Jane Fonda has been recognized with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and has began chemotherapy, the 84-year-old actor introduced Friday. She shared the information in an Instagram post, explaining that she is hopeful regardless of the prognosis.
“This is a very treatable cancer. 80% of people survive, so I feel very lucky,” she wrote.
She mentioned she has been managing nicely with chemotherapy to date and intends on carrying on together with her tasks.
“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,” Fonda mentioned.
She additionally used the announcement as a possibility to advocate for extra equal and accessible healthcare within the U.S.
“I realize, and it’s painful, that I am privileged in this,” Fonda mentioned. “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.”
This isn’t Fonda’s first bout with most cancers — she was beforehand recognized with breast cancer, however shared she was most cancers free in 2010.
Fonda, who’s a vocal climate activist, advocated for a preventative method to most cancers, writing that the U.S. ought to work to get rid of the chemical substances and air pollution that may trigger the illness.
“We also need to be talking much more not just about cures but about causes so we can eliminate them,” she mentioned. “For example, people need to know that fossil fuels cause cancer. So do pesticides, many of which are fossil fuel-based, like mine.”
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a sort of most cancers that impacts the physique’s lymphatic system, which helps struggle germs and micro organism, in line with the American Cancer Society. There are a number of totally different subtypes of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, however usually, it happens when white blood cells develop abnormally and may kind tumors.
Fonda mentioned she is grateful for the folks round her and her rising neighborhood throughout this new battle.
“Cancer is a teacher and I’m paying attention to the lessons it holds for me,” she wrote. “One thing it’s shown me already is the importance of community. Of growing and deepening one’s community so that we are not alone.”
Fonda indicated that she wouldn’t let her prognosis diminish her activism, writing: “We’re living through the most consequential time in human history.”
“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,” she wrote.
