“This is a very treatable cancer. 80% of people survive, so I feel very lucky,” she wrote.
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is a cancer of the immune system. Fonda said she will be doing chemotherapy for 6 months and that she is “handling the treatments quite well,” adding “and, believe me, I will not let any of this interfere with my climate activism.”
Fonda has been active in raising awareness of the climate crisis after getting inspired by young environmental activist Greta Thunberg.
“Cancer is a teacher and I’m paying attention to the lessons it holds for me,” Fonda added of her diagnosis. “One thing it’s shown me already is the importance of community. Of growing and deepening one’s community so that we are not alone. And the cancer, along with my age — almost 85 — definitely teaches the importance of adapting to new realities.”
While she did not address her ongoing professional commitments, Fonda said her activism will continue.
“We’re living through the most consequential time in human history because what we do or don’t do right now will determine what kind of future there will be and I will not allow cancer to keep me from doing all I can, using every tool in my toolbox and that very much includes continuing to build this Fire Drill Fridays community and finding new ways to use our collective strength to make change,” she wrote. “The midterms are looming, and they are beyond consequential so you can count on me to be right there together with you as we grow our army of climate champions.”
