Finnian Garbutt, a popular young actor from Northern Ireland, asked fans on Wednesday to support his wife and child as he enters the “last stages” of a years-long bout with cancer.
Garbutt had announced on Monday that he’d been in considerable pain in the past month and that “scans have shown that the cancer has progressed rapidly in my body and I am now entering the last stages of my life.ā
The 28-year-old, who plays police constable Ryan Power on the BBC crime show “Hope Street,” followed up that sad announcement with an appeal to fans on Wednesday, asking them to lend a financial helping hand to his soon-to-be widow Louise Agnew and their 1 1/2-year-old daughter Saoirse Garbutt.
“Thank you everyone for the outpouring of support these last few days. I cannot believe how many people across the world have reached out and offered beautiful encouragement in this really difficult time,” Finnian Garbutt said in a statement.
“I am not posting this for sympathy and do not want anyone to donate if they cannot afford to. All I want is my wife and little baby to have the life they deserve and I wanted to be the one that provided that, which now is unfortunately no longer possible.”
The actor from Bangor in County Down, Northern Ireland, said he was first diagnosed with cancer four years ago. The melanoma was determined to be terminal two years ago after spreading to his liver and lungs.
Despite these heartbreaking developments, Garbutt said Wednesday these past four years have still had many moments of joy.
“Since being diagnosed 4 years ago I have achieved so many of my life goals ā 30 episodes in a TV show, being the lead in a movie (that should be out soon), buying my own house, marrying my best friend and becoming a father to the most incredible baby girl who never fails to make me smile,ā he wrote about his wife, daughter and upcoming movie “Housejackers.”
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