Soap vet Réal Andrews faces cancer surgery with optimistic attitude and holiday cheer

A pre-holiday surgery didn't dim the Christmas spirit of Réal Andrews (ex-Hal Michaels, Days of our Lives; ex-Marcus Taggert, General Hospital; ex-Walker Daniels, As the World Turns; ex-Agent Trumball, All My Children), who is battling cancer.

Facing health issues is always a struggle, but it's particularly difficult during the holidays. However, soap veteran Ral Andrews managed to keep his Christmas spirits up this week when he went in for surgery to battle cancer.

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The actor -- who's known for his roles as Hal Michaels on Days of our Lives, Marcus Taggert on General Hospital, Walker Daniels on As the World Turns, and Agent Trumball on All My Children -- shared several pre- and post-op photos from the hospital where he had his medical procedure and seemed to keep up an optimistic attitude throughout the experience.

"Ready for the big day," he declared when he arrived at the hospital for the surgery on December 17, wearing a Santa Claus sweat suit and hat. "It's go time."

Though he's keeping positive, Andrews has faced some serious challenges in addition to cancer recently. As Soap Central reported in September, the actor became addicted to opioids and alcohol after having three hip surgeries that caused him chronic pain, entered Alcoholics Anonymous, and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

In addition to starring in soap operas, Andrews works as a fitness trainer and motivational speaker. His athletic experience includes training for the 1984 Olympics team as a sprinter (a hamstring injury prevented him from competing) and twice finishing the Hawaii Ironman. He currently has two acting projects slated for 2020 release -- a comedy called Cheer Up and an action film called The Marinelli Family.

Keep checking back to Soap Central for updates on Andrews' health as they come.

Would you like to leave good wishes for Andrews as he recovers from cancer surgery? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.

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