When celebrities say that money and fame mean nothing without good health, they surely aren’t lying. According to the American Cancer Society, there were 17 million reported cases of cancer around the world in 2018. Fortunately, many of those patients make it out of treatment and live to tell their story as survivors. Among them, there are various celebrities who have shared their stories battling this disease.

This list includes 10 actors and actresses who chose to share their stories about overcoming cancer (some of them more than once), inspiring others who may be going through similar cases for years to come.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Known for her work on Saturday Night Live, Seinfeld, and Veep, Julia Louis-Dreyfus shared her breast cancer diagnosis on Twitter in September of 2017, citing that “1 in 8 women get breast cancer.” A year later, the actress was cancer-free and able to resume her work shooting the final season of HBO’s Veep.

During an interview with Good Morning America, Julia Louis-Dreyfus shared her efforts to raise money for the AiRS (Alliance in Reconstructive Surgery) Foundation, supporting women who have had mastectomies. More often than not, this is a procedure that is not covered by health insurance plans.

The actress also became an ambassador for Key to the Cure, an effort led by retail stores and fashion designers to raise money for cancer patients.

Hugh Jackman

In 2013, Hugh Jackman shared a picture on Instagram showing a bandage on his nose. As it turned out, the actor had been diagnosed with skin cancer. That year, the actor was on very high demand, releasing The Wolverine and Prisoners. What’s more, filming for 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past had just begun.

Over the years, Hugh Jackman has dealt with skin cancer several times. The latest reports were as recent as 2019, when the actor revealed receiving treatment for the fifth time. Thankfully, skin cancer has not slowed Hugh Jackman down at all. Instead, the actor has been featured on numerous projects on stage and on the big screen. In 2017 alone, the actor had a landmark year with the release of both Loganand The Greatest Showman.

Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda has openly stated that she has had “a lot of cancer.” Her medical history battling cancer can be traced as far back as 2010, when her team announced to People Magazine that she had removed a small tumor from her breast and was completely cancer-free. Then, in 2016, the actress shared that she had undergone a double mastectomy.

As recently as 2018, while promoting Grace & Frankie, Jane Fonda revealed to The Today Show that she had a cancerous growth removed from her lower lip. During an interview with British Vogue, Fonda, who is now 81 years old, shared that her cancer diagnosis is still “an ongoing process.”

Christina Applegate

Christina Applegate is best known for the TV show Married With Children and films such as The Sweetest Thing and Bad Moms. What many audiences may not remember, however, is that the actress was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. Applegate, who was 36 years old at the time, decided to undergo a bilateral (double) mastectomy.

Later, in 2017, Christina Applegate revealed to The Today Show that she had also had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed. As of recently, in 2019, the actress starred in the Netflix drama Dead Like Me, portraying a character that also survived breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy.

Ewan McGregor

Right after his role in the Woody Allen film Cassandra’s Dream in 2007, Ewan McGregor revealed to the BBC that he had a cancerous mole removed from under his right eye. The 2000s decade was a period of very high demand for the actor, who had just starred in the Star Wars prequel trilogy as Obi-Wan Kenobi and was the highlight of smaller projects such as Moulin Rouge! and Big Fish.

Despite the fact that Ewan McGregor identified his cancerous mole earlier than many other patients, he still decided to share his experience as an alert to other people. During his BBC interview, the actor stated: “You have to be careful if you’re pale-skinned and spend any time in the sun.”

Sofia Vergara

Now one of the highest-paid actresses in the history of television and a celebrity who is in incredibly high demand, Sofia Vergara took years to reveal her thyroid cancer diagnosis, only doing so in 2008. When asked why she had kept it a secret, the actress replied: “Having cancer is not fun. You don’t want to deal with anything else while you’re going through it.” All of this happened right before she was cast on Modern Family.

Sofia Vergara was diagnosed with cancer in 2000, having gone to the doctor for entirely different reasons. The actress had a family history of Type 1 diabetes, but while at the doctor, she decided to check out a lump in her neck. Turns out, that lump brought upon the thyroid cancer diagnosis.

Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro is one of the most widely respected and accomplished actors of his time. Besides his breakout role in 1974’s The Godfather Part II and landmark performance in 1980’s Raging Bull (both of which earned him Academy Awards), the actor is also known for his work in movies such as Taxi Driver, Cape Fear, the more recent Silver Linings Playbook.

In 2003, De Niro was diagnosed with prostate cancer, undergoing surgery just a few months after his diagnosis. Generally, the actor has been a private person who did not share too many details regarding his diagnosis and treatment. However, the actor did choose to temporarily slow down on work immediately after his treatment. It wasn’t until 2005 that Robert De Niro filmed The Good Shepherd.

Wanda Sykes

Comedian, writer, and actress Wanda Sykes has had a very long Hollywood career, whether that was behind the cameras, on the big screen, or on a stage. Among her most notable credits, she starred in Monster-In-Law, My Super Ex-Girlfriend, and Evan Almighty, and let her voice for the animated features Rio, Ice Age: Continental Drift, and UglyDolls. What’s more, Sykes earned an Emmy Award for her writing work on The Chris Rock Show.

During an interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Wanda Sykes revealed that she underwent a double mastectomy after finding evidence of early-stage breast cancer. The comedian was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which, according to Wanda Sykes’ understanding, is “basically stage zero cancer.” However, she still went ahead with the mastectomy procedure, eliminating her chances of developing a more advanced type of cancer.

Ben Stiller

Best known for Zoolander, Tropic Thunder, and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Ben Stiller shared his prostate cancer diagnosis in 2016 via a post on Medium. The actor, who was 50 years old at the time, revealed to news outlets that he saw numerous doctors following his diagnosis, including the professional who treated Robert De Niro’s prostate cancer.

Ultimately, Ben Stiller decided to surgically remove his prostate. By the time he shared this news in 2016, the actor had already been two years cancer-free. Ever since his diagnosis, Stiller has starred in Zoolander 2 and The Meyerowitz Stories: New & Selected.

Kathy Bates

Kathy Bates hasn’t beat cancer once, but twice. In 2003, the actress (most known for her work in Misery, Titanic, and Green Fried Tomatoes) was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, which was followed by surgery and months of chemotherapy. Then, nearly a decade later, Bates received a breast cancer diagnosis in 2012.

During an interview with People Magazine, Kathy Bates revealed her family history with cancer: “My aunt had died from it, my mother had it, my niece had it.” Now cancer-free, the actress dedicates a lot of her time raising money for cancer patients and research.