30 Celebs That Have Battled Cancer

1. Shannen Doherty

imagesource: dailymail

90210 Beverly Hills actress Shannen Doherty was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and two years later underwent reconstructive surgery, posting a photo of her, her doctor and his wife with the caption, "Dinner with Dr. Jay Orringer and his beautiful wife Jolynne. This man is performing surgery on me this week so dinner felt like a good call."

2. Sheryl Crow

imagesource: theguardian

After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006, country singer Sheryl Crow spoke about her journey and the lessons she learned. "One of them was to put myself first on my list of those I take care of. Another one was that it's okay to say no. It's okay if people are mad at you or disappointed in you if you're following your voice and you're taking care of yourself."

3. Julia Louis-Dreyfus

imagesource: popsugar

Shortly after being diagnosed with cancer, Julia wrote on Twitter, "1 in 8 women get breast cancer. Today, I'm the one. The good news is that I have the most glorious group of supportive and caring family and friends, and fantastic insurance through my union. The bad news is that not all women are so lucky, so let's fight all cancers and make universal health care a reality."

4. Sofia Vergara

imagesource: Daily Star

Many people don't know about this Colombian beauty's struggles with cancer. Vergara was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2000 and underwent surgery to have the gland removed. "I've never done drugs or smoked. And I don't eat red meat. I felt totally healthy, and suddenly they tell me I have cancer? I was scared. I immediately thought of my child." she told Parade.

5. Elizabeth Taylor

imagesource: the cut

Hollywood legend, Elizabeth Taylor survived a benign brain tumour and basal cell carcinoma before undergoing surgery. The actress luckily went into remission and encouraged fans to donate to the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS foundation instead of sending her flowers during her cancer treatment.

6. Edie Falco

imagesource: CNN

During an interview with Health magazine she opened up about the challenges she faced whilst fighting cancer, "When the cancer went into remission, I was relieved, of course, but it was also strangely depressing...it occurs to you you're really on your own, and it's a bit nerve-racking," she said.

7. Marcia Cross

imagesource: thesun

Desperate Housewives star, Marcia Cross revealed her struggles with anal cancer on Instagram writing, "So grateful and happy to be alive but sad that my hair fell out and is about 1 inch long now and looks cra cra. Anyone else have #hairloss due to #cancer? Talk to me. I feel you."

9. Rita Wilson

imagesource: glamour

Singer and actress Rita Wilson spoke about her invasive lobular carcinoma, one of the most common types of breast cancer, in 2015. "I am recovering and most importantly, expected to make a full recovery. Why? Because I caught this early, have excellent doctors and because I got a second opinion." she told PEOPLE.

10. Kylie Minogue

imagesource: metrouk

Aussie beauty, Kylie Minogue, was diagnosed with breast cancer whilst on tour in 2005. She spoke about her experience and gave advice at the Women's Cancer Research Fund event, "You can't be positive all the time. So I say, when you are feeling down, when you are having a moment, allow yourself to do that"

11. Suzanne Somers

imagesource: entertainmenttonight

The Three's Company star was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000 and now she's cancer free after making changes to her diet and lifestyle habits. "I sleep eight hours a night and I don't take any drugs..I don't even worry about cancer," she told Us Weekly.

12. Michael C. Hall

imagesource: bestlife

Michael Hall survived Hodgkin's Lymphoma in his late 30s - he also kept it a secret whilst filming then announced his illness at the Golden Globes. "I'm glad I did, because I really underestimated how much that would be a source of inspiration or strength to other people," he told The Guardian.

13. Sharon Osbourne

imagesource: verywellhealth

Osbourne fought colorectal cancer in the early 2000s and decided to get a double mastectomy when she found out she was at risk of breast cancer. "I wasn’t diagnosed with cancer, but I had the gene and one of my breasts was in a really bad state because of the implant,” she said in an interview with PEOPLE.

14. Rod Stewart

imagesource: USAtoday

Iconic English rock star, Rod Stewart was diagnosed with thyroid cancer during a routine checkup at the doctors office. Steward luckily went into remission, but has carried on supporting the City of Hope foundation which helps improve treatments for all types of cancer.

15. Kathy Bates

imagesource: TODAY

Beloved actress, Kathy Bates survived ovarian cancer and breast cancer and opted to go down the route of breast reconstruction. She told ET Online, "I've joined the ranks of women who are going flat, as they say. I don't have breasts—so why do I have to pretend like I do? That stuff isn't important."

16. Peter Criss

imagesource: USAtoday

KISS founding member, Peter Criss told USA Today, "It's a disease for women but 2% of men (out of all breast cancer victims) get this in the world and they need to be educated about it." Since going into remission, he continues to increase awareness and spends a lot of time helping spread awareness surrounding male breast cancer.

17. Jane Fonda

imagesource: deadline

Jane Fonda has always been very open about her life and struggles, including her journey with skin cancer. She told British Vogue, "I've had a lot of cancer. I was a sun-worshipper. When I have a day off, I frequently go to my skin doctor and have things cut off me by a surgeon."

