Linda Evangelista
She draws attention to early detection of breast cancer
© imago/UPI Photo
Linda Evangelista draws attention to the topic of early breast cancer detection online with a photo taken during her mammography examination.
Linda Evangelista (58) is using her reach during American Cancer Awareness Week (December 5th to 9th) to raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of breast cancer. The model shared a selfie on Instagram of herself during a mammogram and biopsy in 2018. As a result of the examination at that time, she was diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time, as she first publicly announced in 2023.
In the posting, on behalf of the American non-profit organization “Stand Up To Cancer”, she asks her followers to make an appointment with their doctor in order to create an individual cancer prevention plan. “Early detection of cancer or precancerous lesions can help save lives,” writes the 58-year-old and uses the hashtag “standuptocancer!” (German: “Stand up against cancer”) behind it. Evangelista also appeals for people to be aware of how important the topic is.
Industry colleagues Cindy Crawford and Alessandra Ambrosio show their solidarity with her on Instagram and comment, among other things, with clapping hands as an emoji. Only at the beginning of the year did the former supermodel Tatjana Patiz (1966-2023) die from breast cancer at the age of just 56.
Evangelista was diagnosed with breast cancer twice
In September of this year, Linda Evangelista spoke publicly for the first time about having breast cancer. She received her first diagnosis in 2018, the second in 2022, as she told the Wall Street Journal. Accordingly, her cancer was first discovered during her “annual mammogram”. She then decided “without hesitation” to have a bilateral mastectomy. But just a few years later, in July 2022, she felt another lump in her breast. Faced with the second diagnosis, she says she instructed her oncologist to “dig a hole” in her chest. “I don’t want it to look pretty. I want you to dig it up. I want to see a hole in my chest when you’re done. Do you understand me? I’m not dying over it,” the former Victoria’s Secret recalls -Model back to the conversation at that time.
Her prognosis now looks “good”, but unfortunately not “great”. She will have to live with a relatively high risk of the disease returning in the future. Linda Evangelista is happy to be alive and the mother of one son can live very well with the scars that remain.