Tales to Inspire: From Riches to Scrubs

Battling cancer is challenging enough, but doing so publicly adds another layer of intensity. These celebrity cancer survivors have used their platforms to raise awareness, helping to destigmatize the disease and foster a supportive community.

 

Here are 12 courageous women who have shared their cancer journeys, highlighting their survival stories and how these experiences reshaped their lives.

 

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

In 2017, actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus revealed her stage II breast cancer diagnosis to her millions of Twitter followers. “One in eight women get breast cancer. Today, I’m the one,” she wrote. Louis-Dreyfus underwent chemotherapy and a double mastectomy, discussing her journey with Vanity Fair in 2019.

 

Robin Roberts

Good Morning America co-host Robin Roberts detected a suspicious lump in her breast during a self-exam. Following a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, Roberts shared her battle in Prevention, emphasizing her familiarity with her own body.

 

Jane Fonda

In a 2019 British Vogue interview, actress and climate activist Jane Fonda spoke about her multiple cancer battles. “I’ve had a lot of cancer,” she said, mentioning her 2016 mastectomy following a breast cancer diagnosis and her history of sun exposure.

 

Fran Drescher

The Nanny star Fran Drescher was diagnosed with uterine cancer in 2000. She reflected on her diagnosis in a 2019 InStyle essay and founded Cancer Schmancer, an advocacy group for prevention and early detection.

 

Christina Applegate

In 2008, Christina Applegate had a double mastectomy after finding cancerous lumps. Inspired by her mother, a breast cancer survivor, Applegate plans to start a foundation to support high-risk patients with MRI costs and discussed her reconstructive surgery with Good Morning America.

 

Hoda Kotb

Hoda Kotb discovered a lump during a routine checkup in 2007 and underwent a mastectomy and breast reconstruction. At a 2017 Breast Cancer Research Foundation symposium, Kotb spoke about how cancer shaped but did not define her.

 

Wanda Sykes

Wanda Sykes learned she had breast cancer while undergoing surgery for breast reduction. Diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), she chose a preventative double mastectomy due to her family history of breast cancer.

 

Gloria Steinem

Feminist icon Gloria Steinem was diagnosed with breast cancer in her early 50s. She shared that the experience made her more conscious of time and discussed her diagnosis in an HBO interview.

 

Sheryl Crow

Singer Sheryl Crow was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006, prompting her to reevaluate her life. Crow adopted her son Wyatt in 2007 and discussed her changed perspective in Glamour.

 

Sharon Osbourne

In 2002, Sharon Osbourne fought colorectal cancer and later founded the Sharon Osbourne Colon Cancer Program. She used her platform to raise awareness about colon cancer, a topic often shrouded in stigma.

 

Cynthia Nixon

Actress Cynthia Nixon, who played Samantha on Sex and the City, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006. She shared her battle on Good Morning America and has since been an ambassador for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

 

Edie Falco

Edie Falco kept her 2003 breast cancer diagnosis private, even from her The Sopranos castmates. She later opened up about her struggle and how it affected her work and personal life.