Jenna Fischer Discusses Breast Cancer Diagnosis In 1st Interview: EXCLUSIVE

Jenna Fischer Discusses Breast Cancer Diagnosis In 1st Interview: EXCLUSIVE

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Just over a week after Jenna Fischer publicly revealed her breast cancer diagnosis, the former “The Office” actor is opening up about her journey, treatment and how her mindset has shifted.

On Oct. 8, Fischer, 50, shared an Instagram post in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, revealing she had been diagnosed with Stage 1 triple-positive breast cancer in December 2023. She wrote that after undergoing surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, she’s now cancer free.

In a one-on-one conversation with TODAY’s Hoda Kotb, which aired on Oct. 21, Fischer said she hoped sharing her story will bring comfort and hope to another woman receiving a breast cancer diagnosis.

The diagnosis

The actor told Hoda that in October 2023, she went in for her routine mammogram appointment that she had been putting off.

“Three weeks later, they said, ‘Oh, your mammogram was fine. There were a few spots that were difficult to see. You have very dense tissue. We would recommend that you do another mammogram and maybe follow up with a breast ultrasound,’” she said of the conversation with her doctor.

“I was like, ‘This is the appointment that won’t end,’” Fischer added, laughing.

She explained that she felt “no level of concern” when she went back for her breast ultrasound. However, they then asked her to do a biopsy, saying it likely was a “10% chance it’s cancerous.”

Fischer said she was on a hike by herself when she received the results via her patient portal.

“I checked the portal on the hike, and that’s when I saw words like ‘invasive,’ ‘ductal,’ ‘carcinoma,’ ‘malignant,’” she said. “And I was like, ‘Those words sound like cancer words.’”

She then called her husband, Lee Kirk, to tell him the results, though she wasn’t sure it was cancer until her doctor confirmed it later that same day.

When her doctor told her of her diagnosis, Fischer said she just felt “disbelief.”

“I think the word that really got me was when we found out that I was triple-positive and my oncologist said chemotherapy. That was when I really lost it,” she said.

Treatment

Fischer opened up to Hoda about the reality of losing her hair during chemotherapy, which she said was one of the side effects she was most concerned about.

“I started by having just a big bald patch down this side of my head. And I would kind of do a real elaborate comb-over,” she said, laughing. “I was like, ‘Oh, I understand why the gentlemen do this now. Yes, I can sort of pretend like that isn’t there for a while.’”

Although Fischer said she considered it, she never had a “big shave-your-head moment.” Aside from styling her new part, she said she also opted to wear more hats and wigs during treatment.

Leaning on her support system

When it came to sharing the news with friends and family, the “Hall Pass” actor revealed one of the first people she called after receiving her diagnosis: Christina Applegate.

“I called her, and she answered the phone, and she said, ‘Which one is it?’ And I said, ‘It’s breast cancer.’ And she said, ‘I effing knew it.’” Fischer recalled of their conversation. “She’s salty. Salty language that one. I love her for it.”

Fischer said Applegate put her in touch with fellow survivors and that they took on her journey “together.”

As for telling her children, Weston Lee, 13, and Harper Marie, 10, Fischer said she and her husband “sat them down” and were “very honest with them.”

“They’re 10 and they’re 13, and they were going to be living in the house while I went through this. They’re going to see it. And the biggest thing that I wanted them to know was that any ways that I seemed sick during this process were side effects of treatments. They weren’t cancer making me sick,” she said.

“That distinction, I think, really put them at ease. And then we just kind of did it together. And they were amazing.”

Where things stand

Along with chemotherapy, Fischer said she also underwent a lumpectomy and radiation. Following her latest screenings, the actor said she’s cancer free, though she’s continuing to take tamoxifen and Herceptin for the next year.

Fischer told Hoda that two saving graces during her experience were maintaining a sense of humor and normalcy.

“Humor helped through all of this. And working helped. And staying in the world helped,” she said. “My oncology nurse, Ron, was an amazing man. … When I started chemotherapy, he said to me, ‘Listen, I want you to get up every day, and I want you to walk. Every day.’”

