Whoopi Goldberg has offered her support to cancer-suffering pal Patrick Swayze - and is desperate for her Ghost co-star to get better.

Reports the Dirty Dancing star was suffering from pancreatic cancer surfaced on Wednesday, and were later confirmed by his publicist.

Speaking on U.S. TV show The View on Thursday, Goldberg spoke of the actor as "a man I adore."

And Goldberg admitted she had a special place in her heart for the 55-year-old after he insisted she be cast in the 1990 movie, for which she won an Oscar.

She told viewers, "When I won my Academy Award, the only person I really thanked was Patrick, because (of how) he said, ‘I’m not making this movie unless you put Whoopi Goldberg in it.’ He knew I was right for this part."

Goldberg then delivered a message of support to her pal. Looking directly into the camera, she said, "Baby, as always, we want you to know, we want you to feel better. We’ll talk soon, I hope."