Given how Francine has been absent from Iris life for so many years, its no surprise that the young journalist isnt particularly keen to have anything to do with her mother. Then comes the bombshell. Revealing her true motive to Joe, Francine explains that she has something known as McGregors, which is an illness that affects ex-addicts and means that shes only got until the end of the year left to life. Its a huge shock to all involved, but it still doesnt mean that Iris can look beyond the past few decades of abandonment.