Jane Fonda announces cancer diagnosis

Actor, 84, shared the news in a recent Instagram post

Jane Fonda has announced that she has been diagnosed with cancer.

The actor and activist, 84, shared the news in an Instagram post on Friday (2 September).

“So, my dear friends, I have something personal I want to share. I’ve been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and have started chemo treatments,” Fonda began.

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is a type of cancer that begins in the lymphatic system, a part of the body’s immune system dedicated to fighting germs.

“This is a very treatable cancer. 80 per cent of people survive, so I feel very lucky,” she continued. “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.”

The Grace and Frankie star shared that she is undergoing six months of chemotherapy and that, so far, she has been “handling the treatments quite well”.

She further used the moment to shine a light on the upcoming “consequential” US presidential midterms.

“You can count on me to be right there together with you as we grow our army of climate champions,” she wrote.

“We also need to be talking much more not just about cures but about causes so we can eliminate them,” Fonda continued. “People need to know that fossil fuels cause cancer. So do pesticides, many of which are fossil fuel-based, like mine.”

She is well-known for being a vocal climate change activist. She has been arrested for her activism several times, including during the 2016 demonstrations against the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota.

Fonda has previously been candid about her health struggles. In 2010, she underwent a procedure to remove a non-cancerous lump in her breast. In 2016, she revealed that she had undergone a mastectomy. And in 2019, she opened up about having a cancerous growth removed from her lip.

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“Cancer is a teacher and I’m paying attention to the lessons it holds for me,” she added in the new post. “One thing it’s shown me already is the importance of community.”