From Cancer to Career Changes, Kathy Bates Talks Life's Challenges

Kathy Bates knows how to roll with the punches. In the last 14 years, she has beaten both ovarian cancer and breast cancer. And, after a long and lauded career in film, the 69-year-old actress has shifted her focus to TV, starring in four seasons of FX’s American Horror Story and playing actress Joan Blondell in FX’s Feud. Next, she’ll star as Ruth, the owner of a California cannabis dispensary, in Netflix’s comedy Disjointed, out August 25.

An ongoing challenge for Bates is lymphedema, a blockage in the lymphatic system often triggered by removing lymph nodes during breast cancer surgery. The chronic condition causes excessive swelling in the arms and legs and affects 10 million Americans, “yet nobody really knows what it is,” says Bates. She’s now a spokesperson for the Lymphatic Education & Research Network (LE&RN). We caught up with Bates to talk about lymphedema, her newfound niche in TV and ditching the prosthetics after a double mastectomy.

Cancer and its aftermath changed my outlook in a profound way. I’ve become less of a hermit and I travel more. I really enjoy every moment of my life now. It’s not that every moment is terrific—we all go through tough times— but I try to be more present and grateful for the good times that I have. I realized that I had to get back in shape. I started walking more. I’ve lost around 55 pounds. Just being physically free of that extra weight has been liberating and has helped keep the [lymphedema] swelling down. I avoid salt and alcohol, too, because of lymphedema.

I’ve recently decided to “go flat.” I read that more and more women are doing that, and finally I came to the conclusion, “I don’t have breasts anymore, why do I have to pretend like I do?” I have prosthetics and I can put them on for a character, but in my own life I wear Spanx tanks under my shirts and I feel much more comfortable with that than having to strap on a bra with these fake boobs in them. That has given me a lot of freedom and confidence and I just feel better. TV has rejuvenated my career.

I’ve gotten to really push my envelope. Oftentimes, I’m cast as the sort of dumpy dishrag mother or best friend part, so to be able to play someone like [the twisted New Orleans socialite in American Horror Story] Madame Delphine LaLaurie, it’s a panoply of opportunities for an actor. And now I’m getting to do a sitcom with Disjointed. People will see a side of me they haven’t seen before. My two Yorkies are at the very center of my well-being and happiness. My favorite part of every day is when I get to come home and cuddle with them. Their philosophy is: it’s always a good time to take a nap. Wise creatures. I recently bought an electric guitar. I used to play guitar years ago. It brought me a lot of pleasure when I was a teenager growing up and was having tough times. Now that I’m navigating the waters of being older and going through some tough times adjusting to that, I decided I’d like to get back to what gave me joy.

My inner strength comes from my friends. I have a very close group of friends and family and we all help each other through our dark times. That love and support has really flourished in the last few years of being sick. I have really focused on mindfulness. That helps me make better choices both physically, psychologically, and emotionally. If something bad happens, rather than flying off the handle, I try to breathe and focus and wait till the anger/fear subsides so that I can really think through something and realize a) it isn’t about me or b) this is what I can do to change it. The things that I can’t do anything about, I have to learn to let go of.

I think I’ve been living my bucket list for the last few years. I’ve done and experienced so many wonderful things. If I went tomorrow, I wouldn’t be disappointed. I might want to go out and buy a Bentley or a sports car or something like that but then I’d think, “I don’t need all of that stuff.” But cars are always in my fantasy bucket list.

Living with Lymphedema after breast cancer - Kathy Bates interview

Having her breasts removed after a cancer diagnosis was worse than having ovarian cancer , Kathy Bates has said. The Oscar-winning actress bravely fought ovarian cancer in 2003 and 10 years later she discovered she had breast cancer.

After learning that she had cancer for the second time, she researched treatments and decided to have a double mastectomy. “Breast cancer runs like a river through my family,” Kathy said before explaining how several members of her family have died from breast cancer and how her niece has battled it after having her second breast removed. “It was strange. Ovarian wasn't so bad for some reason, but breasts were worse. It was very emotional and I really felt like my life was over,” she said.

Watch the interview here: http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/kathy-bates-heartbreak-over-double-9404698

Kathy Bates gets her wish as stars celebrate top #LymphWalk fundraisers

Actor Billy Bob Thornton, actress Angela Bassett, Lymphatic Education and Research Network Executive Director William Repicci, actress Kathy Bates, President/CEO of The Krim Group Todd Krim, actresses Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor and actor Cheyenne J

At last year’s cocktail party honoring top fundraisers for the CA Run/Walk to Fight Lymphedema & Lymphatic Diseases, Kathy Bates (spokesperson for the Lymphatic Education & Research Network – LE&RN) told the crowd she wanted the event to get bigger every year and for more people to become aware of what has been called a silent “lymphedemic®.” This year, the Academy Award-winning actress saw her vision become a reality.

