Stars Who Have Had Breast Cancer and Shared Their Stories

Mar. 15, 2025

Olivia Munn; Jenna Fischer; Robin Roberts.Photo:Valerie Macon/Getty; Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty; Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Valerie Macon/Getty; Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty; Jamie McCarthy/Getty

According to the Centers for Disease Control, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer among American women. In 2021, nearly273,000 new cases of breast cancer were reported in women.Many celebrities have found themselves facing such diagnoses, with an increasing number of them speaking up about their journeys in hopes of reminding women to make regular doctor appointments and advocate for their health.AsKatie Couricsaid after sharing her diagnosis, “Please get your annual mammogram. I was six months late this time. I shudder to think what might have happened if I had put it off longer.“Here, more stories of stars' breast cancer journeys.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer among American women. In 2021, nearly273,000 new cases of breast cancer were reported in women.

Many celebrities have found themselves facing such diagnoses, with an increasing number of them speaking up about their journeys in hopes of reminding women to make regular doctor appointments and advocate for their health.

AsKatie Couricsaid after sharing her diagnosis, “Please get your annual mammogram. I was six months late this time. I shudder to think what might have happened if I had put it off longer.”

Here, more stories of stars' breast cancer journeys.

01of 37

Jenna Fischer

Jenna Fischer.Roy Rochlin/Getty

Roy Rochlin/Getty

Age at Diagnosis:49

In October 2024, in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month,The Officestarshared that the previous year she was diagnosed with breast cancerfollowing an inconclusive mammogram.

“They found something in my left breast,” she wrote on Instagram of a follow-up ultrasound. “A biopsy was ordered. Then, on December 1, 2023, I learned I had stage 1 triple positive breast cancer.”

Fischer went on to share that she later had a lumpectomy before undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. Starting in February, she wrote, she underwent 12 rounds of chemo and in June, began three weeks of radiation. Since then she had been treated with infusions of two other medications.

“I’m happy to say that I was recently re-screened, and the treatments worked. I am cancer free. I will continue to be treated and monitored to help me stay that way,” she wrote. “Again, don’t skip your mammogram…. And know that should you get a breast cancer diagnosis, there is a village waiting to care for you.”

02of 37Olivia MunnOlivia Munn.Ryan WestAge at Diagnosis:42In March 2024, Olivia Munn shared that for nearly a year she had beenundergoing treatment for breast cancer after receiving a diagnosis in 2023.“In February of 2023, in an effort to be proactive about my health, I took a genetic test that checks you for 90 different cancer genes,” she wrote alongside a carousel of images on Instagram. “I tested negative for all, including BRCA (the most well-known breast cancer gene). My sister Sara had just tested negative as well. We called each other and high-fived over the phone. That same winter I also had a normal mammogram.”“Two months laterI was diagnosed with breast cancer,” she continued. “In the past ten months I have had four surgeries, so many days spent in bed I can’t even count and have learned more about cancer, cancer treatment and hormones than I ever could have imagined.“Not long after sharing her diagnosis with the world, Munn sat down with PEOPLE to share more about her journey, that includeda double mastectomyandfreezing her eggsahead of future treatments.In September,Munn shared an overview of her cancer timelineon Instagram which most recently included a partial hysterectomy/oophorectomy in April 2024 and beginning hormonal therapy treatment in August 2024.Shortly after that, she shared thatshe and husband John Mulaney had welcomed their second child, a daughter, through gestational surrogate. “I had so many profound emotions about not being able to carry my daughter. When I first met our gestational surrogate we spoke mother to mother. She showed me so much grace and understanding, I knew I had found a real-life angel,” she wrote.

02of 37

Olivia Munn

Olivia Munn.Ryan West

Ryan West

Age at Diagnosis:42

In March 2024, Olivia Munn shared that for nearly a year she had beenundergoing treatment for breast cancer after receiving a diagnosis in 2023.

“In February of 2023, in an effort to be proactive about my health, I took a genetic test that checks you for 90 different cancer genes,” she wrote alongside a carousel of images on Instagram. “I tested negative for all, including BRCA (the most well-known breast cancer gene). My sister Sara had just tested negative as well. We called each other and high-fived over the phone. That same winter I also had a normal mammogram.”

“Two months laterI was diagnosed with breast cancer,” she continued. “In the past ten months I have had four surgeries, so many days spent in bed I can’t even count and have learned more about cancer, cancer treatment and hormones than I ever could have imagined.”

Not long after sharing her diagnosis with the world, Munn sat down with PEOPLE to share more about her journey, that includeda double mastectomyandfreezing her eggsahead of future treatments.

In September,Munn shared an overview of her cancer timelineon Instagram which most recently included a partial hysterectomy/oophorectomy in April 2024 and beginning hormonal therapy treatment in August 2024.

Shortly after that, she shared thatshe and husband John Mulaney had welcomed their second child, a daughter, through gestational surrogate. “I had so many profound emotions about not being able to carry my daughter. When I first met our gestational surrogate we spoke mother to mother. She showed me so much grace and understanding, I knew I had found a real-life angel,” she wrote.

03of 37Danielle FishelAlberto E. Rodriguez/GettyAge at Diagnosis:43In August 2024,Boy Meets Worldstar Danielle Fishel revealed on her podcast,Pod Meets World, thatshe had been diagnosed with an early form of breast cancer called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). She told listeners that she initially was hesitant to open up about her experience so soon after diagnosis, but she realized that she might help someone pursue their own early detection.“The only reason I caught this cancer when it is still stage zero is because the day I got my text message that my yearly mammogram had come up, I made the appointment,” the actress said. “The place you have the most to learn from is that at the very beginning of a story or in the very messy middle of a story. My first instinct when I was diagnosed was to do that clam-up thing … and then what I realized is, the more people I talk to, the more people have their own experiences.”

