Kathy Bates was told to keep her cancer a secret
She may be one of the most acclaimed actresses of her generation, but Kathy Bates was once warned her career would be in jeopardy if she brought her health struggles out into the open. The 69-year-old, who has suffered from both ovarian and breast cancer, was told to keep her illness a secret or risk damaging her future as an actress.
“Back in 2003, when I had ovarian cancer, my agent told me not to tell anyone about it,” she told WebMD. “Even my gynaecologist, whose husband worked in the business, warned that I shouldn’t come out with it because of the stigma in Hollywood. So I was very careful.”
However, the Misery star changed her mind after seeing an idol rock her chemo-induced hair loss with pride during a concert.
“I saw Melissa Etheridge doing a concert and just wailing on her guitar with her bald head, and I thought, ‘Wow, I wanna be her!’ So when the breast cancer diagnosis came, I knew I wanted to be honest about it,” she recalled.
Having undergone a double mastectomy in 2012, Bates revealed she chose not to have reconstructive surgery, arguing, “I don’t have breasts – so why do I have to pretend like I do?”
“That stuff isn’t important. I’m just grateful to have been born at a time when the research made it possible for me to survive. I feel so incredibly lucky to be alive.”