In 2001, Pamela Anderson was diagnosed with Hepatitis C and told she might not live more than 10 years. She publicly shared her condition, saying she believed she contracted the virus from ex-husband Tommy Lee, though he denied it.
Hepatitis C affects the liver and is often spread through blood, especially shared needles, with symptoms that may not appear for years. Despite the grim prognosis, Anderson recovered and revealed in 2015 that a 12-week Sovaldi treatment cured her. The drug cost her about $100,000, paid using life insurance.
Now nearly 25 years after her diagnosis, Anderson says the illness changed how she lived but also gave her back “20 years” of life. She has since spoken out about the high cost of treatment, urging hope and access to a cure for others living with Hep C.