Baywatch Star's Emotional Instagram Message
Nicole Eggert, the beloved Baywatch actress who captured hearts in the 1990s, has taken to Instagram to share a powerful and inspirational message with her followers amid her ongoing battle with breast cancer. The 53-year-old star, known for playing Summer Quinn opposite Pamela Anderson, posted a heartfelt reflection alongside a selfie from her bedroom.
In her emotional post, Eggert revealed: 'Some days I freak out on what my body has gone through.' However, she demonstrated remarkable resilience, adding: 'And then I remember how she showed up for me. And keeps showing up for me. So I put all my faith in her hands. She's got this.'
The post quickly garnered support from fellow celebrities, including former Baywatch co-star Brande Roderick and television veteran Jillian Barberie, who both showed their appreciation with likes and supportive comments.
The Reality of Cancer Treatment and Menopause
In a candid September appearance on the Pod Meets World podcast, Eggert opened up about the exhausting reality of her cancer treatment schedule. She confessed to feeling 'sick' of the constant medical appointments that dominate her life.
'I have two good weeks out of every month and the other two weeks I'm at the treatment center,' she revealed to hosts Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle and Rider Strong. 'So it's really all consuming.'
Compounding her challenges, Eggert has been simultaneously navigating menopause throughout her cancer journey. Fellow breast cancer survivor Fishel, who announced her own Stage 1 diagnosis in June 2024, understood the additional burden, noting: 'So even when you're feeling good you're still not feeling that great.' Eggert wholeheartedly agreed with this assessment.
The actress described chemotherapy as 'a beast' and explained that she received the strongest available treatment. She has taken an active role in her recovery, researching ways to make her treatments as effective as possible and seeking to understand what lifestyle choices might have contributed to her illness.
Diagnosis Journey and Surgical Procedures
Eggert's cancer journey began in October 2023 when she experienced 'terrible pain' in her left breast after gaining 25 pounds in just three months. Initially attributing her symptoms to menopause, she became concerned when she felt a lump during a self-examination and immediately contacted her doctor.
After undergoing one mammogram and three biopsies, she received her official diagnosis in December 2023: stage 2 cribriform carcinoma breast cancer. Eggert has expressed frustration about diagnostic delays, noting that appointments were heavily booked, forcing her to wait until late November for proper examination.
Her treatment path has involved multiple surgeries, including a single mastectomy in October 2023, followed more recently by a second mastectomy with reconstruction performed by Orange County plastic surgeon Dr. Kyle Song. She announced this latest procedure to fans with characteristic humour, posting a selfie in a sports bra with the caption: 'Had a mastectomy with reconstruction on Thursday. How was ur weekend?'
Eggert has been open about her regrets regarding earlier breast implants she received at age 19, which she described as a 'huge mistake' that may have made detecting abnormalities more difficult. 'If I didn't have them and I had my smaller, natural breasts, I am sure I would have felt it much sooner,' she theorised in a February interview.
Despite the challenges, the actress maintains an optimistic outlook about her upcoming procedures. 'I still have surgeries ahead of me next month that I'm excited about,' she shared in September. 'I really took my time with that because I just didn't know what was the right route for me.'
Her journey serves as both a cautionary tale about the importance of regular self-examinations and an inspiring example of resilience in the face of life's most difficult challenges.
