Valerie Harper Cancer Recovery Miracle? Actress Cast in TV Movie
Valerie Harper, who was diagnosed with brain cancer earlier this year, will begin working on a TV movie despite her illness this week.
The 73-year-old actress is best known for her role on the "Mary Tyler Moore" show, and earlier this year, the star took a firm oath that cancer would not slow her down.
Just four months after receiving her diagnosis which gave her only six months to live, Harper was cast in the UP cable channel's "The Town That Came A-Countin,'" according to the Associated Press.
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The made-for-TV movie will be filmed in Canada and is based on Ronda Rich's novel of the same title.
Harper will co-star alongside Lauren Holly, Cameron Bancroft and Lucie Guest.
According to UP, the movie is an "uplifting romance" and who better to star in it than "inspirational" Harper.
In January, the actress was diagnosed with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis- in which cancer cells metastasize into fluid-filled membranes that enveloping the brain.
Despite the condition being incurable, Harper remained optimistic.
"I'm alive, I'm feeling good," said the spirited star at the time, according to USA Today. "I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can."
"'Incurable' is a tough word… I'm not dying until I do," the Emmy Award-winning noted. "I promise I won't."
Furthermore, the 1970's sitcom star harbors the motto: "Your thoughts open to infinite possibility and keep yourself open to miracles."
"I also want people to have a path forward in terms of facing death with less fear, and a real urgent call to live now," Harper imparted. "Don't waste the time you do have. We're all terminal; none of us are getting out of this alive. I felt sharing my experience may be of value or assistance in some way to others."
