For any person with breasts, especially those identifying as women, the realities of breast cancer are incredibly pervasive.
With the disease one of the most prevalent cancers in the world, it’s common to know a mother, aunt, sister or friend who has battled with one of the toughest diagnoses and treatments.
Supermodel Linda Evangelista is one such survivor, who has today bravely shared her struggles with breast cancer in a candid new interview.
The legendary fashion icon has divulged the extent of her health struggles, revealing today that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer twice within the last five years, with the first diagnosis taking place in 2018.
“It was detected in my annual mammogram,” she told WSJ Magazine of her first prognosis.
“The margins were not good, and due to other health factors, without hesitation, because I wanted to put everything behind me and not to have to deal with this, I opted for a bilateral mastectomy, thinking I was good and set for life. Breast cancer was not going to kill me,”the 58-year-old explained.
Sadly, Evangelista was once again diagnosed with the disease in July 2022.
Evangelista felt a lump on her chest, a prevention method that resulted in her learning the cancer had returned. Following her second diagnosis, Evangelista staunchly told her oncologist to “dig a hole in my chest”.
“I don’t want it to look pretty. I want you to excavate. I want to see a hole in my chest when you’re done. Do you understand me? I’m not dying from this,” she explained.
The model continued to explain how the diagnosis resulted in her having a complete paradigm shift. “I just went into this mode that I know how to do — just do what you’ve got to do and get through it. And that’s what I did.”
While Evangelista is in a stable condition, a recent check-up with her oncologist revealed a “horrible Oncotype score,” signalling there is a chance for cancer to reoccur.
“I know I have one foot in the grave, but I’m totally in celebration mode,” the model said.
“I’ve come through some horrible health issues,” referring to her diagnosis and the ongoing impacts of paradoxical adipose hyperplasia—a rare condition that arose as a result of complications with a CoolScultping procedure.
“I’m at a place where I’m so happy celebrating my book [Linda Evangelista Photographed by Steven Meisel], my life. I’m so happy to be alive. Anything that comes now is a bonus.”