03of 37

Danielle Fishel

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

Age at Diagnosis:43

In August 2024,Boy Meets Worldstar Danielle Fishel revealed on her podcast,Pod Meets World, thatshe had been diagnosed with an early form of breast cancer called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). She told listeners that she initially was hesitant to open up about her experience so soon after diagnosis, but she realized that she might help someone pursue their own early detection.

“The only reason I caught this cancer when it is still stage zero is because the day I got my text message that my yearly mammogram had come up, I made the appointment,” the actress said. “The place you have the most to learn from is that at the very beginning of a story or in the very messy middle of a story. My first instinct when I was diagnosed was to do that clam-up thing … and then what I realized is, the more people I talk to, the more people have their own experiences.”

04of 37Jill MartinJill Martin.Taylor Hill/FilmMagicAge at diagnosis:47TheTodaycontributorfirst revealed her diagnosisin August 2023, after she underwent testing for the BRCA gene.“It’s effing hell,“she told PEOPLEof balancing chemo treatments with work duties, as well as doing physical therapy to recover from the double mastectomy she had and a hysterectomy she has planned.However, “If I can help save lives, even if it’s one person, and to keep one family from having to go through this, I would take the cancer,” she continued. “It would be absolutely worth it. Knowing that I’m raising awareness is honestly the one thing that’s getting me through this.““What I want to say it, to anyone who might be afraid of what the [genetic] test reveals, don’t be. Or if you’re thinking, ‘I’ll get my mammogram next week, or next month,’ don’t. Please don’t put it off. Don’t be that person,” she said. “Have the knowledge about your own health so you can talk with your family and your doctor about what’s right for you.”

04of 37

Jill Martin

Jill Martin.Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Age at diagnosis:47

TheTodaycontributorfirst revealed her diagnosisin August 2023, after she underwent testing for the BRCA gene.

“It’s effing hell,“she told PEOPLEof balancing chemo treatments with work duties, as well as doing physical therapy to recover from the double mastectomy she had and a hysterectomy she has planned.

However, “If I can help save lives, even if it’s one person, and to keep one family from having to go through this, I would take the cancer,” she continued. “It would be absolutely worth it. Knowing that I’m raising awareness is honestly the one thing that’s getting me through this.”

“What I want to say it, to anyone who might be afraid of what the [genetic] test reveals, don’t be. Or if you’re thinking, ‘I’ll get my mammogram next week, or next month,’ don’t. Please don’t put it off. Don’t be that person,” she said. “Have the knowledge about your own health so you can talk with your family and your doctor about what’s right for you.”

05of 37Linda EvangelistaLinda Evangelista.The View/TwitterAge at diagnosis:53“It started out with my routine mammogram. I know we don’t like doing our mammograms. I’m the biggest procrastinator, but that’s one thing I was really faithful to,” the supermodel shared onThe Viewin 2023.“I have another disease that involves my lungs, and a lumpectomy that wasn’t so great ended up being a double mastectomy, which was the right decision for me,” she continued. “And I thought, you know, I’m not going to die of breast cancer.”

05of 37

Linda Evangelista

Linda Evangelista.The View/Twitter

The View/Twitter

Age at diagnosis:53

“It started out with my routine mammogram. I know we don’t like doing our mammograms. I’m the biggest procrastinator, but that’s one thing I was really faithful to,” the supermodel shared onThe Viewin 2023.

“I have another disease that involves my lungs, and a lumpectomy that wasn’t so great ended up being a double mastectomy, which was the right decision for me,” she continued. “And I thought, you know, I’m not going to die of breast cancer.”

06of 37Guerdy AbrairaGuerdy Abraira.Ivan Apfel/Getty ImagesAge at diagnosis:45Real Housewives of MiamistarGuerdy Abrairashared her diagnosis in May 2023.“I was in St. Barts having the time of my life when my doctor called me with results following a regular mammogram checkup. I have breast cancer,“her post began.“It took me a while to process it all and this is why I took a break from social media last month as many noticed. Many of you reached out to check on me and I am thankful for your caring gestures.“Abraira went on to explain that she is currently “preparing for my upcoming surgery and then will come my treatment plan,” adding, “This process is definitely intense and what I ask of you is empowerment not pity.”

06of 37

Guerdy Abraira

Guerdy Abraira.Ivan Apfel/Getty Images

Age at diagnosis:45

Real Housewives of MiamistarGuerdy Abrairashared her diagnosis in May 2023.

“I was in St. Barts having the time of my life when my doctor called me with results following a regular mammogram checkup. I have breast cancer,“her post began.

“It took me a while to process it all and this is why I took a break from social media last month as many noticed. Many of you reached out to check on me and I am thankful for your caring gestures.”

Abraira went on to explain that she is currently “preparing for my upcoming surgery and then will come my treatment plan,” adding, “This process is definitely intense and what I ask of you is empowerment not pity.”

07of 37

Samantha Harris

Samantha Harris/Instagram

Age at diagnosis:40 and 50

In 2024, Harris shared on Instagram that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer again.

