Linda Evangelista has recently opened up about her breast cancer diagnosis for the first time, revealing her “one foot in grave, but she’s in celebration mode”.
In a new interview with The Wall Street Journal (WSJ)’s Fall Men’s Style issue, the supermodel shared she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018.
“It was detected in my annual mammogram,” she told the outlet.
Calling herself “survivor on standby”, Linda recalled, “The margins were not good, and due to other health factors, without hesitation, because I wanted to put everything behind me and not to have to deal with this, I opted for a bilateral mastectomy.”
Thinking I was good and set for life. Breast cancer was not going to kill me,” stated the 58-year-old.
However, last year in July, Linda had another cancer scare after finding out a lump in her chest.
The model mentioned that that her oncologist was not impressed, but she went ahead with an MRI.
Following the MRI, the doctor recommended her for a biopsy and it was discovered that she had cancer in her pectoral muscle.
“Dig a hole in my chest,” she told her oncologist after her second diagnosis.
Linda further said, “I don’t want it to look pretty. I want you to excavate. I want to see a hole in my chest when you’re done. Do you understand me? I’m not dying from this.”
Meanwhile, Linda disclosed that her oncologist told her that her “prognosis is good” but the model wasn’t convinced by her doctor’s response and asked, “Why isn’t it great?”
Linda said the doctor told her, “Well, once it’s come back, there’s a chance.”
The model pointed out that she has a “horrible oncotype score,” a number that shows the chances of cancer coming back.
Linda added, “I know I have one foot in the grave, but I’m totally in celebration mode. I’m so happy to be alive. Anything that comes now is bonus.”