Desperate Housewives star Marcia Cross - or Bree Van De Kamp to fans - has revealed she is "happy and healthy" after taking to social media to reveal she had been battling anal cancer.
Actually, what spurned her to reveal more details to fans was after she recently shared a post on Instagram lamenting the loss of her hair after going through chemotherapy. The actress hadn't spoken of her cancer diagnosis before, so naturally, fans were concerned.
“So grateful and happy to be alive but sad that my hair fell out and is about 1 inch long now and looks cra cra,” wrote Cross. “Anyone else have #hairloss due to #cancer? Talk to me. I feel you.”
In the snap, we see Cross looking beautiful (her skin is incredible) and sad as we get a glimpse of her colouring her hair, lamenting how it used to be prior to her cancer diagnosis.
After followers responded in droves, she posted a second photo, reassuring everyone that she was happily, cancer-free despite her hard journey.
“I am so sorry my post wasn’t clear,” she wrote, in response to a flurry of worried messages. “I am POST cancer. All good now. Hard journey, but I am HEALTHY, happy, and more present and grateful than ever. Thank you from the bottom of my ever expanding heart for all of your LOVE.”
However, it was her third message that left many feeling inspired as she explained how liberated and overwhelmed she felt at the outpouring of love and support.
“After posting a picture of myself here and uttering the words #cancer and #hairloss, I felt liberated, deliriously free and completely me,” she said.
In exposing her concerns, her fears, she said it gave her the powerful boost she needed to keep moving forward, living and being happy.
"How or why this simple act gave me such a powerful lift I did not question, but I thanked God or whatever gave me the internal push to move forward and expose myself.”
Cross continued: “I certainly wasn’t expecting the response of love and kindness that flowed to me,” she said.
“I am ecstatically alive."
After revealing that she had anal cancer (with a bit of humour thrown in!), fellow survivors chimed in to offer support and encouragement.
“Anal cancer survivor here! Difficult one to talk about, glad you are feeling better," wrote one.
“You look gorgeous! And if I didn’t lose hair to chemo, I would NEVER had nerve to try a Mohawk which is now my hairstyle! I used to have beautiful long red hair too, but ahh well, life changes. I’m so glad you’re sharing your story openly… here’s to #survivors,” said another.
We're glad the actress is on the mend and commend her for her moving words.
