The 'Charlie's Angels' actress revealed her prior breast cancer diagnosis alongside costars Jaclyn Smith and Kate Jackson, who also lived through the disease
Credit: John Medina/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Cheryl Ladd is opening up about her past breast cancer diagnosis
- “Mine was an aggressive form,” Ladd said at PaleyFest in Los Angeles on Monday, April 6, adding, “I had wonderful doctors”
- After Ladd opened up about her experience, her Charlie’s Angels costar Jaclyn Smith shared, “The first thing I did was send her my wigs. She was so brave”
Cheryl Ladd is opening up about her past breast cancer diagnosis.
On Monday, April 6, the 74-year-old attended PaleyFest in Los Angeles and reunited with Jaclyn Smith and Kate Jackson for the 50th anniversary celebration of the legendary TV series Charlie's Angels.
During a panel with her former costars, the actress and singer revealed that she was diagnosed with breast cancer. “Mine was an aggressive form," Ladd said, adding, "I had wonderful doctors."
Ladd went on to share of her "humbling" experience, "I was bald. It was a humbling experience and yet I have a wonderful husband…he was there for me at every turn. Eventually I started to get little sprouts of hair. It was a long, long, hard road, but you just get on with it.”
Ladd explained that she wanted to be transparent about her cancer journey because her Charlie’s Angels costars have also been impacted by the disease.
Smith was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002. She underwent a lumpectomy and radiation and has been cancer-free ever since. Jackson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987. She underwent a lumpectomy and radiation, but her disease returned in 1989. Following her second bout, she underwent a partial mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.
Additionally, Farrah Fawcett was diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006, and died from the disease three years later at age 62.
After Ladd opened up about her experience, Smith shared, “The first thing I did was send her my wigs. She was so brave.”
Over the years, Smith and Jackson have been vocal in raising awareness about early detection, and encouraging women to stay on top of their routine screenings.
Ladd added, “If you find a little something in your breasts…do not ignore it.”
Credit: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage
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Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States, except for skin cancers. According to the National Cancer Institute, early detection through mammograms allows patients to get a head start on treatment, and can decrease the likelihood of it spreading.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force states that women should be getting regular mammograms when they turn 40.
Health officials also advise women of all ages to practice "breast self-awareness," which means becoming familiar with how a person's own breasts normally look and feel, so they will be more likely to recognize anything out of the ordinary when doing a breast self-examination.
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