We often think that celebrities are our heroes and thus assume that they do not face the same struggles as us common folk, but nothing could be further from the truth. Because October is breast cancer awareness month, it’s important to realize that the disease can afflict people of every social status. Since celebrities are in fact our heroes, we can look to those who have been affected by breast cancer and be inspired by their stories.
According to breastcancer.org, one in eight women will develop invasive breast cancer in her lifetime, and about 2,350 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. Neither these statistics nor cancer discriminate — here are several prominent public figures who have battled breast cancer.
Angelina Jolie
In May 2013, CNN reported that the actress, filmmaker, philanthropist and mother of six announced that she had a preventative double mastectomy after genetic testing showed she has a mutated BRAC1 gene. The mutation drastically increases the chances of developing both breast and ovarian cancer.
Daily Mail reported that the “Angelina Jolie effect,” defined by Breast Cancer Research as increased public awareness of breast cancer and publicity of Jolie’s genetic test and double mastectomy, is real. A study cited by Daily Mail found that there has been increased breast cancer treatment and surgery awareness since she publicized her double-breast removal and reconstructive surgery. Both her decision to undergo the procedures and the subsequent media coverage have increased public knowledge of genetic testing, preventative procedures and cancer treatments.
Judy Blume
Blume, author of “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret,” “Blubber,” “Freckle Juice” and many other books, was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2012 and underwent a mastectomy, according to Time.com. The publication reported she was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, or IDC, the most prevalent form of breast cancer that originates in the duct and spreads to the fatty tissue of the breast. Blume opted for a total mastectomy and reconstructive surgery instead of a lumpectomy, in which just the tumor and surrounding area are removed, as noted by Time. Blume’s latest novel, “In the Unlikely Event,” was released this summer, and it is her first novel for adult audiences in 17 years, according to The New York Times.
Richard Roundtree
Breast cancer is not unique to women. Roundtree, known for his role as a detective in the movie “Shaft,” found a lump in his breast in 1993, according to USA TODAY. Because he went straight to his doctor upon finding the mass, Roundtree was able to receive chemotherapy and radiation treatments and underwent a mastectomy to treat the cancer. According to USA TODAY, breast cancer in men is rare, and many men remain untreated due to a machismo attitude that results in sweeping lumps under the rug. Since his treatment, Roundtree has worked with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to raise awareness for male breast cancer. Roundtree attended the 2012 “Honoring the Promise” gala, hosted by the foundation, and was one of several famous individuals to present Awards of Distinction, according the foundation’s website.
Sharon Osbourne
Businesswoman, talk show host, author, media personality, music manager — Osbourne is another celebrity who chose the preventative route. ABC News reported that Osbourne also had a double mastectomy when she found out that she carries a breast cancer gene, or a mutated BRAC1 or BRAC2 gene. She was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2002 and underwent surgery, to remove a section of her colon, and chemotherapy; two years later, she formed the Sharon Osbourne Colon Cancer Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in California, according to ABC News. The center, according to Cedars-Sinai, was established to care for and support colon cancer patients and their families.
Wanda Sykes
Another star who had a double mastectomy, Sykes, an Emmy Award-winning comedian, discovered that she had breast cancer after a breast reduction surgery, according to The Huffington Post. Sykes was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS, what she called a “stage-zero cancer” in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres in 2011.
Maggie Smith
Dame Maggie Smith was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 and split her time between chemotherapy sessions and filming of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” according to The Telegraph. After battling her cancer for three years, the Oscar-winning actress and “Downton Abbey” star was declared cancer free in 2010. She “struggled through” both parts of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” filmed in 2009, as reported by Daily Express newspaper.
Peter Criss
The American Cancer Society said that Criss is yet another survivor of male breast cancer. Co-founder of the hard rock band KISS, Criss discovered a lump in his breast after a workout in 2007, according to the ACS. The following year, he had both a lumpectomy and a mastectomy to treat the cancer. The ACS said that because he caught the cancer in its early stages, Criss was able to avoid undergoing chemotherapy. Criss publicized his experience in 2009 to raise awareness for the disease and dispel the myth that only women can get it, according to the ACS.
Criss won the American Cancer Society’s Humanitarian of the Year Award in 2013, according to ultimateclassicrock.com. Earlier this year in March, Criss continued his advocacy for male breast cancer patients by participating in the Cancer Care’s ninth annual Beauty Ball, which raised more than $300,000 for costs associated with cancer treatment, according to Asbury Park Press.