“‘I want you to drink a ton of water. Walking and water. That’s what I want you to do. And I want you to take care of those kids. The women who get up and at it are the women who do better in my experience.’”

Fischer said some of the best advice she received was to “live your life during this process,” while also listening to her body.

“I did that,” she said. “And some days I just walked circles in my own living room. Some days I walked all around the block. But I did every day get up and do those things. And I think it made a really big difference.”

Looking back at the past year, Fischer told Hoda that one of the biggest lessons she’s learned is the impact of people taking care of other people.

“So many people took care of me, and my family, and my children, and I am so grateful for it — in so many small ways,” she said. “And the thing is, is that everybody had the right way or the perfect way to do it.”

Fischer explained that some friends put her chemotherapy schedule on their calendars, while others sent thoughtful texts and picked her kids up from school. She said her mother-in-law recorded prayers that she would send before treatments.

The mother of two said this entire journey caused her to look at the world through a new lens of gratitude.

“I liked that people were annoyed if I was late with an email,” she said. “I liked being regarded as my old self, so to speak.”

“All of the most important things became so clear so quickly. And the cool thing is that that focus never leaves. So I will get to carry that with me now. … I’ll say I find the world to be such a beautiful place in all of its quirkiness.”

Fischer added that everyday annoyances have suddenly become “charming” to her.

“Like, you know, just traffic. ‘Oh, look at you, cute traffic. Look at all the people just goin’ places,’” she said. “How great that I get to sit in traffic. How cool.”

Fischer’s final takeaway from her experience is a message to all women: “Please don’t skip your mammogram appointment. Please get all the extra screenings that the doctor wants you to get.”

She credits the success of her treatments to her early diagnosis, encouraging more people to book the “annoying” appointment.

“If I had waited six more months, it could have been much worse. It could have spread. It was a very aggressive form of cancer,” Fischer said. “I’m really lucky that my cancer had not spread into my lymph nodes. It hadn’t spread anywhere else in my body.”

“My tumor was still very small, too small to feel,” she added. “That’s the thing. A self-exam would not have (caught the cancer). It really was that routine mammogram that started all of this. And I’m so grateful that I went to that appointment.”

“I hope that hearing my story will be comforting to any women out there also on this journey,” Fischer posted on Instagram following the interview. “I’m still walking through this every day. But there are more good days than bad. Being able to put my experience to use somehow helps a lot.” She then encouraged her followers to get their breast exams done and talk to their doctors about calculating their Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score.




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UNC Football Player Tylee Craft, 23, Dies After Lung Cancer Diagnosis

UNC Football Player Tylee Craft, 23, Dies After Lung Cancer Diagnosis

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Tylee Craft, a wide receiver who was diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer in 2022, died Saturday, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill football program announced Oct. 12.

The official X account for UNC’s football program wrote, “It is with love and fond memories that we announce Tylee Craft has begun his journey on the other side.”

“Tylee meant so much to so many and affected us in ways we’ll always be thankful for. He was 1-of-1 and, while he won’t be with us in body, he’ll be watching over us with his endearing smile and endless positivity,” the statement read. “On behalf of his family and our program, we sincerely thank everyone who supported Tylee during his battle with cancer. It means more than you know.”

After Saturday’s game against Georgia Tech, head coach Mack Brown told reporters, “We just heard that we lost Tylee Craft this morning.”

“What a difficult thing to tell a group of young people about one of their best friends,” he said.

Craft, who graduated from Sumter High School in South Carolina, appeared in several games his freshman and sophomore seasons at UNC as a wide receiver.

In March 2022, Craft announced on Instagram that after experiencing intense back pain, he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, specifically Stage 4 lung cancer, according to an ESPN profile about Craft published in August.

Craft missed his junior and senior seasons, and he announced his decision to “medically retire” in July. The graduate student stayed close to the UNC football program by serving as a student coach.

After UNC’s Oct. 5 game against Pittsburgh, coach Mack Brown got emotional at a press conference while telling reporters that Craft had been hospitalized that morning, adding, “He’s really struggling. He needs a lot of thoughts and prayers.”

