A Supportive Partner During and After Cancer
- Tom Hanks, 65, and his wife Rita Wilson, also 65, were walking to their car while in NYC when Wilson got knocked into by a man in a small crowd of aggressive fans and cameramen.
- Hanks reacted protectively but without violence, turned around and told the crowd to “back the f off,” visibly offended and shook by the aggressors. Luckily the actress and singer, who is a breast cancer survivor, caught herself before falling and was okay, just startled.
- Breast cancer screenings save lives. If you have recently been diagnosed, treatment options include surgery (via a mastectomy or lumpectomy), chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Some people also get preventative mastectomies if there's a history of breast cancer in the family and thus an elevated risk of developing the disease.
Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson, also 65, were walking to their car while in NYC when Wilson, a breast cancer survivor, got knocked into by a man in a small crowd of aggressive fans and cameramen. Hanks reacted protectively but without violence, turned around and told the crowd to “back the f off,” visibly offended and shook by the aggressors. “Knocking over my wife?” he said incredulously.
Read MoreThankfully Tom kept his cool enough to just reprimand the crowd verbally, as it can be tough in those situations to not take it a step further, especially when someone is endangering your spouse.
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson may be one of Hollywood’s most beloved duos, and generally people get excited to see them, but no one deserves to be ruffled like that.
The couple just celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary, which is a near record in La La Land. Wilson posted a throwback of the two of them on their wedding day.
View this post on Instagram
Hanks has always been by his wife’s side, and when Wilson went through breast cancer, she told PEOPLE magazine that she was “blessed” to have someone like him there for her … and he just proved that he still is!
He Chose to Be There for Me Getting the Support You Need During Treatment
The Big star met Wilsonwho starred in films like Sleepless in Seattle and Runaway Brideon the set of Bosom Buddies in 1981, and they became in item in 1986. After their 1988 wedding, they had two boys together: Chester “Chet” Hanks, 31, and Truman Theodore Hanks, 36. Hanks also has another two kids, actors Colin Hanks, 44, and Elizabeth Hanks, 40, from his previous marriage to the late Samantha Lewes, who sadly died from bone cancer in 2002 at just 49 years old.
Rita Wilson's Breast Cancer Journey
Wilson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. She underwent a mastectomy, followed by reconstructive surgery, to treat her cancer. The actress and singer's specific diagnosis was invasive lobular carcinoma. This type of breast cancer is named for its point of origin: the lobules.
Invasive lobular carcinoma begins in the milk-producing glands, called lobules, of the breast. For this kind of cancer that's invasive, cancer cells have "broken out" of the lobule where they began and they may spread to other areas of the body.
Invasive lobular carcinoma only represents a small portion of breast cancers. The most common type of breast cancer starts in the breast ducts.
Treatment options for breast cancer include surgery (via a mastectomy or lumpectomy), chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Some people also get preventative mastectomies if there's a history of breast cancer in the family and thus an elevated risk of developing the disease.
When Should You Consider a Mastectomy?
As always, don’t forget to check in with your doctor and get in for a screeningor discuss when you should start your annual breast checks. Breast cancer is highly treatable the earlier you catch it.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.