Jane Fonda Battles Cancer, Begins Chemo for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
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Jane Fonda, Hollywood legend and two-time Oscar winner, announced on her Instagram Friday that she has cancer. The 84-year-old has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and has begun chemotherapy.
The actress recently finished filming “80 for Brady,” the roadtrip movie about four octogenarians traveling cross-country to see the 2017 Super Bowl in person, co-starring Sally Field, Rita Moreno, and her “Grace & Frankie” co-star Lily Tomlin.
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“To, my dear friends, I have something personal I want to share,” she began her Instagram post. “I’ve been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and have started chemo treatments.
“This is a very treatable cancer. 80% 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 realize, 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.
“We also need to be talking much more not just about cures but about causes so we can eliminate them. For example, people need to know that fossil fuels cause cancer. So do pesticides, many of which are fossil fuel-based, like mine.
“I’m doing chemo for 6 months and 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. 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.
“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.
“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.”
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