American actor Jeff Bridges recently shared an encouraging update on the current state of his health. Bridges, who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma that was once 9-by-12-inches, said that the tumor has considerably shrunk to a smaller size.
The actor’s health got complicated and was at “death’s door” when he enrolled for chemotherapy but later tested positive for COVID-19 in 2021. Bridges is fully vaccinated against covid and is helping to raise awareness by sharing his recovery story in an epilogue dubbed “Up The Antibodies.”
Read on for more details.
Jeff Bridges Says His Tumor Has Shrunk
According to AARP, renowned actor Jeff Bridges, best known for his iconic roles in films such as “The Big Lebowski” and “Crazy Heart,” recently shared remarkable news regarding his battle with cancer.
In a heartfelt chat with the publication, Bridges, 73, announced that his cancer tumor has significantly diminished in size, likening it to that of a marble after he underwent extensive chemotherapy.
The Academy Award-winning actor first revealed his non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis in October 2020 and reportedly went into remission in 2021.
Bridges’ reduced tumor cast an encouraging shadow to fans and wellwishers and is a jarring deviation from the “9-by-12-inch” growth he first called it before his diagnosis.
“I was doing those fight scenes for the first episode of The Old Man and didn’t know that I had a 9-by-12-inch tumor in my body,” he recalled, after seemingly ignoring symptoms of the disease for a while.
Jeff Bridges Recalls Complicated Battle With COVID-19
According to the Daily Mail, Bridges recounted his battle with cancer that got complicated by his contracting COVID-19.
In a shocking revelation made last year, the actor shared the harrowing experience as he found himself at “Death’s door” due to the complicated turn in his battle with cancer, further exacerbated by contracting COVID-19.
The “Bad Times at the El Royale” star opened up about his challenging journey, providing a glimpse into the resilience and determination that have defined his life as he wittingly stated that “cancer was nothing compared to COVID.”
In an emotional statement, Bridges revealed the extent of his struggle and the grave threat he faced with battling cancer and COVID-19 simultaneously.
“The chemo wipes out your immune system, and when COVID hit me, I had nothing to fight it,” he said before adding, “I was just really at death’s door a couple of times there.”
He Praised His Wife For Supporting Him Through The Illness
The Hollywood icon expressed his profound admiration and gratitude for his wife, Susan Geston, whom he affectionately called a “champion” for her unwavering support and extraordinary efforts throughout his arduous journey to recovery.
The acclaimed actor credits Geston for being a constant pillar of strength during his battle with cancer and his bout with COVID-19.
According to the Daily Mail, the couple were both initially hospitalized with COVID-19, but she was released about a week later and returned to watch after her husband when she fully recovered. “My wife Sue was my absolute champion,” Bridges shared in a heartfelt statement. “She really fought to keep me off a ventilator. I didn’t want to be on it, and the doctors didn’t necessarily want that. But Sue was adamant.”
Jeff Bridges Is In Better Condition
Following the arduous journey battling cancer and COVID-19, Bridges revealed that he is now feeling better after undergoing treatment and will soon resume filming Season 2 of “The Old Man.”
In his interview with AARP, the “King Kong” actor shared that he was treated with convalescent plasma, which entails blood plasma being gathered from COVID survivors and already contains viral antibodies.
Bridges has gone on to help raise awareness by telling his story of survival in a short biopic called “Up The Antibodies.” The campaign, brought about by his partnership with AstraZeneca, is creating awareness of the need for immunocompromised people to up their antibodies amid the still lingering COVID-19 pandemic.
“A lot of the world is trying to move forward and put COVID-19 behind them, but people with compromised immune systems can’t do that yet,” the actor said.
“While the option to up my antibodies to protect me from COVID-19 wasn’t around when I was going through cancer treatment, it is now,” he added. “As soon as I could, I upped my antibodies. And now I’m feeling more confident to get back to doing the things I love.”
