All We Know About Cirdan Heughan, Sam Heughan's Brother Who Battled Cancer

Sam Heughan grew up in the countryside and spent most of his childhood with his elder brother Cirdan Heughan. Ever since they were little, the two have shared a special bond; even in adulthood, they remain close.

Sam is an accomplished stage and screen actor. He is famously known for playing Jamie Fraser in the drama series "Outlander," Ashton Prince in the 2011 romance/comedy film "A Princess for Christmas," and Edward McNally in the 2007 film "A Very British Sex Scandal."

The actor was born in 1980, and when he turned five, he, his brother, and his mother relocated to City-New Galloway. Sam had a great childhood; he played many games with his elder brother.

Cirdan Heughan was like a father figure to Sam, and the latter said he admired most of his brother's qualities. So when he was diagnosed with cancer, the actor did everything to save Cirdan's life.

Cirdan Heughan Is Named After One of Tolkien's Mythological Elves

Cirdan and his younger brother were both born in the U.K. Their parents were part of a hippie community in London called Gandalf's Garden—it was inspired by J.R.R Tolkien, author of "The Lord of the Rings." Following Cirdan's parents' commitment to the movement, they named their children after some of the characters in the novel.

Cirdan is passionate about bike riding; he has been that way since childhood. His brother Sam revealed in his memoir "Way Points" that Cirdan feels alive when on a bicycle.

In an interview with talk show host Kelly Clarkson, Sam, who co-starred with Sophie Skelton, Tobias Menzies, and Richard Rankin in the drama series "Outlander," confirmed he was named after the fictional character Samwise and his brother was named after Elf Cirdan.

Following the movement, Cirdan's parents moved back to Scotland. Sadly, his dad walked out on them, leaving his mother, Chrissie, to care for Cirdan and his brother.

The mom of two worked multiple odd jobs to provide for his sons and give them a good education. While Sam pursued acting, Cirdan Heughan took a different career path.

Cirdan Heughan Was Diagnosed with Cancer

2008 was a challenging year for Cirdan after he received devastating news concerning his health—he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Thankfully through his family's support, he fully recovered after treatment.

Since then, Cirdan's brother has been on the front line in supporting charities fighting cancer by continuously raising awareness about men getting check-ups. For instance, in 2018, he ran the EMF and Stirling Marathons to raise awareness and money to support Cahonas Scotland's Testicular Cancer Education.

Though Cirdan's father was absent for most of his life, they reunited after many years of being apart, but sadly, his dad was sick with Leukemia. Not long after reconciling, he passed on in 2014 after succumbing to the disease. While Cirdan's brother rarely talks about his father publicly, he once said that the costumes in "Outlander" remind him of his late father.

Cirdan Heughan Is Passionate about Bicycle Riding

Cirdan is a married man. He tied the knot with his longtime girlfriend, Victoria Lawson; they have one child together. As for Cirdan's younger brother, his relationship status remains a mystery as he keeps his personal life away from the public eye.

Cirdan is passionate about bike riding; he has been that way since childhood. His brother Sam revealed in his memoir "Way Points" that Cirdan feels alive when on a bicycle. Cirdan shares a lot of bicycle photos on his Instagram page. Also, it seems Cirdan enjoys outdoor activities, as seen from his posts.