“I have some health news that I need to share that I never thought that I would be sharing again in my lifetime, but I have a recurrence of breast cancer,” she said. “And I feel so fortunate to have been able to guide, support and lead so many of you inYour Healthiest Healthycommunity, and I will continue to do so, and I will fight on and I will be okay.”

08of 37Katie CouricRoy Rochlin/GettyAge at diagnosis:65Katie Couricrevealed ina personal essayon Sept. 28, 2022, thatshe had been diagnosedwithbreast cancer.The legendary journalist and author, whosefirst husband Jay Monahan died of colon cancer in 1998, spurring her to be an outspoken advocate and fundraiser for cancer research, shared her news in an effort to encourage her female followers to get their mammograms on time.“Please get your annual mammogram,” wrote Couric. “I was six months late this time. I shudder to think what might have happened if I had put it off longer. But just as importantly, please find out if you need additional screening.“October 2022 marks Couric’s first Breast Cancer Awareness Month since receiving her diagnosis. On the first day, she took to Instagram to “spread the word that screening saves lives.” The formerTODAYShow co-anchorprompted her followersto post photos “with whoever or whatever inspires” them to prioritize their health.To launch the social media movement, Couric shared a smiley shot of her and her daughters, Ellie and Caroline. “Here are two of my reasons,” she said in the caption.

08of 37

Katie Couric

Age at diagnosis:65

Katie Couricrevealed ina personal essayon Sept. 28, 2022, thatshe had been diagnosedwithbreast cancer.

The legendary journalist and author, whosefirst husband Jay Monahan died of colon cancer in 1998, spurring her to be an outspoken advocate and fundraiser for cancer research, shared her news in an effort to encourage her female followers to get their mammograms on time.

“Please get your annual mammogram,” wrote Couric. “I was six months late this time. I shudder to think what might have happened if I had put it off longer. But just as importantly, please find out if you need additional screening.”

October 2022 marks Couric’s first Breast Cancer Awareness Month since receiving her diagnosis. On the first day, she took to Instagram to “spread the word that screening saves lives.” The formerTODAYShow co-anchorprompted her followersto post photos “with whoever or whatever inspires” them to prioritize their health.

To launch the social media movement, Couric shared a smiley shot of her and her daughters, Ellie and Caroline. “Here are two of my reasons,” she said in the caption.

09of 37Clea ShearerCourtesy Clea ShearerAge at diagnosis:40Shearer had just released herfirst-ever magazine issue, announced theacquisition of her companyand was about to start promotions for the second season of herhit Netflix serieswhen everything came toa very sudden halt.The professional organizer and star ofGet Organized with the Home Editwas in New York City to film a segment for theTodayshow with hercostar, best friend and business partner Joanna Teplinwhen she found two small lumps in her right breast during a self-exam. Within a few weeks, she learned she had stage 1 invasive mammary carcinoma, an aggressive form of breast cancer. She began treatment andin Sept. 2022 announced that she had finished her final round of chemo.At the time of diagnosis, Shearer told PEOPLE, “I felt something, a mass, a lump. But I didn’t know what a lump actually even felt like, so I was just in my hotel room Googling, ‘What does a breast tumor feel like?’ ““I think I had convinced myself, because of my age and because I don’t have a history of breast cancer in my family, that it was something, but it would not be a cancerous tumor,” the married mom of two continued."[I want to] have people understand that if you feel anything amiss, you have to say something. You might not get a response from your doctor that you like. They might push it off and say you don’t need a test or we’ll get you in at your next physical. But we know our body’s best,” she said. “Self-examining is the best thing you can possibly do and it costs nothing. Self-examining is what saved me.”

09of 37

Clea Shearer

Courtesy Clea Shearer

Age at diagnosis:40

Shearer had just released herfirst-ever magazine issue, announced theacquisition of her companyand was about to start promotions for the second season of herhit Netflix serieswhen everything came toa very sudden halt.

The professional organizer and star ofGet Organized with the Home Editwas in New York City to film a segment for theTodayshow with hercostar, best friend and business partner Joanna Teplinwhen she found two small lumps in her right breast during a self-exam. Within a few weeks, she learned she had stage 1 invasive mammary carcinoma, an aggressive form of breast cancer. She began treatment andin Sept. 2022 announced that she had finished her final round of chemo.

At the time of diagnosis, Shearer told PEOPLE, “I felt something, a mass, a lump. But I didn’t know what a lump actually even felt like, so I was just in my hotel room Googling, ‘What does a breast tumor feel like?’ "

“I think I had convinced myself, because of my age and because I don’t have a history of breast cancer in my family, that it was something, but it would not be a cancerous tumor,” the married mom of two continued.

“[I want to] have people understand that if you feel anything amiss, you have to say something. You might not get a response from your doctor that you like. They might push it off and say you don’t need a test or we’ll get you in at your next physical. But we know our body’s best,” she said. “Self-examining is the best thing you can possibly do and it costs nothing. Self-examining is what saved me.”

10of 37

Hilary Farr

Age at diagnosis:70

In 2012, after Farr went in for a routine mammogram, doctors found a suspicious lump. She immediately underwent surgery, and lab results confirmed that the tumor was precancerous, not malignant. “I felt so much relief,“she told PEOPLE. “I moved on.”

Her fear quickly turned to anger. “I felt absolute fury that someone could be so flippantly wrong,” she says. “I could have been dead.”

In March 2015 she then began a 28-day course of radiation, but seven months later, doctors found another suspicious breast growth. She underwent a third lumpectomy, and the tumor was considered precancerous. Farr is now in remission.

