in 1986, following George’s problems with alcohol abuse and domestic violence.
George died at the age of 59 in 2005 after suffering multiple organ failure while hospitalized with jaundice.
