Emmerdale spoilers: Struggling Billy falls apart amid cancer trauma

Billy Fletcher (Jay Kontzle) is feeling overwhelmed and then some in the aftermath of his son’s cancer diagnosis in Emmerdale.

Recently, Billy and Dawn (Olivia Bromley) rushed baby Evan to hospital after seeing a bruise on his leg. This moment changed their life forever, as the couple were then told their little son is very unwell.

After tests, Evan was eventually diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.

Charity Leukaemia Care are working closely with Emmerdale on this storyline to ensure a realistic and authentic depiction. Colin Dyer, CEO, said: ‘Every year 10,000 people are diagnosed with leukaemia in the UK.

Billy struggles to find a balance

‘A leukaemia diagnosis can affect not just the patient, but also their loved ones such as friends and family.

‘The Baby Evan storyline being featured on Emmerdale, is helping to deliver a very important message not just about the awareness of the symptoms and the condition, but about how it affects the family and those around them.’

As well as ferrying to and from the hospital most days, Billy and Dawn must also look after their other two children, Clemmie and Lucas.

In upcoming episodes, Billy is really feeling the stress as he struggles to find a balance between hospital visits and childcare duties back in the village.

At Home Farm, there doesn’t appear to be a peaceful dynamic either, as Kim (Claire King) continues to exclude Dawn’s mum Rose (Christine Tremarco) from the family.

If the other adults at the house can find a new routine and warm to Rose, will this in turn help Dawn and Billy?

‘I feel like when you’re going through something like that – because I’ve had a child in hospital for a day and it was the worst thing ever – I think your life stops’, actor Jay Kontzle explained.

‘Even with people that work in hospital, that’s their job and they’re working around, and they do everything obviously that they can possibly can to help out. But your life, initially, stops and nothing else comes in. So, when you add those other families in hospital that are in hospital, you just going to a coffee machine every day and having a natter with someone, means a lot.

‘Those types of things, for me, if they’re integrated into the story would be really strong for people that can relate to it.

He added: ‘You can have those conversations that end up bringing out laughter and they are the highlights of your day.

‘They make you actually happy and it stows little glimmers of light that you need to get you through your day because you are deflated anyway, and you are chasing for that little bit of happiness.’