Home And Away star died at 43 after devastating 10-year health battle
Home And Away is an iconic soap, having first landed on TV screens in 1988. The show is Australia’s second longes-running programme, after fellow soap Neighbours. Over the years, we’ve watched numerous characters come and go, including many fan favourites.
One actress who is remembered for her short stint in Home and Away is late star Cathy Godbold, who portrayed Meg Bowman in the Australian soap in 1992. Fans will recall her character’s devastating storyline, in which she battled leukaemia. Meg then passed away while watching the sun rise for a final time with her boyfriend Blake Dean (Les Hill). Cathy went on to star in numerous TV shows after her short soap stint.
The star appeared in hit show Newlyweds, as well as Hey Dad..!, Frontline and Neighbours, in which she played Sondra Pike. She also starred in Blue Heelers, Blonde and The Saddle Club. Cathy starred in the Graham Kennedy biopic The King, in which she portrayed her mother, broadcaster Rosemary Margan, who died in December 2017..
Sadly, after The Saddle Club was commissioned for a third season in May 2007, Cathy was diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of 32. She had the tumour removed and began chemotherapy.
In January 2018, a second brain tumour developed, which proved to be terminal. Cathy’s stepfather Ross Mitchell revealed doctors discovered the cancer when she was hospitalised with a broken foot. He told The Daily Telegraph: “The cancer reappeared in the same place and it was impossible to treat it and certainly impossible to operate. It progressed at a very, very quick rate, much quicker than anybody expected.”
Cathy passed away on 4 May 2018, at the age of 43. Her death came just six months after her mother Rosemary died. Cathy’s funeral took place six days after her passing, and the actress is buried alongside her mother at Springvale Botanical Cemetery.
Cathy’s close friend Sally Browne opened up about the actress’ final weeks at the time. She revealed she was still upbeat despite her diagnosis.
She told 9NEWS: “She would sit bolt upright and dance whenever Coldplay CDs were played at her hospital bedside. Cathy was a wonderful, young woman and a very talented young actress. But like all brain tumours, it eventually took over and it was just a tragic, tragic end. We also had her scrapbooks there and were reading to her – so there were some beautiful, poignant moments as well.”
