One Grey’s Anatomy star, who has been in it since the start, has devastated fans by revealing that he are battling the same disease his character is on the show
It’s been a difficult time for one Grey’s Anatomy star, as he revealed he is dealing with the same disease as his character. The actor shared that he “would have been surprised” if he hadn’t been diagnosed with a particular illness.
This week, it was revealed that Dr Richard Webber, the former chief of surgery and a mentor to many on the hit medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, is suffering from cancer. In a sad twist of fate, the actor who plays him, James Pickens Jr, is also battling cancer.
James shared that he was not surprised when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The 71-year-old said in an interview: “It’s not the kind of news anyone wants to hear, but to be honest, prostate cancer has run through my family.”
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Speaking to Black Health Matters, he added: “My father had it. He had a lot of brothers; several of them had it. I would have been surprised if I hadn’t gotten it.”
James was so concerned he may get prostate cancer that he has been getting annual health check-ups for 34 years. This year, his doctor flagged that his PSA levels (the amount of a prostate-specific antigen in his blood) were elevated.
An MRI later showed “something suspicious” in the area and a biopsy confirmed it was a tumour. The cancer, thankfully, had not spread further than the prostate.
James subsequently went for a radical prostatectomy. He explained that his proactive approach to health really helped: “We caught it really early, and so they thought that would be the best route to take. I do have a rare variant that you don’t see very often. hey wanted to err on the side of caution and keep an eye on it.”
James is using his experience to raise awareness about prostate cancer. Taking to social media, he shared that one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and that the risk for Black men in higher. He urged men to get screened regularly, as prostate cancer is highly treatable if caught early enough, but often isn’t detected until late, as there are sometimes no noticeable symptoms.
He added that he is “living proof that early detection works”, as he is now doing well and continues to act. He has been on Grey’s Anatomy since it began in 2005.
It is unknown what form of cancer Richard Webber is suffering from, as all that has been revealed is that he was diagnosed with the disease. The episode including his diagnosis was the midseason finale, so fans have to wait until January to learn more.
If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at Macmillan Cancer Support and Prostate Cancer UK.
Source: Mirror
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