Survivor Pink
- Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon just posted an absolutely stunning picture of herself in “springtime pink” on her social media, which is very apropos, as Nixon is a breast cancer survivor.
- The sassy “Miranda,” as most know her by, was diagnosed with the disease 20 years ago.
- Nixon was diagnosed after a routine mammogram, which is a reminder to be diligent about your screenings, and make sure to not postpone, as many often do when life gets in the way.
“It may be a rainy day in NYC, but nothing beats springtime pink,” she captioned of the fresh photo of herself set against a white brick wall.
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Nixon, who has been married to activist Christine Marinoni since 2012, has been having quite the moment having recently returned to the spotlight, and it shows. And Just Like That…, the SATC revival, was just picked up for another season, which was music to Gen X fans’ ears after mourning the 2004 finale from the original series for so many years.
“We’re coming back for season 2!” she wrote when the news broke two weeks ago. The spin-off series stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Nixon, and Kristin Davis. Unfortunately Kim Cattrall, known as the highly sexual character, “Samantha,” did not return for this second spin.
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Thankfully, Nixon has been using her star power to continue to raise awareness for breast cancer.
Cynthia’s Breast Cancer Battle
Nixon found a lump in her breast in 2006 and has said that she started having mammograms when she was 35 because of her mother’s bout with breast cancer.
Although the New York City-born actor took some time to share her diagnosis with the public, she said she kept her kids Samantha and Charlie informed along the way (she now has another son, Max). "I really wanted them to know what was happening," Nixon shared in an old interview with Meredith Vieira on Today. "Because you hear people whispering, you sense that there is something going on."
The proud mom even brought her children with her when she spoke with her doctor about her surgery. “I think it was so reassuring to hear a professional from outside, talking about statistics and how really this is pretty minor in the grand scheme of things." Luckily, her tumor was really small and she was able to get through everything without any complications.
Discussing cancer with kids can be complicated. You want them to know what to expect, but at the same time you want to be gentle. Here is some more advice from a parent affected by cancer on how you can talk to your kids about this difficult topic.
Talking to Kids About Cancer: Be Open as Much as You Can
Screening for Breast Cancer
Getting in to get checked for potential lumps is one of the most important things that womenand mencan do for their health, especially if you’re a parent and want to stay healthy for as long as possible for your family.
Breast Cancer: Introduction to Prevention & Screening
Many experts say that 40 or 45 is the ideal age to start getting screened, though some are starting to argue 30 or 35, especially if you have a family history of the disease.
Related: The Mammogram Debate: Should Women Start Breast Cancer Screening at 30?
In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Connie Lehman, the chief of the Breast Imaging Division at Massachusetts General Hospital, emphasized how mammograms save lives.
"If you haven't gone through menopause yet, I think it's essential that you have a mammogram every year,” she told us. “We know that cancers grow more rapidly in our younger patients, and having that annual mammogram can be lifesaving."
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