“Fear of breast cancer stops a lot of women from getting checked. But as terrifying as it is, you face it,” she said, adding that coping with an illness alone is a mistake she doesn’t want others to make.

“Thinking that you should keep it a secret or just power through doesn’t help and it doesn’t heal,” she added. “If I can change that for one person, then that’s enough.”

11of 37Robin RobertsRobin Roberts.James Devaney/GC ImagesAge at diagnosis:46In 2007,Good Morning Americaco-anchor Roberts announced her breast cancer diagnosis on air, sharing that she did not want the show’s viewers to hear it from anyone else besides her. “My family here [at ABC] knows, and my family at home knows,” she said during the broadcast. “And I’m very, very blessed and thankful that I found it early.” Roberts detailed that she discovered a lump during a self-examination, and that she would undergo an initial surgery just days after the announcement.The television journalist completed eight chemotherapy treatments in January 2008.More than a decade later, in February 2022, Roberts' longtime partner,Amber Laign, was diagnosed with breast cancer as well. Robertsspoke to Ellen DeGeneresabout her partner’s diagnosis and– luckily– her optimistic prognosis.“Like many people, [Laign] had put off going to the doctor during the pandemic, and then at the end of last year, she followed through with a regular breast exam and it was discovered,” Roberts said in her emotional appearance onEllen. “So the message is: get those regular exams, it can save your life.”

11of 37

Robin Roberts

Robin Roberts.James Devaney/GC Images

Age at diagnosis:46

In 2007,Good Morning Americaco-anchor Roberts announced her breast cancer diagnosis on air, sharing that she did not want the show’s viewers to hear it from anyone else besides her. “My family here [at ABC] knows, and my family at home knows,” she said during the broadcast. “And I’m very, very blessed and thankful that I found it early.” Roberts detailed that she discovered a lump during a self-examination, and that she would undergo an initial surgery just days after the announcement.

The television journalist completed eight chemotherapy treatments in January 2008.

More than a decade later, in February 2022, Roberts' longtime partner,Amber Laign, was diagnosed with breast cancer as well. Robertsspoke to Ellen DeGeneresabout her partner’s diagnosis and– luckily– her optimistic prognosis.

“Like many people, [Laign] had put off going to the doctor during the pandemic, and then at the end of last year, she followed through with a regular breast exam and it was discovered,” Roberts said in her emotional appearance onEllen. “So the message is: get those regular exams, it can save your life.”

12of 37

Miranda McKeon

Miranda McKeon.Miranda McKeon

Age at diagnosis:19

TheAnne with an Estar was “one in a million” when she wasdiagnosed as a teen in the summer of 2021.

After finding a lump while adjusting her shirt, “I had the thought that, ‘Wow, this is the moment.’ I immediately went to the worst case scenario,” she told PEOPLE. “This is the moment where everything changes and there’s no going back. But after going down a little Google rabbit hole, my mind was at ease because I didn’t think anything could be wrong because of my age.”

Immediately immersed into treatments and appointments for stage 3 cancer that was in her lymph nodes, “My doctor was like, ‘Your stage doesn’t define you. And your cancer is your cancer.’ Which I appreciate because when you hear someone’s stage, your mind goes straight to one place or another and I don’t think that’s necessarily representative of what I’m going through.”

The actress keeps fans updated via her blog (including a recent look into how she was feeling post-breast reconstruction surgery) and says she sees the silver lining in that connection.

13of 37

Shannen Doherty

Lionel Hahn/Abaca

Ages at diagnosis:44 and 48

The actress revealed to PEOPLE in August 2015 that she was battling breast cancer; it went into remission, butin February 2020 she revealed that it had returned as a Stage 4 metastatic cancer that had spread to her spine.

Despite the news of her terminal illness, Doherty maintained an active life, and was determined to make the most of whatever time she had left.

“People just assume that it means you can’t walk, you can’t eat, you can’t work. They put you out to pasture at a very early age — ‘You’re done, you’re retired,’ and we’re not,” she told PEOPLE in 2023. “We’re vibrant, and we have such a different outlook on life. We are people who want to work, embrace life and keep moving forward.”

“You really have to dig deep to face cancer, and in that you find all the stuff that you had hidden away,” she said in 2021. “And it’s beautiful things that you find. You find the vulnerability, you find your trust in people again, you find forgiveness.”

14of 37

Olivia Newton-John

Sipa; inset: amazon.com

Ages at diagnosis:44, 64 and 68

In May 2017, she announced she wasdiagnosed with breast cancerfor the third time, and thatthe cancer had metastasizedand spread to her bones. She later revealed that she had secretly faced the disease for a second time in privateback in 2013.

She died in 2022at the age of 73, but shared her story and raised awareness and funds right up until the end.

15of 37Julia Louis-DreyfusCourtesy Saks Fifth AvenueAge at diagnosis:56One day after the 2017Emmy Awards, theVeepstar was diagnosed with breast cancer. “1 in 8 women get breast cancer. Today, I’m the one,“the actress wrote on a photo posted to Twitter about 10 days later.She completed her cancer treatment in early 2018, and returned to work filmingVeep.Speaking to PEOPLEin September 2018, the actress said, “I’m feeling good and feeling quite ready and delighted to focus on funny things as opposed to things that aren’t quite so funny.“She also told PEOPLE she plans to be an advocate for women’s health going forward, starting with modeling the20th anniversary edition of the Key to the Cure shirt(pictured), from which 100 percent of the proceeds will benefitAiRS Foundation.

