Ex-Chelsea star reveals battle with cancer and how wife, kids helped

Gianluca Vialli posted this family picture on Instagram last year

Former Chelsea and Italy's star footballer legend Gianluca Vialli has spoken in detail about his battle with pancreatic cancer and how his wife, Cathryn and two teenage daughters, Sofia and Olivia, helped him through it.

Gianluca, 55, lost around 15 kgs as he battled the illness twice; his body struggling to cope with surgery and chemotherapy.

Gianluca said his daughters helped him smile when he lost his hair: "My daughters helped [draw my eyebrows back on]. And my wife advised which [make-up] looks better. We laughed. You have to laugh. You need to find the funny side if you can."

"Physically I feel good. I've got my muscles back. I've been working out every other day with my wife. But I'm still very scared and preoccupied. It will take a long time to get rid of that feeling of, ‘Oh my God, it's back' whenever you get a tummy ache, headache or temperature," Gianluca told British daily, The Times.

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