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Pamela Anderson Opens Up About Life-Threatening Hepatitis C Diagnosis in '90s
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In Short: The Baywatch actress shared her experience of being given a 'death sentence' for hepatitis C in the 1990s and how it still haunts her.
In the 1990s, Pamela Anderson was diagnosed with hepatitis C, a viral infection that can cause severe liver damage. 'Back in the late '90s, when I was diagnosed with Hepatitis C, there was no cure,' Anderson explained, adding that it was 'a death sentence.
Despite the grim prognosis, Anderson received treatment and announced in 2015 that she was 'hep C free.' However, the experience left her with a lasting emotional impact. 'But my experience of shame and guilt was also an unconscious journey. It stays with me; it haunts me,' she said during her acceptance of amfAR's Award of Courage at the Venice Film Festival.
Anderson's diagnosis came at the height of her fame, and she previously spoke about it in 2002, joking that she didn't expect to survive for another 10 or 15 years. The treatment cost her nearly her entire savings, but she has since channeled her experience into her recent career resurgence, including roles in films like The Last Showgirl and The Naked Gun.
During her speech, Anderson reflected on her journey, acknowledging that she hasn't 'fully recovered' emotionally from the experience. However, she has come to terms with it and is using her story to inspire others. 'I've come a long way,' she said, emphasizing the importance of courage and resilience.
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- "I don't think I've ever fully recovered from that news," Anderson explained at the event.
- The Naked Gun star detailed her battle with Hepatitis C—a viral infection spread through blood that causes swelling in the liver, per the Mayo Clinic —after she was diagnosed in the 1990s.
- Pamela Anderson was diagnosed with hepatitis C in the 1990s The Baywatch actress thinks being told she had the viral infection in the late 1990s "corrupted" her decision-making skills because she was terrified for what the future held for herself and her and Tommy Lee's sons, Brandon, now 30, and Dylan, now 28.
- She admitted: "It took everything I had in my bank [to pay for treatment ]." The 59-year-old star - who was honoured at the event with amfAR's Award of Courage - is still "haunted" by the "shame and guilt" she felt over contracting hepatitis C.
- Variety reported on Monday, September 7, that Anderson, 59, revisited that frightening period while accepting amfAR’s Award of Courage in Venice on September 6.
- Anderson ended her remarks with a clear statement about how she sees herself today.