German actor Eric Braeden spoke candidly in a video on Friday to confirm that he has cancer and is currently undergoing immunotherapy treatment.
The 82-year-old took part in a Facebook Live session late last week and revealed that he had experienced prostate issues while in the process of recovering from knee-replacement surgery.
He was then given the cancer diagnosis by a doctor after high-grade cancer cells were found near his bladder.
“I hate to be this personal, but I think this may be good for some older guys who may or may not listen to this,” said the actor.
Braeden, who won an Emmy award for his portrayal as Victor Newman on the long-running CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless, encountered problems with his prostate and was seeing doctors prior to a UroLift procedure.
However, after the aforementioned cancer cells were found, he underwent surgery to remove then, before being put on a six-week immunotherapy plan.
The 82-year-old spoke honestly to fans about his diagnosis, imploring people to support loved ones in the same position.
“I’ve learned now to listen to my body more, and not go all out,” Braeden said.
“So if you’ve seen me a little under the weather, yeah, I have been, but I will lick this. This bastard ain’t going to get me, I’m going to get it. I’ll be in top form again soon.”
“So that’s where I am right now,” the actor continued. “I love acting. I entertain people. I love your support. So, whenever you have someone in the family who goes through this, support them. It can work out. Nowadays, there is so much advancement in cancer treatment, you can survive it.”
As for his role on The Young and the Restless – which he has held since 1980 – Braeden is looking forward to continuing as normal.
“I still am happy to be able to go work,” he said, as per Entertainment Weekly.
“It distracts me. I love acting. I love knowing that I entertain people. And, yeah, I love your support. It means a lot.”
Here’s to wishing Eric Braeden all the very best moving forward. I pray for a future wherein cancer is no longer present in our world.
Share this article if you’ve ever known someone who has battled cancer.
