CHRISTINA APPLEGATE CANCER FREE

FROM PEOPLE Magazine

This is certainly an upsetting, harrowing subject for an article. But at least there’s a happy ending.

We wish Ms. Applegate a speedy recovery from all her upcoming surgeries and continued good health in the future.

CHRISTINA APPLEGATE, who was diagnosed with an early form of breast cancer several weeks ago, revealed on ABC’S GOOD MORNING AMERICA that she has undergone a double mastectomy even though cancer was only detected in one of her breasts.

Privately, she admits, “Sometimes I cry. Sometimes I scream and I get really angry and I get really into wallowing in self pity sometimes – and I think it’s all part of healing.”

Having watched her mother Nancy Priddy battle breast cancer – and then suffer from a recurrence many years later – the Emmy nominated star of SAMANTHA WHO?, 36, told interviewer ROBIN ROBERTS that she wasn’t taking any chances. Especially since she has the breast cancer gene BRCA1.

“My decision – after looking at all the treatment plans that were possibilities for me – the only one that seemed the most logical and the one that was going to work for me was to have a bilateral mastectomy,” said Ms. Applegate. “So basically I had prophylactic double mastectomies.”

Explaining her rationale in taking that dramatic step, she said, “I didn’t want to go back to the doctors every four months for testing and squishing and everything. I just wanted to kind of be rid of this whole thing for me. This was the choice that I made and it was a tough one.”

The surgery took place three weeks ago. She did not undergo radiation or chemotherapy.

Ms. Applegate’s initial reaction when she received her diagnosis was, “Oh my God. I was so pissed off. So mad. I was just shaking.” But then she said, “Immediately I had to go into take care of business mode.”

Asked about her prognosis, CHRISTINA told Ms. Roberts (who is also a breast cancer survivor), “I’m clear. Absolutely 100 per cent clear and clean.”

Over the next eight months she will undergo reconstructive surgery. “I’m gonna have cute boobs until I’m 90,” she quipped, as ROBIN ROBERTS pointed out how Ms. Applegate’s sense of humour has helped the actor survive the ordeal.

CHRISTINA also cited her 67 year old mother who she described as “a quiet warrior”.

“I watched her have a mastectomy and then I watched her go through two years of chemotherapy and eight surgeries and a hysterectomy,” she stated. “I’ve watched this woman survive both of those things. So for me there was always that sense that I was going to be OK. No matter what.”

Ms. Applegate, who began getting mammograms at the age of 30 because of her medical history, said the cancer was detected through an MRI ordered by her doctor as a follow up to a biopsy that she had last year.

“Besides me being really vigilant about it (mammograms and self exams), it is the number one reason I’m going to live.”

Having become familiar to television audiences in her role as sassy teen KELLY BUNDY on MARRIED WITH CHILDREN, Ms. Applegate said she plans to return to the set of SAMANTHA WHO? when filming resumes next month.

She is also set to appear in the all star television special STAND UP TO CANCER airing SEPTEMBER 5 on ABC, CBS and NBC.