James Cox
Westlife's Shane Filan opened up on the grief of losing both of his parents to cancer on The Late Late Show Daffodil Day special last night.
His parents Mae and Peter both died of cancer within the space of just 10 months.
Filan said the experience “hit me like a steam train” but also recalled happy memories of his parents.
“For us we were lucky in a way there was seven of us in the famiily, we were able to share around the lists, different treatments for mum and dad.
“My mum liked getting on the bus, she used to get it to Galway for treatment and she’d meet the same people, and they’d be picking them up on the way.”
He told Ryan Tubridy: “My mum and dad got to see the Westlife reunion, which was very important to me, and got to be at Croke Park for the final concerts, they were there together, it was probably the most special moment in my life for my parents to be there to see that, knowing that my Mum was sick.
“Then three or four days after that, we found out my dad had pancreatic cancer… just like that. That hit me like a steam train. Myself and my dad were very close, we were really, really close. I could talk to him about anything.
“The first person I would call after The Late Late Show would be my dad... he was like my best friend, I could talk to him about anything.”
The Daffodil Day special included a fundraiser for the Irish cancer society which raised over €2.5 million for the charity.
Pop twins Jedward shaved their heads on the show. The brothers lost their mother Susanna to cancer in 2019.