UNC’s game Saturday against Georgia Tech was dedicated to Craft, Brown said Oct. 7.

During the game, Craft’s family was honored on the field at the end of the first quarter, according to WRAL, an NBC affiliate in Raleigh.

Craft’s mother, September, shared a hug with Brown, who wore a shirt with Craft’s No. 13 on it.

Head coach Mack Brown embraces September Craft, mother of North Carolina wide receiver Tylee Craft.Lance King / Getty Images

The crowd at the game was asked to stand for 13 seconds of applause in Craft’s honor.

Craft was also honored by his teammates. Wide receiver J.J. Jones wore a jersey with Craft’s No. 13 during the game Saturday.




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Brett Favre’s Parkinson’s diagnosis reignites questions about brain disease – NBC10 Philadelphia

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Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre’s announcement that he has Parkinson’s disease is bringing renewed attention to the potential links between collision sports and a risk of brain disease.

Favre revealed his diagnosis on Tuesday while testifying before Congress about his alleged misuse of taxpayer money. The hearing focused on a welfare scandal in Mississippi, but the subject of Favre’s health arose because he discussed losing an investment in a company that he believed was making a “breakthrough concussion drug.”

“I’m sure you’ll understand why it’s too late for me because I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s,” Favre said. 

Favre played 20 seasons in the NFL, mostly for the Green Bay Packers, and retired 13 years ago. In a 2022 interview with “The Bubba Army” radio show, he estimated that he had suffered thousands of concussions. 

“Every time my head hit the turf, there was ringing or stars going, flash bulbs, but I was still able to play,” he said in that interview. “That’s what’s kind of frightening about the concussion thing. It’s the ones that seem minor that do the damage.”

Sports that involve repetitive collisions — such as football, boxing and rugby — carry a risk of concussions and other head injuries. 

“We know that the brain can only take so much, and when there’s this kind of trauma — not even just sports-related, but any kind of repeated trauma to the brain — we know it’s going to affect it down the line,” said Shannon Shaffer, a nurse practitioner at the Cleveland Clinic and liaison at Rune Labs, a neurology-focused software and data analytics company.

Early research has established a likely link between these activities and Parkinson’s, as well as other neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Multiple studies have found that a single concussion can raise a person’s risk of being diagnosed with Parkinson’s by more than 55%. 

The NFL did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Favre’s diagnosis and the link between football and neurodegenerative disease. 

Last year, a study found that a history of playing football was associated with 61% higher odds of having Parkinson’s symptoms or being diagnosed with the disease. A 2018 study similarly found that repetitive head impacts from years of playing contact sports were associated with precursors to Parkinson’s. 

Hannah Bruce, an author of the 2023 study, said it can be difficult to determine what role, if any, football played in a case like Favre’s.

“It’s hard to say whether it’s exactly because of the football or if it just increased his risk or odds of developing Parkinson’s disease, or if there’s other factors at play,” said Bruce, who conducted the research at the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. “But we’re seeing more football players come forward. It definitely says something.”

Neurologists who treated boxing legend Muhammad Ali concluded in 2022 that his medical history supported a diagnosis of young-onset Parkinson’s disease, but they could not link the disease to head trauma. Ali died in 2016.

Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disease that causes nerve cells in the brain to weaken and die. It can lead to tremors, muscle stiffness, impaired balance and trouble walking and talking. To reduce the symptoms, patients often take prescription medications or receive deep brain stimulation, which sends electrical pulses to nerve cells in the brain.

Repeated trauma to the brain is known to be a potential trigger for the disease, since it can cause inflammation that leads to the death of more nerve cells over time. But it’s one of many risk factors, including older age, an underlying genetic susceptibility and exposure to certain pesticides.

Dr. Kevin Crutchfield, a neurologist at Hackensack Meridian Health, said doctors typically rule out other factors before linking Parkinson’s to football injuries. 

“The default isn’t, ‘Oh, you played football, you got Parkinson’s,’” he said.

Crutchfield added that tens of thousands of men have played in the NFL and, to date, there’s no tidal wave of Parkinson’s diagnoses among them. But the disease isn’t always easy to diagnose, and symptoms do not necessarily develop soon after a head injury.

