Wanda Sykes, Ellen Degeneres both share health scares
Actress and comedian Wanda Sykes revealed on The Ellen Degeneres show that she had an early form of breast cancer. She explained that she had gone in for a breast reduction surgery but doctors discovered she had DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ). Sykes told Degeneres that she opted to have a double mastectomy last month to eliminate her risk. She then joked about her decision to step forward to speak about her condition (Ellen Show via YouTube):
”I was like, ‘Should I talk about it or what?’ I mean, how many things could I have? You know, black, then lesbian — and I’m like, ‘I can’t be the poster child for everything.’ At least with the LGBT issues, we get a parade and the float, there’s a party and all that. I was real hesitant about doing this, because I hate walking, and there’s a lot of ‘Walks’ coming up. ”
TMZ was first to report yesterday that paramedics had been called to check on Ellen Degeneres health, too. She was apparently suffering from chest pains. Reuters reports that Degeneres later told her studio audience that she is fine. In a taped episode (set to air Sept. 27), Ellen joked about the excessive medical response (AP/SacBee) and the discomfort she felt (Reuters/LA Times):
”I was feeling like a tightness of my chest and all the scary things … like something was heavy on my chest and it was a cat so I moved it.”
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