Actor Pierce Brosnan celebrates his 20th anniversary with his wife Keely Shaye Smith this month; his first wife died of ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer has been called "the cancer that whispers," due to its hard-to-detect symptoms.
Losing a spouse to cancer is devastating; speak to a therapist to help move through your grief.
Irish actor and former James Bond heartthrob Pierce Brosnan has reason to celebrate: He and his wife Keely Shaye Smith are celebrating their 20th anniversary this month; Brosnan lost his first wife to ovarian cancer.
In a loving post shared on Instagram, Brosnan included two photos of the pair, captioning it: “Happy anniversary my darling Keely, my love forever grows with you.”
The couple’s famous friends, like actress Rita Wilson, chimed in on the comments to offer their support. Wilson, a breast cancer survivor, writes, “Happy happy Anniversary, lovebirds!”
Brosnan’s Ovarian Cancer Losses
The actor's first wife, Cassandra Harris, passed from ovarian cancer in 1991. And in 2013, Pierce and Cassandra's daughter, Charlotte, died of the same disease. Cassandra was 43 when she passed, and her daughter was even younger Charlotte passed at the too-young age of 41.
Pierce and wife Cassandra.
Ovarian cancer has been called "the cancer that whispers," due to its hard-to-detect symptoms. Dr. Beth Karlan, a gynecologic oncologist at UCLA Medical Center, explains in an earlier interview, "What we've found from multiple studies, it's this constellation of symptoms," she said. "If that's really happening and you're experiencing it every day, and they seem to be crescendo-ing, getting worse, even if that goes on for only two weeks, you should call your doctor."
A spouse’s cancer diagnosis can feel devastating, as can losing a spouse to cancer. Many people find therapy or support groups to be a helpful component when grieving the loss of a spouse or loved one.
Actress and melanoma survivor Jill Kargman believes that a cancer diagnosis can be very telling for a romantic relationship. She says in an earlier interview, "I think cancer is a great way to find out if you're with the love of your life or a shithead."
"I think it presses the fast forward button on getting to the bottom of that answer, because a lot of people in middle age are kind of at a crossroads, waiting for their kids to fly the coop," says Kargman. "And I think if you're with someone who is not supportive and kind of emotionally checked out or doesn't tell you you're still beautiful with that, this might not be your person."
