Jenna Fischer, actor behind the iconic “The Office” character Pam Beesly, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The 50-year-old took to social media to share the news with her fans.
“October is breast cancer awareness month,” she said on Tuesday over Instagram. “I never thought I’d be making an announcement like this but here we are. Last December, I was diagnosed with Stage 1 Triple Positive Breast Cancer.”
Only about 10% of breast cancer diagnoses are triple positive, according to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The rare disease has the second best survival rate among breast cancers and is slower to potentially recur than its other forms. Treatments often include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy or targeted therapy.
After doing radiation, chemotherapy and having surgery, Fischer is now cancer-free. But the journey to better health was not always an easy one.
“Finally, I need to mention my husband Lee who has been by my side through all of this,” she added. “And I mean literally by my side ... surgeries, chemotherapy, doctor appointments, endless googling, late night ugly cries.”
Fischer has since been re-screened, revealing no new signs of cancer. And she plans on continuing to monitor to make sure things “stay that way.”
For anyone concerned they may have breast cancer, “The Office” star had a message.
“Again, don’t skip your mammogram,” she wrote. “Take it from Pam and her Pam Pams. Michael was right. Get ‘em checked ladies. And know that should you get a breast cancer diagnosis, there is a village waiting to care for you.”
According to the American Cancer Society, women of “average risk” should get mammograms every year from 45 to 54 years old. But they should consider having a screening done as early as 40.
For more information on breast cancer and screening guidelines, visit cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer.
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