Defying Cancer & Aging Well
- Actor Jeff Bridges is turning 75 this week, and he’s moving into this next chapter of his life by helping others and raising awareness for non-profit organizations that hold meaning to him.
- Bridges, who is known for starring as Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski in the 1998 comedy thriller “The Big Lebowski,” faced a lymphoma diagnosis in 2020 — and about a year later, in September 2021, was declared in remission. He had chemotherapy to treat his disease. Other lymphoma treatments include active surveillance, radiation, and bone marrow transplant.
- The two main types of lymphoma are Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is more common, and you’re more likely to be diagnosed with it after age 55. People usually develop Hodgkin lymphoma at a younger age.
- Reaching milestones during or after a cancer battle, even many years later, is huge and just hits different for many survivors. Special moments such as getting engaged, reaching another birthday, a high school reunion, “cancerversary” may mean even more to you than those events did previously, so it’s important to take them all in and celebrate all that you’ve overcome.
Bridges, who is known for starring as Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski in the 1998 comedy thriller “The Big Lebowski, was born on December 4, 1949, in Los Angeles, California. Although, we’re unsure as to how the non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivor will be spending his birthday, the loving husband and dad of three is making it a point to continue putting others first and make a difference.
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He continued, “This campaign showcases community power in youth development. Currently serving 400K+ youth annually across 45+ countries, we’re expanding our reach and impact.
“Together, we can create more safe spaces where youth dream, grow, and thrive. It’s time to ‘circle up’ and make a difference for kids everywhere. Join the circle: worldyouthclubs.org #CircleUpForKids #CircleDance #GivingTuesday.”
In the promo video, Bridges’s brother Beau is seen saying, “World Youth Clubs provides professional and technical assistance to all our affiliate clubs all around the world.”
Bridges, who is seen walking next to his brother, chimes in, “We already have 44 countries that are behind us in providing safe spaces for kids, but there are 160 other countries we’d like to reach out to. But we need the resources to do that.
“The World Youths Clubs is made up of hands-on, deeply involved volunteers, but hey … we need you to help fund World Youth Clubs and make their dream come true.”
Bridges shared another post just an hour later, raising awareness for Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry program, which works to prevent childhood hunger across the United States.
He captioned the post, “Today, on #GivingTuesday let’s come together to ensure kids get the meals they need to experience a brighter future. Together, we can make #NoKidHungry a reality!”
We’re delighted to see Bridges focusing on helping others and maintaining his passion for ending childhood hunger, especially after coping with his own health struggles and beating cancer.
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Jeff Bridges’ Cancer Battle
Jeff Bridges was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2020 and started chemotherapy treatment right away. Although Bridges hasn’t personally specified which type of lymphoma he was diagnosed with, AARP noted that his cancer was, in fact, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, cancer of a type of white blood cells called lymphocytes, which are part of the immune system.
RELATED: Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: Overview: Overview
While cancer treatment was going well, he was also diagnosed with COVID-19 in January 2021, and due to his cancer treatment having weakened his immune system, Bridges wound up spending months in the hospital.
According to AARP, Bridges’ cancer went into remission quickly after he was put through chemotherapy infusion, which was followed by an oral chemo protocol.
He dubbed his wife Susan Geston as being his “absolute champion” as she stayed by Bridges’ side as he recovered from covid in the hospital.
“She really fought to keep me off a ventilator. I didn’t want to be on it, and the doctors didn’t necessarily want that. But Sue was adamant,” he told the news outlet.
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He was ultimately treated with a blood plasma called “convalescent plasma,” which consists of viral antibodies.
Despite his struggle, like so many cancer survivors, Bridges was left with a renewed appreciation for life.
“I’ll be honest. I didn’t know if I was going to make it,” he told Esquire Middle East in 2022. “I was on death’s door there for a while in the hospital. When I finally went back to work, after a two-year hiatus, it was the most bizarre kind of thing. It felt like a dream.”
“I came back after all that time, and saw the same faces [while shooting ‘The Old Man’], the same cast and crew,” he added. “It was like we had a long weekend. I gathered everyone and I said, ‘I had the most bizarre dream, you guys.’ I was sick and out, but all that feels like a gray mush now.”
