Caroline Aherne has told how humour helped her cope with cancer.
The 'Royle Family' creator and actress, who is currently battling lung cancer and has previously overcome bladder and eye cancer, joked how her mother used to tell her "only special people get cancer".
The 50-year-old comedienne gave a rousing speech at a conference in Manchester Town Hall yesterday (26.06.14) to help improve cancer care in the city.
Caroline quipped: "My brother and I were born with cancer of the eyes, the retina, [and] my mum told us only special people get cancer. I must be very special because I have had it in my lungs and bladder as well."
The 'Mrs Merton' star also made the audience giggle by sharing an anecdote from her chemotherapy treatment sessions, revealing that a cleaner at Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester was more eager to meet her 'Royle Family' co-star Ricky Tomlinson than her.
She said: "The cleaner came in one day, she went, 'Oh, I knew you were here, they told me you were here ... oh, that's great, I love the 'Royle Family' but I would've much preferred it to be Ricky in that bed!'
"She was wishing lung cancer on Ricky Tomlinson!"
Caroline went on to heap praise on Macmillan nurses who help cancer patients and their families come to terms with the diagnosis, and says her own nurse was "like an angel".
She added: "When you come out, she answered all your questions that you hadn't been able to ask at the time or you hadn't thought of. It's as worrying for the family when cancer hits as it is for you.
"She was great with my mum - she explained everything. She is an angel and we couldn't have asked for better support. The best bit is they completely understand what you're going through and what your family's going through."

Jean Alexander is "not in danger" after being rushed to hospital following a health scare.
The 'Coronation Street' icon, who played cleaner Hilda Ogden for 23 years, is in good spirits and currently recuperating from a mystery illness at a rehabilitation facility, her brother has revealed.
Jean was taken to a hospital in Southport, Merseyside, by ambulance on Monday (23.06.14) when paramedics responded to a 999 call.
Her brother Kenneth Hodgkinson told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "She was taken in hospital on Monday, this last week. She did not feel too well in the morning. She was a little bit shaky so she was taken in and they tried to assess her to see what was the matter.
"We don't think it is serious, she is getting on very well.
"She has left the hospital now and is in rehabilitation, a home, just for a week or so.
"She seems reasonably chirpy and not in danger. From what I hear she is pottering about and so on. It seems to have passed over."
The 88-year-old soap star has thanked fans for their concern through her sibling, but doesn't wish to create a fuss.
Kenneth appealed: "She is very grateful for all the interest shown by the public in her. It is very kind of people to still be interested in her.
"She realises people may want to send cards. But she would be glad if she is not flooded with flowers or chocolates or things like that."

Michael Le Vell can't wait to get back to work on 'Coronation Street'.
The troubled soap star, who took a break from the show in March after admitting to using cocaine as he awaited trial for child abuse allegations, has revealed he will reprise his role as mechanic Kevin Webster in a "few weeks" and looks forward to reuniting with his cast mates.
He wrote on his Facebook page earlier this week: "Hi all, sorry not been on here for ages but ive had a few things to sort out. But im back now and im back to work in a few weeks, im so looking forward to getting back to the job i love and all the people there who are like my second family i love them all.
"And thank you all for the great support you have given me over some very hard times for me and my family."
The 49-year-old star is expected to return to screens in September after completing a three-week stint in rehabilitation for alcoholism earlier this year.
The actor was first written out of the soap last year pending the outcome of his trial and returned after being cleared of all charges in September.
However, his comeback was short-lived as Michael decided to seek help after meeting with 'Corrie' bosses over his cocaine admission.

Blake Harrison thinks actors from "privileged backgrounds" have an easier path to fame.
The 'Inbetweeners' star, who shot to stardom playing Neil Sutherland in the sitcom, believes actors from wealthy families are groomed for success because they're willing to work for free as they hone their craft.
He explained: "There is an issue with a lot of actors coming from privileged backgrounds. If someone says to them, 'Can you do a play for free?' they'll say, 'Yeah, of course, because mummy and daddy will sort me out.' "
Blake, 28, says his rise through the acting ranks couldn't have been more different as he was forced to work odd hours to make ends meet while pursuing his dream.
He told The Sun newspaper: "I was funding myself doing a play in a pub theatre by sticking labels on the inside of buses between 8pm and 4am, then getting up at 8am for rehearsals."
The comedy actor concedes private school educated stars such as 'Sherlock' actor Benedict Cumberbatch and 'Homeland' leading man Damian Lewis are very talented, but isn't convinced they would be household names if they had a less privileged upbringing.
He added: "They're doing well because they've got talent. But if they'd have come from a more working class background, would they have got to that stage?"
Meanwhile, Blake - who is set to reprise his role as Neil in 'The Inbetweeners 2' movie - has revealed he'd love to follow up his humorous role with a more a dramatic part in hit fantasy show 'Game of Thrones'.
He enthused: "It's fantastic TV. I know a few people in it as I've worked with them. I should ask them to get me in it, but it doesn't work like that."

