Los Angeles: Veteran Hollywood star Jane Fonda has announced that she has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and has started chemotherapy treatments.
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is a cancer that starts in the lymphatic system. It occurs when the body produces too many abnormal lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell.
“This is a very treatable cancer,” Fonda wrote in the post on Instagram.
“80 per cent 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 realise, 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.”
Fonda said that she will be “doing chemo for 6 months, adding: “I 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,” Fonda added.
“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.
Fonda will turn 85 in December. A two-time Oscar winner, the actor has kept her career thriving in recent years with her recently wrapped series ‘Grace and Frankie’ and her continued activism in the political and climate change spaces.
Fonda vowed not to let cancer interfere with her activism work.
“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,” she added.
Fonda’s post concluded: “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.”
–IANS