18. Hugh Jackman

imagesource: skynews

Drop dead gorgeous Hugh Jackman has had six bouts with basal cell carcinoma, which is one of the most common forms of skin cancer. He has spoken openly about his journey with skin cancer, sharing photos on Twitter, one of which had the caption, "Another basal cell carcinoma. Thanks to frequent checks & amazing doctors, all's well. Looks worse w the dressing on then off! WEARSUNSCREEN."

19. Robert De Niro

imagesource: dailyexpress

Legendary actor Robert De Niro was diagnosed with the early stages of prostate cancer in 2003 and thankfully it was found early enough that the disease did not spread anywhere else. After surgery to remove the cancer, De Niro was found to be cancer free. Great news!

20. Ann Romney

imagesource: wikipedia

In a blog post for Glamour, she wrote, "As I know from my own experience with breast cancer, prevention and early detection could not be more important. For many women, early detection makes all the difference—it's truly a life-saver." Romney was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and has been an advocate for early detection since.

21. Olivia Newton-John

imagesource: TODAY

The late Olivia Newton John was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992 and again with cancer in her shoulder in 2013. She told Everyday Health in 2008, "My family and friends were definitely the key to my recovery." She went on to open the Olivia Newton John Cancer & Wellness Centre in Melbourne, Australia.

22. Gloria Steinem

imagesource: survivornet

Activist, feminist and journalist Gloria Steinem was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1986 and after having surgery was found to be cancer-free. She shared with HBO, "The cancer served a real purpose, making me a little bit more conscious of time."

23. Christina Applegate

imagesource: people

After being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 36, Applegate went through  double mastectomy. She opened up on The Oprah Winfrey Show, "It came on really fast. It was one of those things that I woke up and it felt so right. I don't want to keep putting that stuff in my body. I just want to be done with this. And I was just going to let them go."

24. Cynthia Nixon

imagesource: bestlife

The Sexy & the City star was diagnosed with cancer in 2012 but kept her condition under wraps until she went into remission. "I didn't really want to make it public while I was going through it. I didn't want paparazzi at the hospital, that kind of thing," she told Nightline (via PEOPLE

).

25. Samantha Harris

imagesource: WPRI

Dancing With The Stars host, Samantha Harris was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 40 before going on to make huge changes to her lifestyle. She told Parade, "Learning how to read an ingredient label the proper way, not just looking at it for fat content and calories, but truly understanding what the ingredients are that are going into the foods that I was eating..."

26. Ben Stiller

imagesource: irishmirror

Actor Ben Stiller was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2016 at the age of 48 years old. He has since gone on to speak publicly about his diagnosis, speaking to Today, he said, "I'm doing great. I was really fortunate that my course of treatment was basically an operation and that was it."

27. Jaclyn Smith

imagesource: newyorkdailynews

Charlie's Angels beauty battled breast cancer at the age of 56 years old. "Strength in Knowing will connect women to other women and to information. They can visit the website daily and feel like there's someone there," she told Woman's Day. She went on to become involved in a program called Strength in Knowing.

28. Richard Roundtree

imagesource: MEAWW

Actor Richard Roundtree was diagnosed with breast cancer in the early 90s and kept his illness a secret for a long time. He told ABC

News, "I was in the closet, so to speak, until after the fifth year when I was cancer free." He's now gone on to speak publicly about her journey and increase awareness of male breast cancer.

29. Wanda Sykes

imagesource: theadvocate

Comedian and actress Wanda Sykes spoke about her experience getting a double mastectomy on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, "I had the choice of, you can go back every three months and get it checked...But, I'm not good on keeping on top of stuff. I mean, I'm sure I'm overdue for an oil change and a teeth cleaning already."

30. Colin Powell

imagesource: NBCnews

Former Secretary of State, Colin Powell, underwent a surgery called radical prostatectomy, which involves removing the prostate gland and nearby pelvic lymph nodes. He's since been cancer free and has become an advocate for prostate cancer awareness.

31. Celebs living with chronic health conditions: George Clooney is living with constant pain

image source: biography.com

It all started with an accident on set for one of his movies, when George Clooney fell and hit his head. After going to hospital and having treatment for the split on his head, it turned out that he'd actually damaged the layer around the top of his spinal cord, which has resulted in chronic pain ever since.

32. Michael J. Fox has raised millions for Parkinson's Disease

image source: imdb.com

The Back to the Future star has been struggling with Parkinson's Disease since the age of 29 when he was diagnosed, but he hasn't let that stop him. He's fought hard to raise both money and awareness about the disease in an effort to find a cure for the disease he - and many others - is suffering with.

33. will.i.am battles ADHD

image source: twitter.com

People with ADHD will understand that it's a chronic condition that you never get a day off from, and it's not something openly spoken about that often by celebrities. Black Eyed Peas star will.i.am has spoken about growing up with ADHD, and how music has helped him to focus.

