I reckon I've taken the news of his pancreatic cancer so badly because he's brought joy and delight, not just to my living room, but the whole movie industry.

Patrick epitomised my youth. I fell in love with him long before his Dirty Dancing days but that film sealed it. It's one of my all-time favourites and, like many a woman, I've watched it over and over again. It's a wonderful, sensual feel-good movie but, more than that, it portrayed how all teenagers dreamed of being in the 1980s.

My friend, who is obviously not a Swayze fan, asked the question what made him so special and pointed out how marvellous it would be if everyone who got cancer received the same amount of sympathy and support.

She has a good point. But I think there are so many people rooting for the 55-year-old Texan actor because he's one of those all-time greats and a household name who has brought so much pleasure to so many fans with his wonderful movies (Ghost is another brilliant piece of work). I mean, who doesn't know of him? And who can't name a movie of his? Not many, I'm sure.

He's not just a legend, he's more. In my book, he's an inspiration and role model and we need more actors in Hollywood like him. Not many can boast of being married to the same woman for more than 30 years. We women might fancy the pants off him but we admire his loyalty, too, and the fact that he comes across as a genuine, grounded guy.

I think his illness brings home the fact that we are all living on borrowed time and it doesn't matter how much money you've got in the bank because, at the end of the day, it's not going to save you. Patrick might be getting the best treatment possible but pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest of all cancers and the treatment is horrendous. I know because I watched a male friend die from it a couple of years ago. The average life expectancy for the disease is six to nine months, with only four per cent of patients living more than five years. Having said that you have got to stay positive and have hope. I truly believe he will gather strength from the contribution he has made to us and the messages he's getting on his website from fans all over the world.

Knowing how much he's loved must help when his world has just come crashing down around him.

I've always been of the opinion that when people you love or admire are ill, you should tell them how much they have enriched your life. What's the point of saving it until they have gone?