Few actors balance terror and humor like Kathy Bates, who’s won acclaim for her roles in Misery, Primary Colors, American Horror Story: Coven, and more. But her most powerful role yet may be real life.
Now 75, Bates is a two-time cancer survivor living with lymphedema, an incurable lymphatic disease caused by the removal of lymph nodes during cancer treatment. After surviving ovarian cancer in 2003 and breast cancer in 2012, she developed the condition, which causes painful swelling and can be emotionally devastating.
“I went berserk,” she told Kelly Clarkson in 2019, recalling her reaction to the diagnosis. “I was bitter, I was depressed. I thought my career was over.”
Despite the challenges, Bates found strength through treatment, compression therapy, and advocacy. As national spokesperson for the Lymphatic Education and Research Network, she now raises awareness for the estimated 10 million Americans living with lymphedema—more than those affected by ALS, MS, Parkinson’s, and AIDS combined.
“Some people just have light inside,” she said of the expert who helped her cope. Bates says she feels “blessed” to use her celebrity to help others.
Most recently seen in The Miracle Club (2023), the Tennessee-born actor continues to inspire with her resilience, honesty, and impact beyond the screen.