CHICAGO star Bernie Nolan has praised Glasgow-based charity Cancer Support Scotland for its work providing complementary therapies to people with the illness.

Bernie, who revealed recently that she has an incurable cancer, said the therapies provided by Cancer Support Scotland improved patients' lives and boosted their morale.

Last week she apologised to TV presenter Lorraine Kelly for not telling her during an earlier interview that she was again suffering from cancer. The reason being that she had still to break the devastating news to her teenage daughter.

Speaking in her dressing room at the King's Theatre in Glasgow, where she has been appearing in the hit musical, Bernie said: "As someone who successfully fought cancer once and now has to battle it again, I know how important it is to have support from family and friends.

"But the services provided by charities like Cancer Support Scotland are also vital as they are there lending additional care and attention when it's needed in ways that help not only the person with cancer but also those close to them."

At its new headquarters in the grounds of Gartnavel Hospital, the charity provides therapies including one-to-one counselling, various types of massage, reflexology and Reiki as well as chiropody and hairdressing to people affected by cancer.

The facilities, officially opened by Sir Kenneth Calman earlier this month, have allowed it to double the number of people it can treat to 1400 a year.

Bernie, who was given a massage by Cancer Support Scotland complementary therapist May Tierney, said: "The complementary therapies available at Cancer Support Scotland improve people's quality of life and boost their morale at a critical time and I'm delighted their recent move to new premises will allow them to help many more people."

Bernie, who beat breast cancer in 2010, has been told that cancer is now in her brain, lungs, liver and bones.

But in a defiant message she told the Evening Times: "You've got to fight it - I'm going to get it before it gets me."