Love Story actress Constance Zimmer has revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer in March and kept the news private as she promoted the Hulu series.
The 55-year-old actress, who played Carolyn Besette’s mother in Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette and also appeared as movie executive Dana Gordon on HBO’s Entourage, opened up Sunday about receiving the diagnosis while on a trip.
“On March 13th when I was away from home – I heard these words from my doctor over Zoom: ‘You have DCIS, also refereed to as Stage 0 breast cancer,’” she wrote on Instagram. “The silence was deafening.”
Zimmer immediately told her husband and daughter that she had ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS, in which abnormal cells are confined to the breast’s milk ducts.
“The mental toll that followed was overwhelming… as I began talking to many more doctors than I would’ve liked,” Zimmer wrote.
Zimmer said she felt her options were limited to a mastectomy as the “quickest way to get this mass out.” But she found a doctor who could remove the tumor and preserve her breast.
After three surgeries, she underwent radiation while celebrating her Outstanding Supporting Actress Emmy Award nomination for her Love Story performance.
Zimmer said she would share more about her experience on Tuesday’s episode of her Talk Fifty to Me podcast.
“I’m grateful to be CANCER FREE the last 7 months: pure shock and fear alongside pure joy and gratitude... From hospital gowns to Emmy glamour this was one hell of a ride,” Zimmer concluded in her post.
