Olivia Munn has just shared a deeply personal health update with her fans. In a candid Instagram post, the actress disclosed her breast cancer diagnosis, which she received in 2023, saying that she hoped that “by sharing this it will help others find comfort, inspiration and support on their own journey”.
The revelation came with an intimate account of the emotions and processes she went through, including her decision to undergo a double mastectomy and multiple surgeries.
As written in her post, Olivia Munn was shocked with a breast cancer diagnosis back in 2023 after she had taken multiple tests that came back negative initially.
“In February of 2023, in an effort to be proactive about my health, I took a genetic test that checks you for 90 different cancer genes. I tested negative for all, including BRCA (the most well-known breast cancer gene). My sister Sara had just tested negative as well. We called each other and high-fived over the phone. That same winter I also had a normal mammogram. Two months later I was diagnosed with breast cancer.”
During the coming ten months after her diagnosis, the actress had braved through four surgeries while keeping her emotions in check to “stay clearheaded” during the process.
“My focus narrowed and I tabled any emotion that I felt would interfere with my ability to stay clearheaded. I’ve kept the diagnosis and the worry and the recovery and the pain medicine and the paper gowns private. I needed to catch my breath and get through some of the hardest parts before sharing.”
In her message, Olivia Munn expressed gratitude to her OBGYN, Dr. Aliabadi, who detected the Luminal B cancer in both of her breasts which led to her receiving a double mastectomy. She also thanked her family and friends for their support, especially her partner, comedian John Mulaney, whom she said was
“There before I went into each surgery and being there when I woke up, always placing framed photos of our little boy Malcolm so it would be the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes.”