“My sister’s journey saved my life,” Chris Evert opens up about her journey from being cancer positive to cancer-free
Chris Evert reveals how her sister's death made her aware of her health and gave her strength to fight against cancer.
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Chris Evert (Image Credit: The New York Times)
Chris Evert is an American tennis legend. She won 18 Grand Slam titles in her career. However, many did not know that she was suffering from cancer. She lost her sister Jeanne two years ago because of BRCA-related ovarian cancer. Although earlier it was not pathogenic, soon doctors found that the cancer could be transmitted through genes.
The 68-year-old then received blood test results, which revealed that she had stage 1 ovarian cancer. Soon, numerous tests and chemotherapy sessions were recommended for her. She fought the disease and is now cancer-free after a difficult battle. However, she is grateful to her sister and the advancement in genetic technology that helped her win this battle.
“It is only because of the genetic road map my sister left behind and the power of scientific progress that we caught my cancer early enough to do something about it. My doctor said if left undiscovered, in four months’ time I would probably have been Stage 3 like Jeanne, with very few options. Instead, I was diagnosed with Stage 1 ovarian cancer, and I immediately began six rounds of chemotherapy. Today, I’m cancer-free, and there’s a 90% chance that the ovarian cancer will never come back,” she stated as reported by American sports broadcaster ESPN.
However, she still has to undergo surgery, which can help her return to health. She also needs to do timely check-ups of her body and monitor her body’s health through numerous annual rounds of ultrasounds and mammograms.
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Chris Evert’s old rival Martina Navratilova is also suffering from cancer
Martina Navratilova shocked the sporting world in December when she announced that she is suffering from twin cancer- throat and breast. The nine-time Wimbledon champion recovered from breast cancer successfully in 2010. However, she also declared that the disease is in its early stages and will return to health soon.
Chris Evert was quick to send her well-wishes and prayers to her old rival and now friend.
She is also trying to raise awareness about cancer through her journey. This is the reason why she is telling her story and is open to helping others suffering from this disease.
“As relieved as I will be to get to the other side of this, I will always have a heavy heart. I will never heal from losing Jeanne, and I will never take for granted the gift she gave me in the process. My sister’s journey saved my life, and I hope by sharing mine, I just might save somebody else’s,” she continued.
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Abhar Indorkar
(451 Articles Published)