Jenna Fischer is more than just Pam Beesly from The Office. The Emmy-nominated actor and mother of two is also a cancer survivor. Jenna got candid about her health on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, revealing on Instagram that she had been battling breast cancer since late 2023.
“I am cancer free,” the Office Ladies podcast cohost said in an emotional post that showed off her “patchy pixie” hairstyle and detailed her cancer journey. “I will continue to be treated and monitored to help me stay that way,” she added.
Jenna, 50, said her cancer battle began in October 2023 when she went in for her annual mammogram. She said she received “inconclusive results” to due her dense breast tissue and underwent a breast ultrasound as a result. “They found something in my left breast,” Jenna said.
In December 2023, doctors conducted a biopsy.
Doctors diagnosed the actor with stage 1 triple-positive breast cancer. The cancer is “aggressive,” Jenna said, but also highly responsive to medication and treatment. When the new year came around, she had a lumpectomy to remove the tumor. She also needed both chemotherapy and radiation to ensure the cancer did not return.
Jenna said she underwent 12 rounds of chemotherapy starting in February and three weeks of radiation beginning in June. Months later, the actor says she remains vigilant.
“I’m happy to say I’m feeling great,” Jenna added.
The 'Mean Girls' and 'Splitting Up Together' actor encouraged her followers to get regular mammograms.
She emphasized “things could have been much worse” had she waited before seeking treatment. She also highlighted her network of support, ranging from her medical team to friends and family. “It take a village to fight cancer,” Jenna said.
Among the friends in Jenna’s village was podcast cohost and The Office costar Angela Kinsey (Angela Martin on the NBC sitcom), who “protected me and advocated for me.”
“When I lost my hair, she wore hats to our work meetings so I wouldn’t be the only one,” Jenna said of her longtime collaborator. “When I needed a break, we took one.”
In the final slides of her post, Jenna reflected on how cancer had affected her personal life.
She revealed her kids “saw the limitations cancer treatment had on me” and shared how she celebrated her final rounds of chemotherapy and radiation with husband Lee Kirk and their family.
“Lee asked me if there was anything I wanted to do to celebrate. I said I simply wanted to ring a bell, with the kids, in our backyard, with everyone throwing confetti,” Jenna said. The final slide of her post is a photo of just that.
In the comments, Jenna got love from Hollywood peers
Hollywood peers who commented on her post included Quinta Brunson, Jennifer Garner, Questlove, Olivia Munn, Katie Couric, and The Office costar Ellie Kemper.
“I love you and by sharing your story you’re helping so many women and saving so many lives,” wrote Olivia, who went public about with her own breast cancer treatment earlier this year. “You’re just the best.”
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