Rosamund Pike and David Tennant had a "bonding day" at a theme park.
The 'What We Did On Our Holiday' stars were joined by their young co-stars Emilia Jones, 12, Bobby Smalldridge, nine, and six-year-old Harriet Turnbull at Chessington World of Adventures in Surrey, South England, and though they had a "lovely" day, it wasn't as fun as it could have been because the former 'Doctor Who' star kept getting mobbed by fans.
Rosamund said: "We had a lovely, but quite difficult day."
However, the 35-year-old actress believed the trip was worthwhile because it helped when shooting the movie, which follows a divorcing couple who travel with their children from London to Scotland to celebrate the kids' grandfather's birthday.
She said: "I really believed in us as a family -- I believed in the five of us."
And the on-screen family were sad when filming in Scotland came to an end.
She told the Daily Mail newspaper: "We made the grounds of that house our own, and had our base camp there. We had a sitting room where we'd read the papers, watch YouTube, muck around with the children. We'd go for dinner in the evenings.
"Everybody was tearful when it became time to go and I think it was a really profound experience for those children. Harriet, the little one, had never done any filming before, and Bobby and Emilia were lovely, too."

Susan Sarandon always knew Brad Pitt would be "something special".
The 67-year-old actress starred alongside the actor in his breakout movie 'Thelma & Louise' and says even so early in his career he made performing look "easy".
She said: "He's told stories about how professional I was and how I made him a professional -- I don't remember any of that!
"It seemed like it was absolutely, absolutely easy for him. When I saw the movie and I saw him in the scene in the police station, that's when I knew that he really was something special.
"There was really something there. He's a very smart guy."
Meanwhile, Susan's co-star Geena Davis, 58, admits she found it difficult shooting a love scene with Brad.
She said: " It was very challenging! I just didn't know how to get into it."
And Geena also worried she'd ruined the 'Moneyball' star's audition before he even got the part.
She told The Hollywood Reporter: "I actually read with him first -- there were five candidates for the role.
"And then he came in -- this is so embarrassing -- but I got a little distracted during the scene, you know? I was forgetting my lines. I was like, 'I'm totally screwing up this kid's audition'."

Conrad Murray felt like a "father figure" to Michael Jackson.
The disgraced physician - who was convicted of the involuntary manslaughter of the King of Pop following his death from acute Propofol intoxication five years ago - is "remorseful" over the star's passing, but still insists he wasn't involved in his death.
He said: "I'm not [a murderer]...
"You know, I am very remorseful that Michael has passed away. Michael was a friend.
"And he touched me in so many ways, that I felt like a father figure to Michael, though I wasn't old enough to be his dad. I felt as though I was protecting Michael all the time. I did.
"I give Michael a sense of confidence and protection that he never had. And he was not about to lose that."
Although Murray - who can no longer practise medicine - claims to have "suffered" a lot since the star's passing, he insists he doesn't blame the 'Thriller' hitmaker, who he is adamant administered the lethal dose of painkillers himself.
He added in an interview with CNN: "I have suffered a lot. There is no doubt about it. But I don't hate Michael. Michael did not do me wrong. He did not want this to happen to me.
"Whatever happened to Michael when I was not there is probably his own misjudgment. And I believe that that clearly happened because he was illogical, he was irrational, and he was in the withdrawal state from Demerol."
The 61-year-old medic claims he still grieves the star every day and longs to speak to his children Prince, 17, Paris, 16, and Blanket, 12, again.
He said: "The loss is monumental. I grieve for Michael every day and I grieve for those children.
"They would come into my arms every day. That warmed his heart. Maybe there will be a day when they would like to speak to me."

