Jane Fonda has announced that she is undergoing chemotherapy treatments following a cancer diagnosis.
The Grace and Frankie actress, 84, shared the news with fans in an Instagram post Friday afternoon, beginning, “So, my dear friends, I have something personal I want to share. I’ve been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and have started chemo treatments.”
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer that begins in the white blood cells, has an overall 5-year survival rate of near 80% for patients in the United States. “This is a very treatable cancer,” Fonda said. “So I feel very lucky.”
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“I’m also lucky because I have health insurance and access to the best doctors and treatments. I realize, and it’s painful, that I am privileged in this,” she said, using the post to also call attention to the healthcare disparity in the country.
“Almost every family in America has had to deal with cancer at one time or another and far too many don’t have access to the quality health care I am receiving and this is not right.”
Fonda Promises Diagnosis Won’t Affect Activism: “I Will Not Allow Cancer to Keep Me from Doing All I Can”
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The legendary actress and two-time Oscar winner, who has an extensive background in political and climate activism, also promised that her treatments would not interfere with her work.
“I’m doing chemo for 6 months and am handling the treatments quite well and, believe me, I will not let any of this interfere with my climate activism,” she said, noting that fossil fuels and pesticides need to be eliminated as cancer-causing agents.
“We’re living through the most consequential time in human history because what we do or don’t do right now will determine what kind of future there will be,” Fonda urged, emphasizing the importance of deepening one’s community. “And I will not allow cancer to keep me from doing all I can, using every tool in my toolbox and that very much includes continuing to build this Fire Drill Fridays community and finding new ways to use our collective strength to make change.”
She added, “The midterms are looming, and they are beyond consequential so you can count on me to be right there together with you as we grow our army of climate champions.”
Read Fonda’s full post below:
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A post shared by Jane Fonda (@janefonda)
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