Jenna Fischer has shared more details about her experience with breast cancer. In a recent interview with Hoda Kotb on Today, the actress revealed that Christina Applegate was one of the first people she contacted for support after her diagnosis.
Fischer recounted their conversation, stating, “I called her, and she answered the phone, and she said, ‘Which one is it?’ And I said, ‘It’s breast cancer.’ And she said, ‘I effing knew it.’” This exchange highlighted their shared experiences, as Applegate had herself been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. Fischer expressed her appreciation for Applegate’s candid nature, saying, “She’s salty. Salty language that one. I love her for it.”
After their talk, Applegate introduced Fischer to other breast cancer survivors, allowing them to navigate their journeys together. Earlier this month, Fischer publicly disclosed that she had been battling an “aggressive form” of breast cancer, which she discovered following a routine mammogram. She explained that she was diagnosed with Stage 1 triple positive breast cancer, and her treatment consisted of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. She has since announced that she is cancer-free.
During her interview on Today, Fischer appeared on camera with short hair for the first time since losing her hair during treatment. She reflected on her initial reaction to the thought of undergoing chemotherapy, saying, “I mean, when they told me I had to have chemo, the first thing I thought was, ‘I don’t want to throw up, and I don’t want to lose my hair.’” While she did not experience nausea, she did lose her hair, which led her to spend considerable time searching online for images and information about hair loss. She noted the uneven way her hair fell out.
Fischer initially opted to wear wigs to keep her diagnosis private, but she has now decided to embrace her short hair and “ditch the wigs.” She mentioned that her children, aged 10 and 13, responded to her new look with “a great sense of humor.”