15of 37

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Courtesy Saks Fifth Avenue

Age at diagnosis:56

One day after the 2017Emmy Awards, theVeepstar was diagnosed with breast cancer. “1 in 8 women get breast cancer. Today, I’m the one,“the actress wrote on a photo posted to Twitter about 10 days later.

She completed her cancer treatment in early 2018, and returned to work filmingVeep.Speaking to PEOPLEin September 2018, the actress said, “I’m feeling good and feeling quite ready and delighted to focus on funny things as opposed to things that aren’t quite so funny.”

She also told PEOPLE she plans to be an advocate for women’s health going forward, starting with modeling the20th anniversary edition of the Key to the Cure shirt(pictured), from which 100 percent of the proceeds will benefitAiRS Foundation.

16of 37Angelina JoliePaul Grover/Rex USAAge at high-risk diagnosis:37Aftertests revealed she had a high risk of developing breast cancer,Joliequietly underwent a double mastectomy,she toldtheNew York Timesin a May 2013 op-ed article. “I wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a mastectomy was not easy. But it is one I am very happy that I made,” wrote themother of six. “I can tell my children that they don’t need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer.” In 2015, shehad her ovaries and fallopian tubes removedas a further preventive measure.

16of 37

Angelina Jolie

Paul Grover/Rex USA

Age at high-risk diagnosis:37

Aftertests revealed she had a high risk of developing breast cancer,Joliequietly underwent a double mastectomy,she toldtheNew York Timesin a May 2013 op-ed article. “I wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a mastectomy was not easy. But it is one I am very happy that I made,” wrote themother of six. “I can tell my children that they don’t need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer.” In 2015, shehad her ovaries and fallopian tubes removedas a further preventive measure.

17of 37

Sandra Lee

Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Age at diagnosis:48

Lee was leaving a photoshoot for PEOPLE’s Most Beautiful issue in March 2015 when she received the devastating news. She revealed her breast cancer diagnosis in an emotionalGood Morning Americainterview just two months later.

At the time of Lee’s diagnosis, the medical community suggested women could wait until 50 to start getting regular mammograms. The Emmy-winning chef, whose cancer was caught in the early stages, urges others to follow her and start screening early. “If I would’ve waited, I probably wouldn’t even be sitting here,” she toldGMAanchor Robin Roberts, who was diagnosed with breast cancer as well, at age 46.

In 2022, Leeshared with fans that she had undergone a hysterectomyafter doctors noticed some concerning results at a check-up. “After that, there won’t be any more halo of worry hanging over my head,” she explained.

18of 37Hoda KotbCindy Ord/GettyAge at diagnosis:42After discovering a lump in her breast, theTodayanchor underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery in March 2007, which she now credits with helping her better her life. “Staring down the scariest thing that could have happened to me gave me the strength to take on new challenges,” she said in 2008 onToday, which provided a platform to document her cancer journey. “When I got back to work, one of the first things I did was walk into my bosses' offices … to tell them I wanted to beToday’s fourth-hour co-host. Before cancer, I don’t think I had the confidence to fight for the position, but now here I am, living my dream job.”

18of 37

Hoda Kotb

Cindy Ord/Getty

Age at diagnosis:42

After discovering a lump in her breast, theTodayanchor underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery in March 2007, which she now credits with helping her better her life. “Staring down the scariest thing that could have happened to me gave me the strength to take on new challenges,” she said in 2008 onToday, which provided a platform to document her cancer journey. “When I got back to work, one of the first things I did was walk into my bosses' offices … to tell them I wanted to beToday’s fourth-hour co-host. Before cancer, I don’t think I had the confidence to fight for the position, but now here I am, living my dream job.”

19of 37

Kristen Dahlgren

NBC News

Age at Diagnosis:47

In 2016, NBC News correspondent reported a story on lesser-known signs of breast cancer (including dimpling, “dents” or redness) - then three years later, spotted one in herself. It turned out to be Stage 2 breast cancer.

She’s currently in remission and still sharing her journey. In October 2020,she spoke about the next step, reconstruction, on theToday Show.

20of 37Mathew KnowlesMathew Knowles.Courtesy Mathew KnowlesAge at Diagnosis:67The music producer and father to Beyoncé and Solange Knowles decided to see a doctor after noticing tiny spots of blood on his shirt and bedsheets.He discovered that he was one of the few men to be diagnosed with breast cancer(about 1 percent of the 270,000 annual diagnoses in America).After successful treatment, he discovered that he has the BRCA gene, which can mutate and lead to cancer. He now encourages people (including his daughters)to learn more about their risk factors and whether genetic testing is right for them. And he’s focused on educating people about men’s risk of the cancer, which is often detected later (and thus can be more fatal) due to lack of awareness.“A whole lot has to change in the education of men about breast cancer,” he says, adding that Black men are diagnosed with breast cancer at a 52 percent higher rate than white men. “I want to save lives, especially in the Black community,”

20of 37

Mathew Knowles

Mathew Knowles.Courtesy Mathew Knowles

Age at Diagnosis:67

The music producer and father to Beyoncé and Solange Knowles decided to see a doctor after noticing tiny spots of blood on his shirt and bedsheets.He discovered that he was one of the few men to be diagnosed with breast cancer(about 1 percent of the 270,000 annual diagnoses in America).