Thor Stein, director of molecular research at Boston University’s CTE Center and a co-author of the 2023 study, said that in some cases, CTE can be a trigger for Parkinson’s. Many former football players have been found to show signs of the brain disease, which can only be diagnosed post-mortem.

“The more you get these repetitive hits to the head, the longer you are exposed to that, the greater your risk is for developing a number of different degenerative diseases, including both CTE and Parkinson’s disease,” Stein said. “And more recently, surprisingly, we found that in those people who do develop these symptoms that it’s often not the typical pathology, but often it’s CTE that’s causing their Parkinson’s disease symptoms.”

In a July study of brain donors with diagnosed CTE, Stein and his co-authors found that nearly a quarter had exhibited signs of parkinsonism.

Favre said in an interview with TODAY in 2021 that he wasn’t sure whether he had CTE.

Crutchfield said it’s important for players to take breaks after a head trauma to avoid more serious brain injuries. 

“The brain is much more susceptible to recurrent hits if your brain hasn’t had enough time to heal,” he said. “So athletes hiding a concussion because they want to keep playing is not a good thing.”

This article first appeared on NBCNews.com. Read more from NBC News here:


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NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre reveals Parkinson’s diagnosis at House hearing

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NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre told lawmakers he was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease as he testified Tuesday before the House Ways and Means Committee investigating Mississippi’s misuse of welfare funds — a scandal that has tainted the Green Bay Packers legend after his retirement.

At a hearing titled, “Reforming Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): States’ Misuse of Welfare Funds Leaves Poor Families Behind,” the former quarterback said state officials “failed to protect federal TANF funds from fraud and abuse” and then attempted to blame him.

“When this started, I didn’t know what TANF was. Now I know TANF is one of the country’s most important welfare programs to help people in need,” Favre testified.

Former NFL football player Brett Favre testifies before a House Committee on Ways and Means in Washington, Sept. 24, 2024.

House TV

Favre, wearing a sportscoat, untucked dress shirt and blue jeans, told the committee he was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

“I also lost an investment in a company that I believe was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others, and I’m sure you’ll understand why it’s too late for me, because I recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s,” Favre revealed.

Favre, 54, said he is under a gag order that prevents him from discussing the details of the case. He has not been criminally charged but faces a civil lawsuit stemming from his advocacy to state officials to obtain federal TANF funds.

At least $77 million in TANF funds, supposed to be given to poor families, were instead given to rich people, according to a Mississippi state audit, ESPN reported.

“I believe that I got swept up in a civil lawsuit at the instigation of a state auditor shading an ambitious public official who decided he was determined to tarnish my reputation to try to advance his own political career,” Favre said.

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., said TANF has been “undermined by rampant waste, fraud, and abuse” — leaving fewer services for those who really need them.

“But we all know this problem is not limited to Mississippi,” Smith said, pointing at California and Michigan as additional examples. “How big a problem is it? What is the rate of improper payments? No one knows, because the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has never reported a rate of improper payment. Together, this lack of federal protections has created the perfect storm for waste, fraud and abuse.”

PHOTO: Retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre participates in a question and answer session at a fundraiser, a facility that provides training and assistance for special needs students, Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018 in Jackson, Miss.

Retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre participates in a question and answer session at a fundraiser for Willowood Developmental Center, a facility that provides training and assistance for special needs students, Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018 in Jackson, Miss.

Rogelio V. Solis/AP, FILE

Smith explained that Favre’s testimony “can help shed additional light on the need to pursue reforms to states’ ability to spend TANF.”

“We look forward to hearing his insights into how weak federal oversight and self-dealing state officials contributed to Mississippi’s case,” Smith said. “He saw how embezzlement and mismanagement hurt the people whom welfare is supposed to help. Thank you for coming here and using your name and platform to draw attention to the need for stronger federal safeguards in TANF spending to ensure what happened in Mississippi doesn’t happen again.”

Lawmakers were expected to press Favre about his efforts to help fund a volleyball facility at his alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi, where his daughter was a student-athlete, as well as Prevacus, a company developing a concussion drug where Favre had invested substantial capital.

