Olivia Munn speaks out after breast cancer diagnosis

Olivia Munn has opened up for the first time since she revealed her cancer diagnosis.

On March 13, The Newsroom actress announced that she had been diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer in April 2023.

Olivia, who shares her two-year-old son Malcolm with her partner John Mulaney, subsequently had to undergo multiple surgeries.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Now, one year on from her initial diagnosis, Olivia has chosen to speak out for the first time.

In an interview with People, the 43-year-old confessed that she was worried about her young son. 

“I was not someone who obsessed over death or was afraid of it in any way. Having a little baby at home made everything much more terrifying,” she admitted.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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“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,” she added.

After initially discovering that she had an alarmingly high chance of getting breast cancer, the New Girl star was sent for an MRI, which led to the discovery of cancer in both of her breasts.

Recalling her double mastectomy, Olivia stated: “There’s so much information, and you’re making these huge decisions for the rest of your life. I really tried to be prepared, but the truth is that nothing could prepare me for what I would feel like, what it would look like and how I would handle it emotionally. It was a lot tougher than I expected.” 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Olivia has since undergone reconstructive surgery, along with hormone suppression therapy. Describing her decision to keep her treatment private for a year, she explained: “Keeping it private for as long as I did allowed me time to fight without any outside noise at all.”

After praising John for being an “incredibly hands-on father”, Olivia also expressed her love for her toddler son, noting: “When I’m with him, it’s the only time my brain doesn’t think about being sick. I’m just so happy with him. And it puts a lot of stuff into perspective.”

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