After successful treatment, he discovered that he has the BRCA gene, which can mutate and lead to cancer. He now encourages people (including his daughters)to learn more about their risk factors and whether genetic testing is right for them. And he’s focused on educating people about men’s risk of the cancer, which is often detected later (and thus can be more fatal) due to lack of awareness.

“A whole lot has to change in the education of men about breast cancer,” he says, adding that Black men are diagnosed with breast cancer at a 52 percent higher rate than white men. “I want to save lives, especially in the Black community,”

21of 37Mandy GonzalezMandy Gonzalez.courtesy Mandy GonzalezAge at diagnosis:40When offered the option to get a mammogram during her regular check-up, theHamiltonstar said yes (“because breast cancer tends to impact Latina women at a younger age than the general population”) - and after a second scan, she was officially diagnosed.“Everything happened very fast, I was very fortunate that they were able to catch it early,“Gonzalez told PEOPLE in January 2020. “It’s important for women to know that early detection is key. As a community, as a society, we need to figure out a way so that everyone has access to a mammogram.“She continued to perform as Angelica Schuyler in the hit Broadway musical while undergoing treatment, saying that singing was a source of strength for her. Andin July, she got to ring the bell indicating her cancer-free status.Now she raises awareness about early detection, and sees the positive in her journey. “I’ve come to see that sharing and exposing vulnerability is a sign of strength, not weakness,” she told PEOPLE. “Yes, I have breast cancer. But it does not define me. I am a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend, an actress, a squad leader. None of that changes.”

21of 37

Mandy Gonzalez

Mandy Gonzalez.courtesy Mandy Gonzalez

When offered the option to get a mammogram during her regular check-up, theHamiltonstar said yes (“because breast cancer tends to impact Latina women at a younger age than the general population”) - and after a second scan, she was officially diagnosed.

“Everything happened very fast, I was very fortunate that they were able to catch it early,“Gonzalez told PEOPLE in January 2020. “It’s important for women to know that early detection is key. As a community, as a society, we need to figure out a way so that everyone has access to a mammogram.”

She continued to perform as Angelica Schuyler in the hit Broadway musical while undergoing treatment, saying that singing was a source of strength for her. Andin July, she got to ring the bell indicating her cancer-free status.

Now she raises awareness about early detection, and sees the positive in her journey. “I’ve come to see that sharing and exposing vulnerability is a sign of strength, not weakness,” she told PEOPLE. “Yes, I have breast cancer. But it does not define me. I am a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend, an actress, a squad leader. None of that changes.”

22of 37Christina ApplegateJon Kopaloff/GettyAge at diagnosis:36After watching her mother have cancer twice,Applegatewas diagnosedwith breast cancer in August 2008 andunderwent a double mastectomy, even though cancer was detected in only one of her breasts. “Sometimes I cry. Sometimes I scream, and I get really angry,” the actress, now in remission, saidonGood Morning America, “I think it’s all part of healing.”

22of 37

Christina Applegate

Jon Kopaloff/Getty

Age at diagnosis:36

After watching her mother have cancer twice,Applegatewas diagnosedwith breast cancer in August 2008 andunderwent a double mastectomy, even though cancer was detected in only one of her breasts. “Sometimes I cry. Sometimes I scream, and I get really angry,” the actress, now in remission, saidonGood Morning America, “I think it’s all part of healing.”

23of 37Edie FalcoDimitrios Kambouris/WireImageAge at diagnosis:39The ultra-private star only informed family, a few close friends and her bosses at HBO when she was diagnosed with an aggressive strain of breast cancer in 2003. “I don’t respond well to the sympathy thing,” shetold PEOPLEin 2009, explaining that she filmedThe Sopranosaround her chemo appointments and donned an identical wig on the show. “We were shooting crazy hours, so I still looked better than everybody else,” she joked.

23of 37

Edie Falco

Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage

Age at diagnosis:39

The ultra-private star only informed family, a few close friends and her bosses at HBO when she was diagnosed with an aggressive strain of breast cancer in 2003. “I don’t respond well to the sympathy thing,” shetold PEOPLEin 2009, explaining that she filmedThe Sopranosaround her chemo appointments and donned an identical wig on the show. “We were shooting crazy hours, so I still looked better than everybody else,” she joked.

24of 37

Lesley Murphy

Courtesy Lesley Murphy

Age at high-risk diagnosis:29

25of 37Maura TierneyJordan Strauss/WireImageAge at diagnosis:44"I remember thinking, ‘I’m so young. This can’t be happening,'” Tierneytold PEOPLEin July 2012, about three years after finding out she hadbreast cancerin 2009. The diagnosis meant she had to drop out of the NBC showParenthood, but ultimately, it allowed her to focus on what’s important. “I think I always kind of lived in the moment,” she said. “But I spend a lot more time with my family now – that’s one solid difference.”

25of 37

Maura Tierney

Jordan Strauss/WireImage

Age at diagnosis:44

“I remember thinking, ‘I’m so young. This can’t be happening,'” Tierneytold PEOPLEin July 2012, about three years after finding out she hadbreast cancerin 2009. The diagnosis meant she had to drop out of the NBC showParenthood, but ultimately, it allowed her to focus on what’s important. “I think I always kind of lived in the moment,” she said. “But I spend a lot more time with my family now – that’s one solid difference.”

