Wanda Sykes
As a comedian, Wanda Sykes is rarely serious. But in the fall of 2011 Sykes shared the hard truth that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. After weighing her options, Sykes chose to have a double mastectomy to improve her odds of beating cancer. She is now cancer-free, but uses her voice and first-hand experience with cancer to bring awareness to the issue, and has participated in several cancer walks.
Giuliana Rancic
What a difference a year can make — just ask Giuliana Rancic. In the fall of 2011, she was undergoing in vitro fertilization treatments when her doctor discovered that she had early-stage breast cancer. After having a lumpectomy and radiation, Rancic made the decision to
have a double mastectomy in December 2011. Giuliana explained her difficult personal choice to People.com: “My breasts have never defined me — and now they never will.” A few months later, though, Giuliana and her husband Bill had lots of good news to share: Giuliana was cancer-free and they were expecting their first child through a surrogate. The Rancics’ son, Duke, was born on Aug. 29, 2012.
Hoda Kotb
In 2007, Kotb — host of the last hour of NBC’s “Today” alongside Kathie Lee Gifford — underwent a mastectomy and subsequent reconstructive surgery. Kotb allowed “Today” show cameras to follow her as she underwent treatment, all in an effort to show that breast cancer is a manageable, survivable illness.
Kylie Minogue
Because of this pop queen’s incredible fame in Australia, England and Europe, Minogue’s decision to speak openly about her 2005 cancer struggle was lauded by the French cultural minister in 2008. Specifically, she was credited with creating a “Kylie effect” that resulted in her fans realizing the value of frequent cancer check-ups.
Christina Applegate
The longtime TV star has returned to her sitcom roots as the star of the series “Up All Night,” but her acting career was temporarily sidelined by breast cancer. In 2008, she underwent a double mastectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer. (Applegate’s mother, actress Nancy Priddy, is also a breast cancer survivor.) She’s now cancer-free, and in 2011, she gave birth to her first daughter.
Sheryl Crow
Only three weeks after breaking up with fiancee Lance Armstrong, who himself battled cancer while in the public eye, this singer-songwriter was diagnosed as having breast cancer. She underwent surgery and radiation in February 2006 and has been cancer-free ever since.
Diahann Carroll
The singer and “Dynasty” star allowed camera crews into her treatment room in 2001. Carroll’s lumpectomy successfully removed the cancerous mass from her breast, and she has repeatedly emphasized that she would not be alive today had it not been for her yearly mammogram.
Cynthia Nixon
Though the “Sex and the City” star fought her breast cancer privately, she later came out about the ordeal, explaining that she initially didn’t want to share her news as a result of the stigma she felt the disease carried. Two years after beating the illness, she spoke openly about the experience and has since become one of the most visible advocates for increased awareness.
Ruby Dee
While this venerable actress (“Roots,” “American Gangster”) has not disclosed the details of her cancer diagnosis, she has been successfully fighting the disease since the 1980s.
Betsey Johnson
Perhaps best known for bright colors and acrobatic antics at her runway shows, designer Johnson underwent a lumpectomy and subsequent radiation treatment following a breast cancer diagnosis in 2002. She has since designed items and coordinated fashion events in an effort to raise money for cancer research.
Robin Roberts
Coincidentally, it was on the day Roberts and her “Good Morning America” colleagues were filming a farewell episode to Joel Siegel — the program’s film critic, who died of colon cancer – when she noticed a lump in her breast. She had the lump removed and returned to the news desk less than a month later. Roberts completed her cancer treatment in 2008. However, in early 2012, she was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a disease of the blood and bone marrow. She took leave from her “GMA” desk in August to receive a bone marrow transplant, the same week that her mother passed away. But after approximately six months off,
Roberts returned to the anchor’s chair in late February in a comeback celebrated by friends, colleagues and millions of viewers across the globe.
Suzanne Somers
You can’t argue that she’s not a survivor, because she had a cancerous lump removed from her breast in 2001. But Suzanne Somers became a controversial cancer awareness advocate in 2008, when she was incorrectly diagnosed with inoperable malignant cancer, which pushed her to research treatments other than chemotherapy. She published a book of her research, but it drew some criticism from medical experts.
Kathy Bates
Almost nine years after beating ovarian cancer, Kathy Bates was diagnosed with breast cancer in early 2012. With her show “Harry’s Law” being canceled, Bates decided to focus on her health and have a double mastectomy. “Luckily, I don’t have to undergo radiation or chemo,” she told People.com. “My family calls me Kat because I always land on my feet and thankfully this is no exception.” While she recovers from her surgery, Bates remains optimistic and looks forward to getting back to work as soon as she can.
Olivia Newton-John
The Aussie singer battled cancer in 1992, effectively postponing a planned career comeback. She did bounce back — health-wise and career-wise — and eventually used her pop star fortune to help the cancer-afflicted in her native Australia and worldwide. Among many other advocacy efforts, she opened the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in Melbourne in 2008.
Richard Roundtree
Lest you forget, breast cancer is not a disease that affects only women. Approximately 1 percent of breast cancer victims are men, and among the guys who have dealt with the disease is Richard Roundtree, best known for his titular role in “Shaft.” Roundtree successfully battled breast cancer in 1993 and has since spoken of his experience with the disease and the need to disassociate it from the stigma men may feel it has.
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