Johnny Ruffo says he will fight ‘tooth and nail’ to beat brain cancer a second time, saying the love for his girlfriend Tahnee Sims is inspiring his battle against the illness.
The former Home and Away star revealed in November that his brain cancer had returned following ‘a week of seizures and excruciating headaches’.
On Sunday, the 33-year-old actor spoke about his health battle and the promising early signs from treatment during a candid interview with Seven’s Spotlight.
‘I’m not going to let her down’: An emotional Johnny Ruffo, 33, said he has ‘not really’ considered the possibility of leaving girlfriend Tahnee Sims behind – as he bravely spoke about his brain cancer battle in a TV interview for Seven’s Spotlight on Sunday
Johnny’s eyes welled up when asked by reporter Denham Hitchcock whether he has thought about how 27-year-old Tahnee, who he has been dating since 2015, would cope should the worst outcome eventuate.
‘Not really, that’s not going to happen. I’m going to fight tooth and nail, no matter what,’ he said.
‘I’m going to do everything I can in my power. I’m not going to let her down,’ Johnny continued.
Longtime girlfriend: Johnny’s eyes welled up when asked by reporter Denham Hitchcock whether he has thought about how Tahnee (left) would cope should the worst outcome eventuate
In 2017, Johnny required surgery after a tumour the size of a fist and 7cm in diameter was found.
The operation took around 11 hours with a 20 per cent chance he would die.
That was followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy, where Johnny admitted reality set in and ‘everything came crashing down’.
Remaining strong: ‘Not really, that’s not going to happen. I’m going to fight tooth and nail, no matter what,’ the former Home and Away star said. ‘I’m going to do everything I can in my power. I’m not going to let her down’
Surgery: In 2017, Johnny required surgery after a tumour the size of a fist and 7cm in diameter was found. The operation took around 11 hours with a 20 per cent chance he would die
Three or four weeks into radiotherapy, Johnny broke down as he witnessed the hair loss brought on by the treatment.
‘I was at home one day and I was watching television and I just pulled my hand forward and I had a whole clump of hair. I cried and cried and cried,’ he recalled.
‘I went and sat in the shower and it was the worst day of my life. It was horrible. It all just came to me.’
A fighter: Despite moments of wanting to give up, Johnny said that he will never give up. ‘You’ve just got to fight, and there’s days where you think, “I have got no fight left in me. I have fought the best fight”, and you just need to find that little something to fight for,’ he said
‘You’ve just got to fight, and there’s days where you think, “I have got no fight left in me. I have fought the best fight”, and you just need to find that little something to fight for,’ he said.
Two years later in 2019, Johnny had what he now describes as the ‘greatest day of his life’ when told that he was in remission.
‘I just felt like I could finally get back to life and living again,’ a beaming Johnny said.
High spirits: Two years later in 2019, Johnny had what he now describes as the ‘greatest day of his life’ when told that he was in remission. ‘I just felt like I could finally get back to life and living again,’ a beaming Johnny said
The actor’s world came crashing down again in September last year when he started forgetting the lyrics to songs, and suffered 11 seizures in just four days.
He was told the cancer had spread and would need to undergo urgent treatment.
‘I feel like some days I’m forgetting words that I know,’ he said in a pre-recorded piece aired on Sunday’s Spotlight.
Cancer had returned: The actor’s world came crashing down again in September last year when he started forgetting the lyrics to songs, and suffered 11 seizures in just four days. He was told the cancer had spread and would need to undergo urgent treatment
‘Honestly, it’s like a treasure map, there’s no X. So I don’t know what and I’m forgetting things. And it’s so incredibly frustrating.’
The conclusion of the Seven program saw Johnny and Tahnee being told that the tumour was stable and had not spread, indicating treatment was working.
‘I’m really happy, oh man,’ a momentarily speechless Johnny later told Denham.
Sad news: The actor explained in an Instagram post how the diagnosis followed ‘an unexpected week of seizures and excruciating headaches’
Johnny revealed the heartbreaking news that he’s battling brain cancer for the second time on November 24 last year.
‘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 wrote on Instagram.
Johnny had been updating fans on his treatment, sharing to Instagram in December photos of himself in hospital receiving what appears to be chemotherapy.
Keeping them updated: Johnny had been updating his fans on his journey, sharing photos to Instagram in December of himself receiving treatment
The TV star was first diagnosed with the disease in 2017 after he went to hospital with painful migraines.
Johnny rose to fame on talent show The X Factor in 2011, where he placed third.
He later portrayed Chris Harrington on Home and Away from 2013 to 2016.
Shock: Johnny was first diagnosed with the disease in 2017 after he went to hospital with painful migraines