Robert De Niro halted filming on 'The Intern' to watch the World Cup.
The 70-year-old actor took a break from shooting 'The Intern' in Brooklyn on Thursday (26.06.14) to watch the USA play Germany in the World Cup after finding a group of fans in a nearby house who were hosting a viewing party.
Executives on the movie had originally asked officials at a nearby apartment building to help the movie legend be able to see the game in his trailer.
An email was sent which read: "Our lead actor, Robert De Niro, would very much like to watch the World Cup game, today at 12 pm.
"Would it be possible to place a small portable satellite on the building rooftop ASAP and run a cable to the street to help facilitate this request?"
However, following the request, a resident stepped in to invite the 'Taxi Driver' star to watch it with them.
A neighbour told the Business Insider: "We got another email from a neighbour saying he talked to the crew and apparently he found a house of people watching it and joined them."
Production was halted for two hours so the legendary actor could enjoy the game.

Keira Knightley says karaoke is her "idea of hell".
The 'Begin Again' actress - who plays aspiring singer Greta in the upcoming comedy-drama - took vocal lessons for the movie and insisted she won't be seen singing in a bar.
She told the New York Post newspaper's Page Six column: "I hate karaoke. It's my idea of hell."
Keira recently joked while she was pleased with her voice in the movie, she wanted to "sound like Adele", adding that when she sings in the shower she likes to think she's the 'Rolling in the Deep' hitmaker.
She previously said: "I had actually done it on one other movie but in a very different style, but no, I've never sung like this. I was actually quite disappointed that I didn't sound like Adele.
"You know when you're in the shower and you're just singing and you think, 'Wow, I sound really good right now. I sound so good I could totally do that Adele thing'. And then you get into a recording studio, as I did, and you think, 'Oh, no, I can't do the Adele thing'."

Mark Ruffalo thinks a solo movie for The Hulk' would be tough to make but "really interesting'.
The actor - who played the famous green superhero in 'The Avengers' - accepts his character doesn't like fighting crime, but it's his inner-conflict as alter ego Dr. Bruce Banner which could make a standalone film work.
He told Collider.com: "It could get very boring to watch the guy who's moping around who doesn't want to do the very thing that we're all dying to see him do.
"And so I think that's the tough part of cracking that nut. I think that's what's made it problematical in the past. But I do feel like we've gained some ground on this new version of him, which has - he's sort of turning to face himself, and I think the relationship between Banner and The Hulk as a conscious conflict, it could be really interesting.
"The one thing that I think The Hulk is terrified of is Banner, and that's never really been mined."
The star added he loved working with motion capture technology, and wants to be a "pioneer" in that area along with 'The Hobbit' and 'Lord of the Rings' actor Andy Serkis, who is seen as a forerunner.
He said: "It's so exciting. There's no limit to where we can go. I hope to be a pioneer in this space with Andy Serkis. I worked a lot with him on this.
"I'm very excited by what he's doing ... This is performance. It's completely driven by the actor and it has to be honoured as much as anything else, so that's kind of where we're heading with this technology and it's very exciting."

Doug Liman is in talks to direct a 'Escape to Victory' remake.
The 'Edge Of Tomorrow' director has entered into negotiations to helm the reboot of the 1981 classic cult movie - to be called 'Victory' - which starred Sylvester Stallone.
The World War Two sport drama follows a group of allied prisoners of war as they prepare for a soccer match against the German National Team while French and British officers plot their escape.
The Warner Bros picture is being adapted by 'Warrior' director Gavin O'Connor who will also pen the script, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Jon Berg and Racheline Benveniste are overseeing for Warner Bros with Bernie Goldmann and Gianni Nunnari producing.
As well as Stallone, 'Escape To Victory' Sir Michael Caine and a host of soccer legends such Sir Bobby Moore, Osvaldo Ardiles and Pelé.
Cast details for the remake are yet to be released.
As well as the Tom Cruise epic 'Edge of Tomorrow', Liman has directed Hollywood blockbusters 'Jumper' with Hayden Chistensen and 'Mr and Mrs Smith' starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. He also produces the hit USA Network drama 'Suits'.

Kristen Stewart has been dropped from 'Snow White and the Huntsman 2'. The actress - who played the iconic fairy tale character in the original movie in 2012 - is said to have been axed from the sequel as it takes a new angle under director Frank Dara...