Last night, Hollywood friends Angela Bassett, Billy Bob Thornton, Cheyenne Jackson, Sarah Paulson, and Holland Taylor joined Ms. Bates at the Huntley Hotel Regal Room in Santa Monica at a reception to kick off this year’s Walk on June 26th. Bates, who acknowledges that she has lymphedema, has dedicated herself to making lymphedema a national priority in the name of all those suffering from lymphatic diseases. Up to 10 million Americans have lymphedema, which is often underdiagnosed, underfunded, and ignored even though it is disfiguring, disabling, and can lead to deadly complications.

Bates became a spokesperson for LE&RN at the 2014 Walk in New York City. Since then, she has appeared on numerous television shows, been interviewed for magazines, and has traveled to Washington DC to lobby for research funding. She has been determined to use her celebrity to bring awareness to these diseases.

“Maybe if people can put my face on lymphedema," Bates has said, "then more people will be willing to come out of the shadows and talk about it.”

“Last night’s event showed the power of people coming together,” said William Repicci, Executive Director of LE&RN. “The fundraisers who had worked so hard were inspired to see Kathy and other celebrities support their efforts. Lymphedema and lymphatic diseases are truly coming out of the shadows.”

Actress Kathy Bates talks about her journey with cancer and now life with lymphedema

She became a star, at age 42, with her Oscar-winning role in "Misery." In real life, Kathy Bates has taken on roles with much higher stakes. Lee Cowan has a Sunday Profile of the award-winner who is battling a debilitating condition called Lymphedema.

Kathy Bates is spreading Lymphedema Awareness. Watch her interview on The Doctors. March is Lymphedema Awareness Month!

Academy Award-winning actress Kathy Bates sits down with The Doctors to talk about an illness that affects approximately 10 million Americans and hundreds of millions worldwide: lymphedema.

Lymphedema is a condition caused by blockages in the lymphatic system, which prevent fluid from draining well, leading to swelling, usually in the arms and legs.

Bates says that following her double mastectomy for breast and ovarian cancer, she awoke from surgery feeling symptoms immediately.

“I had seen someone with lymphedema who didn’t take care of it, and the toxins were visibly oozing," she says. "This was my experience with lymphedema. I wasn’t educated, and I was terrified this would happen to me.

"Doctors focus on the cancer, and they don’t really talk about lymphedema,” Bates adds.

When lymph nodes are removed following breast cancer, the body’s ability to trap toxins is compromised, and the toxins can seep out and cause a great deal of pain.

Bates admits the pain is something she deals with daily. “I have pain. I have to massage every night," she says. "I have a lot of fatigue, and I need to wear my compression sleeves.”

Her treating physician, Dr. Emily Iker, discusses the need for patients to be seen immediately following surgery.

"Early intervention and diagnosis is critical, especially since lymphedema is a chronic and symptomatic condition,” Dr Iker says.

Bates is proud of her role as both a champion and spokesperson for LE&RN: Lymphatic Education and Research Network.

“I decided to be their spokesperson because I learned that more than 10 million people suffer with this – more than muscular dystrophy, ALS, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and AIDS combined," she says. "My jaw dropped. The strange thing is that many celebrities are suffering with this, but nobody wants to talk about it.”

Bates discusses the need for education to train therapists specifically in lymphatic draining and the need for more research.

You can join Kathy Bates in the LE&RN Network in their first 5K Run on Bates’ birthday, June 28 in Venice, California.

Watch the interview here: http://on.fb.me/1aXfvTf

Lymphedema Challenge

Actress and Academy Award winner, Kathy Bates recently kicked off theLymphatic Education & Research Network's Face of Lymphedema Challege. She proclaimed, "I'm Kathy Bates. I had a double mastectomy 2 years ago and as a result I have lymphedema in both arms. I didn't have a clue what would be involved after surgery and it was hard to find a doctor who would help me deal with, not only the physical effects, but the psychological effects as well. Struggling alone with lymphedema can feel like a punishment for having cancer. That's why I hope to bring awareness."

It's great to have such a high profile spokesperson help to bring awareness and hopefully a cure to lymphedema. Take the Face of Lymphedema Challege: http://lymphaticnetwork.org/get-involved/face-of-lymphedema-challenge/