Yahoo News Jane Fonda Diagnosed With Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Undergoing Chemo; Says, “This Is A Very Treatable Cancer”
Jane Fonda is undergoing chemotherapy after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
“This is a very treatable cancer,” Fonda writes today on an Instagram post. “80% of people survive, so I feel very lucky.”
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In the lengthy post – read it below – Fonda reveals that she’ll undergo chemo treatments for six months, and that she is “handling the treatments quite well and, believe me, I will not let any of this interfere with my climate activism.”
The two-time Oscar winner (1971’s Klute and ’78’s Coming Home), Emmy winner (The Dollmaker, 1984) and co-star with Lily Tomlin of Netflix’s long-running hit Grace and Frankie writes in the post that cancer “is a teacher and I’m paying attention to the lessons it holds for me. 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. And the cancer, along with my age –almost 85– definitely teaches the importance of adapting to new realities.”
Jane Fonda’s ‘Fire Drill Friday’ Brings Out The Stars For Downtown L.A. Climate Change Protest
Long an outspoken political activist, Fonda says she “will not allow cancer” to keep her from speaking out on issues such as climate change and her “Fire Drill Fridays” campaign raise awareness. “The midterms,” she writes, “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.”
Troy Garity, Fonda’s son with the late political activist Tom Hayden, responded to his mother’s announcement on Instagram with a heart emoji. Wrote Katie Couric, “Handling this with grace, intelligence and selflessness, as always. Holding you in our hearts,” and Chelsea Hander responded, “Love you, Jane. Thinking of you, always.”
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a type of cancer that begins in the lymphatic system and can result in tumors throughout the body. According to the Mayo Clinic, “advances in diagnosis and treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma have helped improve the prognosis for people with this disease.”
Here is Fonda’s entire statement:
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.
This is a very treatable cancer. 80% of people survive, so I feel very lucky.
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. 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.
We also need to be talking much more not just about cures but about causes so we can eliminate them. For example, people need to know that fossil fuels cause cancer. So do pesticides, many of which are fossil fuel-based, like mine.
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.
Cancer is a teacher and I’m paying attention to the lessons it holds for me. 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. And the cancer, along with my age –almost 85– definitely teaches the importance of adapting to new realities.
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 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.
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.
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