26of 37Jessica St. ClairJB Lacroix/WireImageAge at diagnosis:38ThePlaying Housestar was serving her then-2-year-old daughter breakfast in 2015 when she realized something wasn’t right. Days later,she was diagnosed with stage 2B estrogen positive cancer. “I remember thinking, ‘I will do anything and everything I need to do to stay alive for my daughter and make sure this has the least amount of impact on her life’,” she recalled to PEOPLE.After intense chemotherapy and a double mastectomy, she’s cancer-free, and en used her journey as inspiration for the new season ofPlaying House. “I knew we were going to have to tell the story, because [costar Lennon Parham] and I always write about what we’re going through in real life,” she said. “There are a lot of young moms going through this and I want them to know, ‘Hey, I can do this too!’ "

26of 37

Jessica St. Clair

JB Lacroix/WireImage

Age at diagnosis:38

ThePlaying Housestar was serving her then-2-year-old daughter breakfast in 2015 when she realized something wasn’t right. Days later,she was diagnosed with stage 2B estrogen positive cancer. “I remember thinking, ‘I will do anything and everything I need to do to stay alive for my daughter and make sure this has the least amount of impact on her life’,” she recalled to PEOPLE.

After intense chemotherapy and a double mastectomy, she’s cancer-free, and en used her journey as inspiration for the new season ofPlaying House. “I knew we were going to have to tell the story, because [costar Lennon Parham] and I always write about what we’re going through in real life,” she said. “There are a lot of young moms going through this and I want them to know, ‘Hey, I can do this too!’ "

27of 37Rita WilsonKristen Lara GetchellAge at diagnosis:58The actress (and wife of Tom Hanks) has an underlying condition she monitors regularly. An abnormality raised some red flags with her doctor, though cancer wasn’t detected. However, a friend urged Wilson to get a second opinion – at which time she found out shedid in fact have breast cancer, and in April 2015, she told PEOPLE she’d had a bilateral mastectomy. “I share this to educate others that a second opinion is critical to your health,” she said. “You have nothing to lose if both opinions match up for the good, and everything to gain if something that was missed was found. I hope this will encourage others to get a second opinion and trust their instincts if something doesn’t ‘feel’ right.“In 2017, Wilson penned an article inHarper’s Bazaarthat talked about the aftermath of having breast cancer. “We often assume that once you have had the surgery and treatment, you are fine,” Wilson writes. “And hopefully you are. But I found that there were unexpected things that came along with having gone through something as frightening as having had cancer that I only heard about from my friends who’d had cancer too.”

27of 37

Rita Wilson

Kristen Lara Getchell

Age at diagnosis:58

The actress (and wife of Tom Hanks) has an underlying condition she monitors regularly. An abnormality raised some red flags with her doctor, though cancer wasn’t detected. However, a friend urged Wilson to get a second opinion – at which time she found out shedid in fact have breast cancer, and in April 2015, she told PEOPLE she’d had a bilateral mastectomy. “I share this to educate others that a second opinion is critical to your health,” she said. “You have nothing to lose if both opinions match up for the good, and everything to gain if something that was missed was found. I hope this will encourage others to get a second opinion and trust their instincts if something doesn’t ‘feel’ right.”

In 2017, Wilson penned an article inHarper’s Bazaarthat talked about the aftermath of having breast cancer. “We often assume that once you have had the surgery and treatment, you are fine,” Wilson writes. “And hopefully you are. But I found that there were unexpected things that came along with having gone through something as frightening as having had cancer that I only heard about from my friends who’d had cancer too.”

28of 37Giuliana RancicCourtesy Giuliana RancicAge at diagnosis:37"The second I heard ‘cancer,’ I just remember my head went down, the ground went away, and I just dropped through the earth, and I was just dropping, falling,” the E! hostrecalled on herreality show after learning shehad breast cancerduring a 2011 mammogram while undergoing a round of in vitro fertilization. But Rancic,who underwenta double lumpectomy and a double mastectomy to treat the cancer, marked a very special milestone just months later: her first Mother’s Day withson Edward Duke.“The key for me is getting out there and encouraging women to find it early,“she told PEOPLE. “More women find their breast cancer themselves than at the doctor or mammogram. I have women all the time who say, ‘I found my breast cancer early because of you and I’m going to be okay.'”

28of 37

Giuliana Rancic

Courtesy Giuliana Rancic

Age at diagnosis:37

“The second I heard ‘cancer,’ I just remember my head went down, the ground went away, and I just dropped through the earth, and I was just dropping, falling,” the E! hostrecalled on herreality show after learning shehad breast cancerduring a 2011 mammogram while undergoing a round of in vitro fertilization. But Rancic,who underwenta double lumpectomy and a double mastectomy to treat the cancer, marked a very special milestone just months later: her first Mother’s Day withson Edward Duke.

“The key for me is getting out there and encouraging women to find it early,“she told PEOPLE. “More women find their breast cancer themselves than at the doctor or mammogram. I have women all the time who say, ‘I found my breast cancer early because of you and I’m going to be okay.'”

29of 37

Sheryl Crow

Kevin Winter/Getty

Just weeks aftercalling off her engagementto Lance Armstrong, thesingerwas diagnosed with an early stage of breast cancer in February 2006, later undergoing a lumpectomy and radiation treatment. Rather than feel bad on her difficult year,Crow said it was a positive for her: “It brought me to this point where I am now, and I really feel like I have a lot of clarity.”

30of 37

Lisa Vidal

Gabe Ginsberg/FilmMagic

Age at diagnosis:Unknown

31of 37Melissa EtheridgeKevin Mazur/WireimageAge at diagnosis:43When the singer took the stage at the 2005Grammy Awardswith a show-stopping rendition of Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart,” she famously performed bald – a reminder of her October 2004 breast cancer diagnosis. “I’m feeling great,“she proclaimedto PEOPLE. Years later, performing 10,000 feet up in the air for a 2009Breast Cancer Research Foundationbenefit,Etheridge said, “My health is better now than it’s ever been. Cancer woke me up.”

