In 2013, Angelina Jolie caused a sensation when she spoke about her experience having a preventive mastectomy in a hospital. New York Times Editorial piece. Jolie explained that she made the decision because she carries the BRCA1 gene and encouraged others to get tested too. According to A 2018 study In breast cancer research and treatment, there was a marked increase in genetic testing and prophylactic double mastectomies for women who had not had breast or ovarian cancer after the editorial was published. The study also found that the editorial proved to be more influential on women with breast cancer In situ, which is most curable.
Jolie isn’t the only celebrity who has influenced the public’s understanding of cancer. A 2005 study She found in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute that a quarter of 360 women in their 40s and 140 men in their 50s were more likely to undergo a mammogram, PSA, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy because of a celebrity endorsement.
However, in A press release, The study’s co-authors cautioned that the effect is not without caveats. “Emotional messages from highly charismatic figures may compromise a patient’s ability to make an informed decision that better reflects how much he or she personally values the trade-offs involved,” said Dr. Robin Larson, an educator in medicine at DMS. The authors believe that celebrities should be test informants rather than persuaders.
Over the years, we’ve seen many ’80s sitcom stars play detective rather than persuader — though one star from that era demonstrated the caveats of celebrity influence in the health space by being a supporter of alternative cancer medications.
Suzanne Somers died of cancer
During January 2020 CBS In an interview, Suzanne Somers revealed that she was diagnosed with cancer three times while she was on Three’s Company. In addition, in her 30s, doctors also discovered malignant melanoma or skin cancer on her back. Then when I showed up “Larry King Live” In 2001, Sommers said doctors discovered a cancerous lump in her breast in 2000. At the time, she had had radiotherapy but had no intention of getting chemotherapy because she wanted to try homeopathy.
During a 2007 interview with los angeles times, Somers proudly shared that she is cancer-free. In her 2008 book Knockout, the Step by Step star revealed that doctors once mistakenly told her that her cancer had spread throughout her body. “I went into the valley of fear,” she wrote of her reaction to the misdiagnosis. “I saw my death. It was horrific.” The book generated notable controversy in the medical community because it advocated an alternative treatment for cancer in place of chemotherapy. In the following years, Suzanne Somers’ complicated history with breast cancer Unfortunately it continued.
In July 2023, the businessman took over Instagram To share that she was diagnosed with breast cancer again. In an additional joint statement with entertainment tonight, Somers wrote that although her heart sank each time she heard the frightening news, she was still able to endure and quickly began to mentally prepare for treatment. In October 2023, Sommer died at the age of 76. Cause of death of Suzanne Sommer It is listed as “breast cancer with brain metastasis” per Explosion.
Mindy Cohen has been diagnosed with cancer twice
talking to the people In 2017, Mindy Cohen, who played Natalie Greene in the film The Facts of Life, shared that she heard alarm bells going off in her mind when she felt too exhausted to continue a normal walk around her neighborhood in 2012. After running some tests, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Over the next five years, Cohn had to undergo a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation. The 80s sitcom star admitted her optimism took a major hit after her cancer returned and spread during treatment.
After saying she found herself constantly worrying about when the next bout of bad news would arrive, Cohn admitted, “I felt frustrated and angry. I couldn’t control any of this. I couldn’t fix it.” She also took a hiatus from Hollywood to focus on her treatment. However, she was eventually cured of cancer and chose to open up to the world about her diagnosis only when she felt ready. Meanwhile, she leaned on Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge, the couple from The Fabulous Beekman Boys, for support.
Moving forward, Cohn is excited about the trip to Machu Picchu and getting more acting gigs. Unfortunately, her journey with cancer did not end there. After taking a month-long hiatus from social media, the “What’s New, Scooby-Doo” voice actor is starting to do just that. Instagram In April 2026 to share a health update, she wrote, “(I’ve) been off social media for a while because I had to get my a** off my cancer.” After thanking her team of doctors and nurses, Cohen wrote: “I will recover for another two weeks and then get ready for my next adventure. Onward! Cancer be damned!”
