Jane Fonda Reveals She’s Been Diagnosed With Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

Jane Fonda has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer. The legendary actress went public with the news today on Instagram. She is 84 years old.

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Jane Fonda’s Instagram Post

In her detailed post on Instagram, Jane Fonda explained that she has non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (also called non-Hodgkin lymphoma or NHL) but that she is remaining hopeful. According to Fonda, it is a “treatable” cancer with an 80% survival rate.

Fonda has already begun treatment and is apparently responding well. She will be doing chemo for six months.

The actress also revealed that the illness will not be interfering with her climate activism. Fonda has remained an outspoken activist well into her old age. She has also kept busy the past few years, starring alongside Lily Tomlin in the Netflix comedy Grace and Frankie. With Fonds’s fan base as dedicated as dedicated as ever, naturally, the news of her cancer is of national interest.

Fonda used the end of her post to shift focus to our current political climate and the upcoming midterm elections. “Midterms are looming,” she wrote, “They are beyond consequential so you can count on me to be right there together with you as we grow our army of climate champions.”

Fonda’s post also included an earnest reflection on her cancer diagnosis:

“Cancer is a teacher and I’m paying attention to the lessons it holds for me. One thing it’s shown me already is the importance of community. Of growing and deepening one’s community so that we are not alone. And the cancer, along with my age — almost 85 — definitely teaches the importance of adapting to new realities.”

— Jane Fonda on Instagram

What Is Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma?

Both Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) are cancers that affect the lymphatic system, specifically lymphocytes: a subset of white blood cells that are a vital to the immune system. The two kinds of lymphoma affect different lymphocytes. NHL mainly occurs in the lymph nodes and, generally, has a slightly lower survival rate than Hodgkin’s.

According to cancer.net, the overall five-year survival rate for Americans with NHL is 73%. Stage I and Stage II NHL cases have an 84% and 77% five-year survival rate, respectively. As of now, it’s unclear what stage Jane Fonda is at.

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