Actress Constance Zimmer revealed that in March 2026, she was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ, defined as stage 0 breast cancer. She received the news on March 13 during a video consultation with a doctor while she was away from home.
„On March 13, while I was away from home, I heard these words from my doctor during a video consultation: „You have DCIS, also called stage 0 breast cancer“. "The silence was deafening," Zimmer wrote in an Instagram post, as quoted by Us Magazine.
The 55-year-old actress said she had to call her husband Russ Lamoureau first, then go home to tell their daughter Colette in person. She said the mental pressure that followed was "overwhelming some days" as she talked to more doctors than she wanted.
Zimmer said most doctors initially recommended a mastectomy as the quickest way to remove the lump. However, she wanted to keep her breast.
After consulting with Dr. Christy Funk, the actress opted for a lumpectomy. "She was the first doctor who made me feel like what I wanted mattered, and it made me cry with joy," Zimmer wrote. Ultimately, three surgeries were performed in three consecutive weeks, followed by radiation therapy. During this time, Zimmer continued her public engagements with the series "Love Story," in which she plays Anne Marie Messina, the mother of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. She kept her diagnosis and treatment a secret while she was on the production's press tour. In between surgeries and radiation, the actress also celebrated her Emmy nomination.
Three surgeries in three weeks
Will talk in detail about the experience
Zimmer said she is now "cancer-free" and thanked photographer Catherine White, who took her first photo since her diagnosis. She described the past seven months as a period of shock, fear, joy and gratitude.
The actress posted photos from the hospital, as well as footage of her appearances after treatment. In a video dedicated to the completion of the first week of radiation therapy, she described the experience as “surreal“ and said that she was just “breathing through it, literally and figuratively“.
Zimmer's more detailed conversation with her thoracic surgeon is scheduled for October 6 on the Talk Fifty to Me podcast, which she hosts with Heidi. The actress said she is sharing her story to encourage women not to wait until they have symptoms before seeking medical advice.
Източници: Us Magazine