17 April 2024 , 13:51
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Olivia Munn has shared the devastating effects her breast cancer diagnosis has had on her life after discovering her diagnosis shortly after the birth of her son.
The 43-year-old actress announced last month she had been secretly battling breast cancer. She said at the time she had hoped to share her story to provide others with "comfort, inspiration and support on their own journey".
Now, she has opened up further on her bilateral breast cancer that she discovered she had in April 2023, despite having her annual mammogram show up no signs of cancer just months earlier. Within a year, she has underwent four surgeries, including a double mastectomy, lymph node dissection and a nipple delay procedure which spares the nipples following a mastectomy.
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Olivia Munn has opened up on her cancer diagnosis (oliviamunn/Instagram)
Olivia Munn said you have no choice but to face cancer head on (Getty Images)In a candid interview with PEOPLE, the actress admitted: "You realise cancer doesn’t care who you are; it doesn’t care if you have a baby or if you don’t have time. It comes at you, and you have no choice but to face it head-on."
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Following the advice from her medical team that she should undergo a double mastectomy, Olivia admitted she really tried to be prepared for the outcome. However, she confessed "nothing could prepare" her for would she would feel like and said the aftermath of the procedure was "a lot tougher than I expected".
So far, the actress hasn't had any chemotherapy or radiation treatment. However, she opened up on the symptoms she has faced after beginning hormone suppression therapy in November that has put her into medically-induced menopause.
She explained she is constantly thinking it's hot and explained she's tired a lot and her hair is thinning. However, the therapy was necessary to mitigate future risk.
Olivia went on to praise her husband John Mulaney for his support during the treatment and also said she is grateful to her ob-gyn for calculating her lifetime cancer risk, saying it is this that saved her life.
She also said her son, now two years old, has played a major part in keeping her in good spirits throughout the tough times. "When I’m with him, it’s the only time my brain doesn’t think about being sick," she confessed, insisting no matter what happens she will always be his mum.