Jane Fonda revealed on Friday that she has Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a “very treatable cancer,” and that she has started treatment.
In a social media statement, the Oscar-winning actress and environmental campaigner, 84, expressed optimism. In the statement, she emphasized that her illness would not hinder her from raising awareness about the effects of climate change.
“So, my dear friends, I have something personal I’d want to share,” Fonda wrote in an email to her friends. “I was recently diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and am undergoing chemotherapy. Treatment works well for this type of cancer. Given that just 20% of individuals survive, I consider myself lucky. Furthermore, I am extremely fortunate to have health insurance and access to the best medical personnel and medicines.
I’ve arrived at the unfortunate conclusion that I’m fortunate in this scenario. Cancer has affected almost every family in the United States at some point. Despite the disease’s prevalence, many individuals, including me, lack access to high-quality medical care. This is incorrect.”
“We also need to talk about what caused the situation a lot more so that we can get rid of it,” she continued. “For example, people should be aware that fossil fuels might cause cancer. Insecticides, the bulk sourced from fossil fuels such as coal, pollute the environment. I am now six months through chemotherapy and doing well. Believe me when I say that none of this will prevent me from acting on climate change.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common type of lymphoma is non-Hodgkin lymphoma, “a type of cancer that begins in the lymphatic system, which is part of the immune system that protects the body from infectious invaders. When a patient develops non-lymphoma, white blood cells, known as lymphocytes, proliferate irregularly. They have the potential to cause tumors (growths) throughout the body.” Furthermore, advancements in diagnosis and therapy “have helped improve the outlook for people with this condition,” according to the association.
Fonda has had a long and accomplished career in the film industry, with major accolades, including Best Actress nods for Klute (1971) and Coming Home (1973). (1984). (1973). (1978). In 2014, she received the AFI Life Achievement Award and the Golden Globe’s Cecil B. DeMille Award the year before.
Grace and Frankie, a Netflix sitcom starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, just completed its seventh and final season. Fonda’s appearance on the show was very recent. She is also an active environmentalist imprisoned several times in 2019 for attending rallies in Washington, DC.