Valerie Harper’s dismal cancer diagnosis has been proven incorrect
Valerie Harper’s health journey is another testament to the truth of this It is possible to get lung cancer even if you have never smoked. talking to AARP Magazine In September 2013, the “Rhoda” star revealed that she had undergone surgery to remove a malignant tumor from her lung in 2009. After becoming cancer-free, the non-smoker chose to keep her diagnosis secret for the following years. While she was in the middle of rehearsals for the Broadway play “Looped” in 2013, she randomly had trouble remembering her lines and found it difficult to speak.
After visiting the hospital, doctors learned that she had terminal brain cancer. In March 2013 the people In an interview on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, she said she was only given three months to live. Harper stressed that she did not let her mind be occupied with thoughts of death and instead focused on living in the moment. However, her diagnosis has not been proven correct by a long shot. talking to Fox News In September 2017, the “Hogan Family” star addressed her health, saying: “Now it’s been five years instead of three months… and the thing is, everyone is going to die one way or another. So why don’t you fight it? I’m going to fight this. I’m going to see a way.”
In a July 2019 statement shared on Facebook, Harper’s husband, Tony Cacciotti, said he refused to place her in hospice care and remained her primary caregiver to honor their 40-year marital commitment to each other. Harper died the following month at the age of eighty.
Dave Collier was diagnosed with two cancers in about a year
During his November 2024 appearance on “today,” Dave Coulier, who played Uncle Joey on Full House, said he found a small lump around his groin area shortly after falling ill. After running some tests, doctors discovered that he had stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. Initially, the comedian was understandably concerned about his late-stage diagnosis. However, Collier’s fears largely faded when he learned that the cancer cure rate still reached 90%.
However, the prospect of undergoing chemotherapy was still very difficult for him. Before going to his first appointment, he had shaved his hair. Then during the advent of 2025 “today,” Collier stated that the chemotherapy was “exhausting.” However, the treatment was successful in treating leukemia. Unfortunately, he’s not out of the woods yet, as he was diagnosed with early-stage tongue cancer through a positron emission tomography (PET) scan. As part of his treatment, the comedian had to undergo 35 rounds of radiation.
Collier also spoke about how receiving two cancer diagnoses in such a short period of time affected him, saying, “It’s emotional. It’s mentally exhausting. It’s also very draining on my wife Melissa, which is the biggest drain on me, seeing how this affects her.” However, he was looking forward to finishing his radiation treatment on New Year’s Eve 2025. During an appearance on “Good Morning America” in February 2026, Coulier happily revealed that his two cancers were in remission. He also specifically used lights to encourage people to get regular checkups that could help diagnose cancer.
Charlotte Rae received two cancer diagnoses
In January 2011 YouTube Video by UCLA Health Charlotte Rae (Edna Garrett from “The Facts of Life”) shared that she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2009. At the time, Rae had remarkably no symptoms but underwent routine screening because she had a family history of cancer. Further tests revealed that her cancer had not spread but was growing rapidly. talking to Al Qudra Magazine, Ray revealed that her treatment included six months of chemotherapy in addition to surgery to remove the tumor and spleen.
The “Diff’rent Strokes” star also admitted that she calmed her nerves before surgery with the help of a hypnotist, who helped her fill her mind with positive thoughts. With the treatment plan, Ray was finally cancer-free. During an interview conducted in April 2017 with the people, Rae said people didn’t notice she lost her hair during the treatment because she wore some great wigs. The 91-year-old also revealed that she had been diagnosed with bone cancer.
At the time, Ray wasn’t sure whether she wanted to undergo treatment or live out the rest of her days. However, she was inclined towards treatment because she did not experience any harmful side effects the first time. “I’ve had a great life, but there’s a lot of great things going on,” Ray said. “I would like to choose (sic) life. I am grateful for the life I already have.” In August 2018, Ray died at the age of 92 new york times, Her son, Larry Strauss, said her death could be due to many causes, including bone cancer and diseases such as multiple heart failure.
