Katie McGlynn’s cervical cancer storyline "opened her eyes to the NHS".
The former ‘Coronation Street’ actress – who played Sinead Osbourne on the cobbles from 2013 until her character was killed off in October last year – said her research for the heartbreaking plot meant she worked closely with a number of nurses and health professionals, which gave her a new understanding of the pressures they are under.
She told The Sun newspaper: "I thought I knew what working for the NHS meant, but until I came to know those staff personally I really had no idea about the lengths they go to, pushing themselves to go above and beyond their duty every week of every year to save people’s lives.
"I remember one conversation with one of the nurses and after a scene I’d shot for ‘Corrie’, she turned to me and said of the role, ‘I don’t know how you can do that.’
"Of course there’s no comparison and I said to her: ‘I honestly don’t know how you can do your job.’ She put it down to that feeling of positivity, knowing you’ve helped people, but it’s so much more than that."
The 26-year-old star went for a smear test just as she was filming the emotional storyline, and Katie heaped praise on the staff who helped her feel comfortable.
She added: "The nurse didn’t have a clue what I was doing in my job, because it was so far in advance of it actually being on TV, so I was sat there terrified because cervical cancer was so huge in my mind at the time.
"I began to panic about the results, fearing the worst because of everything I’d heard and learned about recently.
"The staff there made my experience really comfortable. They see stuff like that every day – not just at times of national crisis or emergencies, but every day, every week."
Katie McGlynn gained greater respect for NHS with Coronation Street plot
