The actress — who was identified with breast most cancers in April 2023 — recalled the “shock” she skilled after seeing her physique following her double mastectomy, saying she “completely broke down” when she first noticed herself within the mirror.
Olivia Munn is opening up about her breast most cancers journey.
Whereas talking with PEOPLE for its newest cowl story, the actress mirrored on receiving her “terrifying” stage 1 bilateral breast most cancers analysis final April, and detailed present process 4 surgical procedures, together with a double mastectomy, nearly instantly following it.
“I used to be not somebody who obsessed over loss of life or was afraid of it in any means,” mentioned Munn, who shares 2-year-old son Malcolm with accomplice John Mulaney. “[But] having a bit child at hand-crafted every part far more terrifying.”
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Olivia Munn Says She’s ‘Grateful’ For ‘Love and Help’ After Revealing Breast Most cancers Analysis
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“You notice most cancers doesn’t care who you might be; it does not care when you’ve got a child or if you do not have time,” she added. “It comes at you, and you haven’t any selection however to face it head-on.”
The 43-year-old mentioned she had a lymph node dissection, a nipple delay process, and a double mastectomy inside 30 days after she obtained her analysis.
“I had wonderful docs, but it surely was nonetheless a negotiation typically on what we’re doing,” she informed PEOPLE, including that the nipple delay wasn’t a required process, and that she was informed she had a selection. “However I am glad I did. I need to give myself the very best shot of protecting the elements of me that I can maintain.”
As Munn beforehand revealed, she found she had breast most cancers solely three months after taking a genetic check checking for most cancers genes and a traditional mammogram, which each discovered no indicators of the illness.
“I used to be strolling round pondering that I had no breast most cancers,” she recalled. “I did all of the exams that I knew about.”
In March 2023, Munn’s OB-GYN calculated her lifetime breast most cancers danger rating through the use of the Tyer-Cuzick danger evaluation calculator. As PEOPLE famous, a rating above 20 % is high-risk, and Munn’s was 37.3 %. She had an MRI, and the check confirmed Munn had a spot in her proper breast “only a hairline away from my lymph nodes.” The Predator star then had an ultrasound, which revealed two extra tumors in her proper breast. The next biopsy outcomes confirmed that she had stage 1 invasive most cancers.
Following her docs’ suggestion, she determined to have a double mastectomy.
“There’s a lot info, and you make these big choices for the remainder of your life,” she mentioned. “I actually tried to be ready, however the fact is that nothing might put together me for what I might really feel like, what it will seem like and the way I might deal with it emotionally. It was lots harder than I anticipated.”
When she awakened from her process, the New Woman actress mentioned she realized docs additionally discovered a “tangerine-sized” ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a preinvasive most cancers inside a milk duct, in her proper breast.
“Listening to that information gave me peace that I would made the fitting determination,” Munn mentioned.
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John Mulaney Leads Messages of Love for Olivia Munn After Breast Most cancers, Double Mastectomy Reveal
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Whereas The Newsroom alum — who shared that she determined to attend till the next fall to have reconstructive surgical procedure — mentioned her physician mentioned she regarded “incredible” after her double mastectomy, she wasn’t ready for what her physique would seem like.
“I noticed myself for the primary time and I used to be in shock. It was extremely exhausting,” Munn recalled to PEOPLE. “It was a shock. It was a shock to my system. I had such a tough time, I keep in mind simply wanting within the mirror with him and simply having no emotion, simply taking in what he was saying.”
“After I received residence, I undressed and regarded within the mirror once more, and that’s after I simply completely broke down,” she added.
Munn ultimately underwent reconstructive surgical procedure final fall, noting that her physique is “a lot better, but it surely’s not the identical, and that is okay.”
Whereas she hasn’t wanted to bear chemotherapy or radiation, she began hormone suppression remedy, revealing the remedy put her right into a medically-induced menopause.
“I am continually pondering it’s sizzling, my hair is thinning, and I am drained lots,” she defined.
In the meantime, the Journey Alone 2 star praised Mulaney for his love and assist all through her troublesome journey.
“It might’ve felt like climbing an iceberg with out him,” she informed PEOPLE. “I do not suppose he had a second to himself, between being an extremely hands-on father and going to and from the hospital — taking Malcolm to the park, placing him to nap, driving to Cedars-Sinai, hanging out with me, going residence, placing Malcolm to mattress, coming again to me. And he did all of it fortunately.”
She additionally shared that her 2-year-old son has been a supply of sunshine for her over the last 12 months.
“After I’m with him, it is the one time my mind doesn’t take into consideration being sick. I am simply so pleased with him. And it places plenty of stuff into perspective,” Munn shared. “As a result of if my physique adjustments, I am nonetheless his mother. If I’ve sizzling flashes, I’m nonetheless his mother. If I lose my hair, I’m nonetheless his mother. That’s actually what issues essentially the most to me. I get to be right here for him.”
In the end, Munn mentioned she’s “grateful that I used to be given the chance to battle.”