Text messages made public in legal filings show Favre pushed state officials for funding for the volleyball facility during the time his daughter was on the team. The university’s athletic foundation received $5 million in TANF funds. Favre donated $1.4 million of his own money to construct the facility, ESPN reported.

“I wanted to help my alma mater and benefit the community,” Favre testified. “I had no way of knowing that there was anything wrong with how the state funded the project, especially since it was publicly approved by many state agencies and multiple attorneys, including the attorney general.”

Favre was also paid $1.1 million from TANF funds for speeches the state auditor said Favre never made. He paid that money back, but the auditor has demanded he also pay $228,000 in interest, according to ESPN.

“Importantly, I have learned that nobody was or is watching how TANF funds are spent,” Favre said. “I urge Congress put down guardrails in place to ensure that what happened in Mississippi doesn’t happen again.”

Favre was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016 after a 20-year career with the Falcons, Packers, Jets and Vikings. He built his legend in 16 years in Green Bay, winning three straight MVPs from 1995-1997. He finished top 5 in MVP voting four other times as well.

He owned the career record for most passing yards and most touchdowns when he retired, though Tom Brady now holds both marks. Famously known as a gunslinger at the QB position, he still holds the ignominious record for most career interceptions. He was also famously durable in his career, holding the record for most consecutive starts (297).

He won his lone Super Bowl title in January 1997 with a 35-21 victory over the Patriots in New Orleans.


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Kate Middleton Completes Chemo Treatment After Cancer Diagnosis

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Catherine, Princess of Wales, said Monday she has finished her chemotherapy treatment after she announced she had been diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.

“As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment,” she says in a video posted on X. “The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown.”

The former Kate Middleton describes the cancer journey as “complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you.”

“With humility, it also brings you face to face with your own vulnerabilities in a way you have never considered before, and with that, a new perspective on everything,” she says.

Kate adds that this time has reminded her and her husband, Prince William, “to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted.”

Her focus is now on doing what she can to stay cancer-free, she says.

“Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes,” Kate says.

Kate adds she’s looking forward to being back at work and undertaking “a few more public engagements in the coming months when I can.”

“Despite all that has gone before I enter this new phase of recovery with a renewed sense of hope and appreciation of life,” she says. “William and I are so grateful for the support we have received and have drawn great strength from all those who are helping us at this time. Everyone’s kindness, empathy and compassion has been truly humbling.”

She then adds a message to those going through their own cancer journeys: “I remain with you, side by side, hand in hand. Out of darkness, can come light, so let that light shine bright.”

Kate announced in a video message in March she had been diagnosed with cancer after she underwent a planned abdominal surgery in January. She did not specify what type of cancer she had been diagnosed with.

“At the time, it was thought that my condition was noncancerous,” she said in the video. “The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present.”

Kate described the diagnosis as a “huge shock” for her and William, and that they hoped to “manage this privately for the sake of our young family.”

“As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment,” she said. “But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK.”

Kate made her first public appearance since her cancer diagnosis in June at Trooping the Colour, the annual celebration of the monarch’s birthday.

The princess rode in a carriage with her three children, George, 11, Charlotte, 9, and Louis, 6, and later was seen standing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with her family.

In July, Kate attended Wimbledon with her daughter, Charlotte, to watch Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic in the men’s singles final. When she arrived to the Royal Box at Centre Court, she received a standing ovation from the crowd.

In August, she appeared in a video celebrating Team Great Britain at the 2024 Olympics, and was spotted at Crathie Kirk, a small church in Scotland, with her husband, King Charles III and Queen Camilla.




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Noah Lyles says his Olympics are done after COVID-19 diagnosis – NBC New York

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The “World’s Fastest Man” will have an unexpectedly quick exit from the Paris Olympics.

Just hours after finishing third in the 200m final, considered to be his strongest event, Noah Lyles said that he seems to have run his last race in these Games. It also comes after his mother shared with NBC Olympics that Lyles had tested positive for COVID.

