He’s become a household name for his roles on much-loved Aussie TV shows like Doctor Doctor, Underbelly and McLeod’s Daughters.

But when the cameras aren’t rolling, TV WEEK Gold Logie nominee Rodger Corser is best known simply as dad to his four children.

But Rodger Corser, 47, and his wife Renae Berry‘s road to starting a family was anything but simple.

Just a few months after the showbiz couple started dating, theatre actress Renae was diagnosed with cervical cancer. They were told not only that she would never be able to have children, but that she wasn’t likely to live longer than four years.

Despite doctors advising her to have a hysterectomy, Renae refused as she didn’t want to sacrifice her dream of having children.

“Renae had a doctor tell her he wanted to give her a hysterectomy straight away. And then he basically said her life expectancy might only be four to five years after that,” the TV WEEK Gold Logie nominee told Woman’s Day.

Renae added: “It was a really terrifying experience. Because of the severity of the cancer, the best way to eliminate it from my system was to have a hysterectomy. But there was no way I was just going to cop all of that.”

“For quite a while, it haunted me. I worried that (the cancer) might return. I was told I had four years to live and that did play on my mind,” Renae admitted.

Renae not only beat the cancer, but the couple went on to marry in 2007 and have three children: son Budd, 10, daughter Cilla, eight and son Dustin, five.

In fact, Dustin was a total surprise baby.

“Here I am at 40, not even thinking about it – another baby was completely off the radar – and we end up with this amazing little boy,” Renae revealed shortly after his birth.

However, it took them two years to first fall pregnant, which tragically ended in a miscarriage.

Rodger also has an 18-year-old daughter called Zipporah, whom he shares with his ex-partner, legendary singer Christine Anu.

Rodger and Christine started dating after starring together in the 1998 musical Rent.