Olivia Munn has opened up about her battle with breast cancer, revealing she has years to go with the treatment.
The 44-year-old actress, known for her role in Newsroom, reflected on her treatment during her speech at Time’s Women of the Year gala on Tuesday. Munn shared that, although she still has “years” of treatment ahead, she’s finding strength and gratitude in her progress.
During her remarks, Munn recounted a meaningful moment she had on a recent Friday. She realized that her daughter, Meí, was healthy and she, too, was feeling well. This was especially significant because Meí had endured a “lot of discomfort” during her first month of life.
“I realized that I had felt pretty good all day, too,” Munn shared with the audience. “I have years to go in my cancer treatment, but on that Friday, my joints didn’t ache, and I wasn’t too hot or too cold from going into a surgical menopause, and my brain fog had cleared — at least for that day, anyway.”
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Despite the chaos around her — her son was peeing off a balcony and her husband, John Mulaney, was picking up a dead rat — Munn expressed how grateful she was for the health she had in that moment.
“As I held my daughter,” she continued, “I was so grateful that I was healthy enough to see every minute of it all.”
Munn’s powerful message wasn’t just about her personal journey but also a reminder for others to value their health. “Each day brings with it its own problems, and my hope is that you’ll all be healthy enough to enjoy them,” she said. “So protect your health and love your body like you are a chunky newborn baby.”
In March 2024, Munn first revealed her breast cancer diagnosis, sharing that she had been privately battling the disease for several months. Over the course of 10 months, she underwent four surgeries, including a double mastectomy and a hysterectomy.
By September 2024, Munn provided an update on her treatment in a heartfelt Instagram video. She explained that she had recently begun taking Arimidex, a breast cancer medication that interferes with estrogen production in the body. “I’m doing OK,” Munn said in the video.
Even amid her ongoing treatment, Munn has embraced moments of self-love. In October 2024, she posed for a Skims campaign that showcased her mastectomy scars. In an interview on the Today show, she explained how the photoshoot came about, revealing that she was the one who suggested showcasing her scars.
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“We were in the middle of the shoot and we were changing an outfit that could see more of my scars, and so the makeup artist was touching up my scars, and then we got to the double mastectomy scars and they were really hard to cover up,” Munn recalled. “And then I was looking in the mirror and I just thought, ‘I’m done being insecure about my scars.'”
As Munn continues her breast cancer journey, she remains an inspiring figure for many, using her platform to share her strength and resilience in the face of adversity.