“I believe this will be the end of my 2024 Olympics. it is not the Olympic I dreamed of but it has left me with so much Joy in my heart. I hope everyone enjoyed the show,” Lyles wrote in an Instagram post. “Whether you were rooting for me or against me, you have to admit you watched, didn’t you? 😉 See you next time.”

Lyles was next scheduled to compete in the men’ 4x100m relay final on Friday, but it appears he will not be a part of that foursome.

It’s been an eventful five days for Lyles. He came into the Olympics talking a big game, and he delivered right off the bat, winning the men’s 100m final Sunday evening.

Lyles was the favorite to win the 200m race as well, as he is considered the best in the world in it, but could not deliver another gold, instead finishing third with a time of 19.70 seconds. That was behind Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, who took the gold with a time of 19.46 seconds, and teammate Kenneth Bednarek’s time of 19.62 seconds, which was good for second.

U.S. sprinter Noah Lyles was unable to compete the Olympic double, but did earn a bronze in the men’s 200m for the second straight Olympic Games. Lyles, who has asthma, ran the race despite testing positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday.

But soon after the race was finished, his mother said he had tested positive for COVID earlier in the week. Lyles needed medical attention after the race, but it wasn’t clear what the issue was or if it was related to his COVID diagnosis. Commentators said Lyles was seen taken off from the track in a wheelchair by medical personnel after the race.

“As we saw Noah Lyles being taken off there in a wheelchair, I ran down underneath the stadium to try to find where he was. I ran into his mom, Keisha Caine Bishop, who was distraught trying to find him as well. We found Noah Lyles in medical there being tended to,” NBC Olympics’ commentator Lewis Johnson said.

The mother confirmed the diagnosis from two days ago, but Lyles opted to run anyway. He said he never considered not running in the race.

“Yeah, I woke up early about 5 a.m. on Tuesday morning and I just was feeling really horrible,” Lyles said. “I knew it was more than just being sore from the 100. You know, woke up the doctors and we tested and unfortunately, it came up that I was positive for COVID. My first thought was not to panic…And we just took it day by day, trying to hydrate as much, quarantined off. And I’d definitely say it’s taken it’s toll for sure, but I’ve never been more proud of myself.”

It’s the second straight Olympics the virus has played a major role in Lyles’ trip to the Games. He also won the bronze in the Tokyo Olympics, and he has said the empty stands and a year delay before the Games led to depression that he said hampered his performance and inspired his road to Paris.

Watch U.S. sprinter Noah Lyles win the men’s 100m at the Paris Olympics.


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Daisy Ridley Reveals Graves’ Disease Diagnosis

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Daisy Ridley has revealed she has been diagnosed with Graves’ disease.

In her cover story for Women’s Heath, the Star Wars actress shared she was told she has the autoimmune disorder last September. Ridley realized there was something wrong with her health while filming the thriller Magpie, about a woman losing control as her relationship with her husband crumbles.

“I thought, ‘Well, I’ve just played a really stressful role; presumably that’s why I feel poorly,’” the actress recalled. Her general practitioner encouraged her to visit an endocrinologist after experiencing symptoms such as a racing heart rate, weight loss, fatigue and tremors.

When the doctor described that Graves’ can make you feel “tired but wired,” this clicked for Ridley. “It was funny, I was like, ‘Oh, I just thought I was annoyed at the world,’ but turns out everything is functioning so quickly, you can’t chill out.’”

Since then, Ridley has adopted a routine of daily medication as well as integrating wellness measures such as infrared saunas, cryotherapy, massages, acupuncture and baths. She also decided to go on a gluten-free diet to reduce her inflammation. “I am not super strict about it, but generally cutting down on gluten makes me feel better,” she said.

Mayo Clinic describes Graves’ disease as an “immune system condition that affects the thyroid gland. It causes the body to make too much thyroid hormone,” leading to hyperthyroidism, which can affect multiple organs. Though anyone can get Graves’ disease, it’s more commonly found in women, as well as people over the age of 30.

Ridley isn’t the only celebrity to speak up about being diagnosed with the disease. In 2018, Wendy Williams revealed she has Graves’ disease and took a three-week hiatus from her eponymous talk show due to the ailment.


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