Home and Away star Johnny Ruffo has shared an update about his devastating terminal cancer diagnosis, posting a smiling selfie from his ‘favourite chair’.
Ruffo, 34, is best known for playing Chris Harrington on the long-running Australian soap, having also had a recurring role as Owen Campbell on Neighbours in 2022.
He was diagnosed with brain cancer back in 2017, revealing in 2020 that it had returned before later confirming it was sadly terminal.
The actor has now posted an update on Instagram, with an image showing he was back in the hospital for what appears to be chemotherapy treatment.
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"Back in my favourite chair,” he said, adding hashtags including #ihatethischair and #f**kcancer.
Ruffo had also taken his girlfriend Tahnee Sims along for support, with her own Instagram photo showing her lying near his chair, with a strong arm emoji and a purple heart.
A number of his Home and Away co-stars commented on the post with messages of support, with Emily Symons saying: “Sending you so much love Johnny.”
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Georgie Parker also wrote: “Big love to you mate. Big love.”
Ruffo, who shot to fame in 2011 after appearing on the Australian version of The X-Factor, had previously shared a video montage that captured his cancer journey so far in a poignant new year’s post marking the arrival of 2023.
In December last year, he also said he was looking forward to a ‘few weeks’ break’ over the festive period after completing ‘another year’ of chemotherapy
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Ruffo said: "Another year of chemotherapy done. It wasn't easy but I made it through. Can't wait to have a few weeks break over Christmas and spend some well earned time with my family.”
When he told fans that his cancer had returned unexpectedly in 2020, saying he would have to ‘dig deep’ to 'beat’ it.
“After an unexpected week of seizures and excruciating headaches it is with a heavy heart that I have to let you know I now have another huge battle ahead of me as my brain cancer has returned,” he said.
“Though I will dig deep and beat this s**t disease again.”
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Speaking on The Project last year, Ruffo told then-host Carrie Bickmore that he had already outlived his life expectancy.
He said: “At some point it will get me but I'm still fighting. Still kicking on. Looking up my diagnosis and my tumour, the average life expectancy was three years.”
Ruffo added: "And for me it's now been five years. I'm already winning. My goal now is to try and help as many people as I can and also live a happy life."
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The star also said how ‘difficult’ the ordeal has been for his girlfriend, saying: “What plays in my head a lot is, I hate to say this, how hard it may be for her if something does happen to me.
“So, it's something that I don't want to think about. It just gets me a little bit emotional about it because I know at some point something will happen, whether it's, you know, a month from now or 10 years from now or 20 years.”
Topics: Health, TV And Film, Celebrity
Jess Hardiman