Understanding Lymphoma
Jeff Bridges reportedly battled non-Hodgkin lymphoma, one of the two most common types of lymphoma.
Lymphoma is a cancer of the immune system that affects infection-fighting cells called lymphocytes. And there are more than 40 different types of lymphoma.
Sneaky Lymphoma Symptoms Often Lead to a Late Diagnosis
“Lymphoma is split up into a number of different categories,” Dr. Elise Chong, a medical oncologist at Penn Medicine, previously told SurvivorNet.
“The first distinguishing breakpoint, if you will, is non-Hodgkin lymphoma versus Hodgkin lymphoma,” she added, “and those sound like two different categories. But non-Hodgkin lymphoma comprises the majority of lymphoma, and Hodgkin lymphoma is a single specific type of lymphoma.”
Hodgkin lymphoma has distinctive, giant cells called Reed-Sternberg cells. The presence of these cells, which can be seen under a microscope, will help your doctor determine which of the two lymphoma types you have.
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There are a few other important differences between non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma to note. For one thing, non-Hodgkin lymphoma is much more common. And you’re more likely to be diagnosed with it after age 55, like Bridges. People usually develop Hodgkin lymphoma at a younger age.
Age, Race, and Exposures Might All Factor Into Lymphoma Risk
Another difference between these two types of lymphoma is that non-Hodgkin lymphoma is more likely to spread in a random fashion and be found in different groups of lymph nodes in the body, while Hodgkin lymphoma is more likely to grow in a uniform way from one group of lymph nodes directly to another.
These two different types of lymphoma behave, spread and respond to treatment differently.
Thriving Through and After Cancer
Studies prove that patients who are able to stay upbeat and positive often have better treatment outcomes. It doesn’t really matter what you do, but experts such as Dr. Dana Chase, a gynecologic oncologist at Arizona Oncology, recommend doing whatever makes you happy.
“We know from good studies that emotional health is associated with survival, meaning better quality of life is associated with better outcomes,” Chase told SurvivorNet in a previous interview.
“So working on your emotional health, your physical well-being, your social environment [and] your emotional well-being are important and can impact your survival. If that’s related to what activities you do that bring you joy, then you should try to do more of those activities.”
RELATED: Staying Active After a Cancer Diagnosis
“A positive attitude is really important,” Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles tells Survivornet.
If you have just been diagnosed with cancer, negative feelings are normal. Totally normal. Men and women react differently. Anger, shame, fear, anxiety. It’s to be expected. Experienced doctors will tell you that people who find a way to work through the emotions and stay positive do end up doing better.
“My patients who thrive, even with stage 4 cancer, from the time that they, about a month after they’re diagnosed, I kind of am pretty good at seeing who is going to be OK,” Dr. Murrell says.
“Now doesn’t that mean I’m good at saying that the cancer won’t grow. But I’m pretty good at telling what kind of patient are going to still have this attitude and probably going to live the longest, even with bad, bad disease. And those are patients who, they have gratitude in life.”
Reaching Milestones as a Cancer Survivor
Reaching milestones during or after a cancer battle, even many years later, is huge and just hits different for many survivors.
Special moments such as getting engaged, reaching another birthday, a high school reunion, “cancerversary” may mean even more to you than those events did previously, so it’s important to take them all in and celebrate all that you’ve overcome.
Chrissy Degennaro is also a cancer warrior determined to keep enjoying these precious milestones. She has been battling a rare blood cancer called multiple myeloma for 14 years, and was first diagnosed when she was just 36 years old with a 2-year-old son.
I’m Able to Be Here For More Milestones — One Cancer Survivor’s Incredible Story
When she was given her diagnosis, she almost expected to not be able to see him enter kindergarten. But thanks to 27 rounds of chemotherapy, two stem cell transplants, a CAR-T cell trial and two CAR-T cell transplants over following 14 years, she’s able to keep making memories with her family.
“You know, I do live one day at a time,” Chrissy previously told SurvivorNet. “Now, maybe I can go a week, a month, but things are looking pretty good. I’m able to be here for more milestones for my son, for more holidays, more birthdays. I do feel like I have had another chance at life.”
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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