34. Frankie Muniz has had mini-strokes

image source: eonline.com

Frankie Muniz has openly spoken about how he doesn't remember much of his time on Malcolm in the Middle, the show which made him a star - and that's because he's suffered with memory loss over the years, as a result of concussions he had as a child that also made him have several mini-strokes.

35. Lil Wayne has epilepsy

image source: entertainmenttonight.com

Rapper Lil Wayne hasn't let his epilepsy get in the way of a successful music career - but there have been some things out of his control, when he's had to cancel concerts due to his health living with epilepsy. He's openly spoken about the seizures he has as a result of his condition.

36. There's a reason Bono always wears those sunglasses

image source: vulture.com

Have you been thinking all these years that the lead singer of U2, Bono, wears darkened sunglasses as a fashion statement or part of his rock mode? It's actually down to a chronic health condition! Bono has glaucoma, which means his eyes are extremely sensitive to light.

37. Selena Gomez's battle with lupus

image source: wwd.com

The singer has been very open with her fans about her health over the years, and hasn't shied away from sharing the truth of it, including explanations over weight changes and how she's coping. The autoimmune disease also meant that Selena had to have a kidney transplant.

38. Nick Jonas lives with Type 1 Diabetes

image source: hollywoodlife.com

Type 2 is the more well-known diabetes condition where the body doesn't produce enough insulin, but Type 1 is considered the more serious because it's a lifelong autoimmune disorder for which there's no cure. Singer Nick Jonas was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at 16 years old.

39. Jack Osborne lives with Multiple Sclerosis

image source: cnn.com

The son of legendary rock singer Ozzy Osborne who's made his own name for himself as a television personality was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at just 26 years old. Since the diagnosis, he's worked to raise awareness for the disorder as well as wanting to show people you can live with MS and still have a healthy life!

40. David Beckham needed an inhaler on the pitch

image source: talksport.com

It's easy to think famous footballers get to the top because of being the pinnacle of good health, and while David Beckham was definitely healthy, he also suffers from asthma. During his football career, he would need an inhaler for the pitch to use after matches.

41. Sarah Hyland has a chronic kidney condition

image source: insider.com

The Modern Family actress has spoken publicly about her own chronic health condition: the kidney condition, kidney dysplasia, which means that she has to suffer through the pain of cysts forming on her kidneys. These cysts can then even stop the kidneys from working properly.

42. Charlie Sheen's HIV diagnosis

image source: twitter.com

Charlie Sheen definitely made the show Two and a Half Men, but he also began a reputation for being difficult on set. He then revealed later that he also had a HIV diagnosis back in 2015, and explained he wanted to go public with it to better himself and to help other people.

43. Alec Baldwin is living with Lyme Disease

image source: nbcnews.com

If you haven't already heard the warning about walking in long grass, it's because tick bites are known to pass on Lyme Disease, we can result in flu-like symptoms and feeling tired. Alec Baldwin has been bitten by not one, but two ticks, and now experiences excessive sweating and feeling run-down.

44. Pete Davidson has Crohn's Disease

image source: skynews.com

The SNL comedian is often in the spotlight, not least because he briefly dated Kim Kardashian, but he's also open about his battle with Crohn's Disease. He first began speaking about the inflammatory bowel disorder publicly in 2016, and struggles with extreme stomach pain.

45. Lena Dunham's Endometriosis

image source: glamourmagazine.co.uk

Endometriosis is a disease where another tissue lining grows outside the lining of uterus, which can result in extreme pain. The writer and actress was diagnosed with endometriosis which then caused severe complications resulting in her having to have her uterus and cervix removed.

46. The scars on Seal's face come from Lupus

image source: allmusic.com

Singer Seal has always been known for having those unique markings on his face - but you might never have known why. The marks come as a result of his condition, Discoid Lupus Erythematosus, which is a severe form of Lupus that results in skin legions in visible places: the face, scalp and neck.

47. Kim Kardashian has spoken about her autoimmune disorder

image source: glamour.com

The famous media personality Kim K may not be as pristine as she always looks because of an autoimmune disorder she struggles with: psoriasis. She opened up about the condition which results in scaly, red patches on her skin, a condition Kris Jenner also suffers with.

48. Hugo Weaving actually has epilepsy

image source: imdb.com

Hugo Weaving is a standout actor, known for a variety of roles like The Matrix, V for Vendetta and, of course, Lord of the Rings. What you might not have known is that he actually has epilepsy - he was diagnosed at the age of 13, and has had to cope with seizures throughout his life.

49. Selma Blair found out she had Multiple Sclerosis

image source: cnn.com

A reminder of why it's so important to have even the littlest things checked out at the doctors, actress Selma Blair made an appointment when she thought she was struggling with a trapped nerve - which can be very painful. She was then diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018.

50. Wendy Williams' Graves' Disease diagnosis

image source: cnn.com

Famous talk show host Wendy Williams was forced to take a three week long hiatus from her show and when explaining to her fans why, she revealed that health issues had resulted in an order from the doctor for her to take a break. Included in these health issues was the autoimmune disorder Graves's Disease, which affects the thyroid.