31of 37

Melissa Etheridge

Kevin Mazur/Wireimage

Age at diagnosis:43

When the singer took the stage at the 2005Grammy Awardswith a show-stopping rendition of Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart,” she famously performed bald – a reminder of her October 2004 breast cancer diagnosis. “I’m feeling great,“she proclaimedto PEOPLE. Years later, performing 10,000 feet up in the air for a 2009Breast Cancer Research Foundationbenefit,Etheridge said, “My health is better now than it’s ever been. Cancer woke me up.”

32of 37Mindy CohnKevin Winter/GettyAge at diagnosis:46Now healthy, theFacts of Lifestarwas diagnosed in 2012,and went through her battle largely alone, telling very few friends as she faded from the spotlight during treatment. But once she opened up a bit, “so many people began reaching out, wanting to help,” she told PEOPLE. For Cohn it was a lesson in humility. “I needed to be vulnerable,” she said. “I had to learn that asking for help is not me being weak—it’s actually beautiful.”

32of 37

Mindy Cohn

Now healthy, theFacts of Lifestarwas diagnosed in 2012,and went through her battle largely alone, telling very few friends as she faded from the spotlight during treatment. But once she opened up a bit, “so many people began reaching out, wanting to help,” she told PEOPLE. For Cohn it was a lesson in humility. “I needed to be vulnerable,” she said. “I had to learn that asking for help is not me being weak—it’s actually beautiful.”

33of 37Kylie MinogueKevin Mazur/WireImageAge at diagnosis:36Afteran initial misdiagnosis, the Australian pop star postponed her Showgirl tour to undergo treatment forbreast cancer in 2005. “When you are stripped of everything and you have to grow your eyelashes back, grow your hair back, it’s just astonishing,” Minoguelater opened upin the November 2007 issue of BritishGlamour. “It’s hard to express what I’ve learned from that, but a deep psychological and emotional shift has obviously taken place.”

33of 37

Kylie Minogue

Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Afteran initial misdiagnosis, the Australian pop star postponed her Showgirl tour to undergo treatment forbreast cancer in 2005. “When you are stripped of everything and you have to grow your eyelashes back, grow your hair back, it’s just astonishing,” Minoguelater opened upin the November 2007 issue of BritishGlamour. “It’s hard to express what I’ve learned from that, but a deep psychological and emotional shift has obviously taken place.”

34of 37Cynthia NixonBryan Smith/ZUMAAge at diagnosis:40Six years before theSex and the Cityalum andformer New York gubernatorial candidateshaved her head to portray a cancer patient in Broadway’s 2012 production ofWit, Nixon was diagnosed with breast cancer after a routine mammogram, whichshe revealed18 months later when she became an official ambassador for theSusan G. Komen for the Cure foundation. “I felt scared,” themother of threetoldABCat the time. “And I thought, ‘Oh, I don’t want this to be happening.’ I was very cognizant of if it’s going to happen, this is the best way for it to happen – that it’s found so early, and we can just get right on it.”

34of 37

Cynthia Nixon

Bryan Smith/ZUMA

Six years before theSex and the Cityalum andformer New York gubernatorial candidateshaved her head to portray a cancer patient in Broadway’s 2012 production ofWit, Nixon was diagnosed with breast cancer after a routine mammogram, whichshe revealed18 months later when she became an official ambassador for theSusan G. Komen for the Cure foundation. “I felt scared,” themother of threetoldABCat the time. “And I thought, ‘Oh, I don’t want this to be happening.’ I was very cognizant of if it’s going to happen, this is the best way for it to happen – that it’s found so early, and we can just get right on it.”

35of 37

Suzanne Somers

Evan Agostini/Getty

Age at diagnosis:54

After revealing onLarry King Livein 2001 that she wasbattling breast cancer(without chemotherapy), Somers was inspired to put pen to paper in her 2010 bookKnockout, in which she explored alternative treatment methods. “Saying the words publicly out loud – ‘I have cancer’ – rocked my soul,” she recalled to PEOPLE of her public announcement.

In July 2023, Somers revealed she once again had breast cancer, writing in part on Instagram, “This is not new territory for me. I know how to put on my battle gear and I’m a fighter.”

36of 37Kathy BatesJason LaVeris/FilmMagicAge at diagnosis:55Bates was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2003, and then breast cancer in 2012. She decided to have a double mastectomy because of her family history with cancer. “My aunt had died from it, my mother had it, my niece had it,“she told PEOPLE. She tested negative for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutation that increases a woman’s risk of breast and ovarian cancer. A negative BRCA result is “not a get out of jail free card,” she said.

36of 37

Kathy Bates

Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

Age at diagnosis:55

Bates was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2003, and then breast cancer in 2012. She decided to have a double mastectomy because of her family history with cancer. “My aunt had died from it, my mother had it, my niece had it,“she told PEOPLE. She tested negative for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutation that increases a woman’s risk of breast and ovarian cancer. A negative BRCA result is “not a get out of jail free card,” she said.

37of 37

Amy Foster

Amy Foster/ Instagram.

The daughter of producer David Foster and author ofRift Codashared a photo of herself getting an MRIto announce that she had been diagnosedwith the disease.

source: people.com