Acclaimed actor Jeff Bridges publicly announced on Twitter Monday that he had been diagnosed with lymphoma. Bridges said earlier this month that he was diagnosed with lymphoma and is in treatment.
“Although it is a serious disease, I feel fortunate that I have a great team of doctors, and the prognosis is good,” Bridges tweeted.
Bridges’ Hollywood career extends more than six decades, and has starred in more than 70 films, including “True Grit,” “Seabiscuit,” “The Big Lebowski” and “King Kong.”
He received the Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2019 Golden Globes. Recognition, known as Cecil B. DeMille Award, is presented annually to someone who has had a lasting impact on the entertainment world.
Previous accolades have included Audrey Hepburn, Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, Denzel Washington, and Oprah Winfrey.
Bridges is currently producing the drama series “The Old Man,” which he stars and is an executive producer. The series, which will appear exclusively on FX on Hulu in 2021, will be produced by Touchstone Television and FX Productions.
“Our thoughts go out to Jeff and his family during this challenging time, and they have our love and support. We wish him a safe and full recovery. And, as Jeff always says, ‘We are all in this together.’ Jeff, we are all in this together with you,” a statement from FX, Touchstone Television, Hulu, and FXP said on Monday.
Lymphoma is cancer that affects the lymphatic system, or “the tissues and organs that make, store, and transport white blood cells that fight infection,” according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Lymphoma vaccines are another weapon that scientists are now testing in clinical trials. When we think about vaccines these days, our thoughts immediately turn to the urge for a vaccine to inoculate us against Covid-19. However, as the American Cancer Society explains, the lymphoma vaccine would not prevent the disease, but rather treat someone who already has it: “to create an immune reaction against the lymphoma cells.”
Thanks to the work of nonprofits such as LRF, government agencies such as the National Cancer Institute, and researchers and doctors around the world, the future looks brighter. Renowned oncologist, Dr. Connie Batlevi of Memorial Sloan Kettering, told me that “cool” developments abound.
There is also a push, says Batlevi, to use genetics to guide treatment. If you remember the biology of your high school, our cells are continually dividing. When these cells divide, a genetic mistake can cause them to divide uncontrollably. This is how cancer is formed. Knowing what kind of genetic error caused a patient’s cancer can help doctors establish a particular treatment plan based on that mutation.
“Do I have one of the good lymphomas or one of the bad ones?” That’s the question Dr. Batlevi says patients ask her all the time. Her response: “None of them are great, but all of them are potentially manageable and curable.”
The two main types of lymphoma are Hodgkin, which spreads through lymph nodes in an orderly fashion through the lymph nodes, and Non-Hodgkin spreads through lymph nodes in a non-orderly fashion, according to the CDC.
Jeff Bridges has created his new website to express his thoughts and communicate with fans saying his recent cancer diagnosis has led him to “appreciate my mortality.”
“I’m feeling so much of it comin’ my way, and man, I appreciate it. It’s contagious, all this love, like some positive virus,” he added. “This cancer is making me appreciate my mortality, appreciate impermanence,” he said, adding that he realized that he has “s— to share” and “now’s the time.”
In handwritten style, Bridges has addressed the issues he wanted “to shine a light on.”
The well-known and prolific actor “looks forward to working together” with his fans “to create a wonderful life and world for all of us,” he wrote.
The Big Lebowski and True Grit, in addition to more than 90 films, also shared a video of his band The Abiders performing a song from more than 90 films and advertised his children’s book, Daddy Daughter Day.
