Jane Fonda announced on Friday that she has been diagnosed with cancer and is in treatment.
The actress, activist and former fitness guru issued an optimistic statement on Instagram, informing her followers about her condition.
"I've been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and have started chemo treatments," Fonda began in the lengthy post. "This is a very treatable cancer. 80% of people survive, so I feel very lucky."
Fonda added that she will be undergoing chemotherapy for six months and that she is "handling the treatments quite well."
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a kind of cancer that starts in white blood cells, generally in the lymph nodes and lymphatic tissues that are part of the immune system. According to the American Cancer Society, the overall 5-year relative survival rate for people with NHL is 73%.
Throughout much of her career, the Hollywood icon has been devoted to a life of activism. And now, at 84, Fonda assured fans that she will not let her illness to interfere with her fight for climate change.
"We're living through the most consequential time in human history because what we do or don't do right now will determine what kind of future there will be and I will not allow cancer to keep me from doing all I can," she wrote.
"The midterms are looming, and 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."
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