Guiding Light fan favorites Kim Zimmer, who played Reva, and Tina Sloan, who played Lillian, appeared on the Daytime Stands Up to Cancer We All Have a Story event hosted by Alan Locher and Michael Fairman. The two actresses talked about their on-screen battles with breast cancer. Then, Zimmer tearfully opened up about her real-life diagnosis.
Reel Life and Real-Life Diagnosis
Zimmer said during the Daytime Stands Up to Cancer benefit that her feeling is that more might be done about breast cancer if more men got the disease. “We’d be further along in our science,” the four-time Daytime Emmy-winner suggested. “I hate to put it out there politically, but you know, when you look at it, there’s some truth to it.”
The GL fan favorite began to share a personal story but then decided to hold back, prompting Sloan to ask her pal to continue. “Oh, jeez,” Zimmer emotionally said. “I was diagnosed with breast cancer on November 6, and if it wasn’t for a wonderful circle of friends that I have — and not to mention my husband, A.C. Weary, and my family, [my children], Rachel, Max, and Jake who call me every day, I would have fallen apart.
“I did have a mastectomy,” the actress shared, “and I have my last infusion on Tuesday.”
The actress, known her dramatic chops, has a wicked sense of humor, too — even at a challenging time like this. “I have really nice C’s instead of droopy D’s,” she quips about the size of her breasts. “I think that’s going to be the name of my [next] book.” (The GL alum chatted with Soap Hub last year about her memoir I’m Just Sayin’ here.)
Zimmer maintains that having a support system is key in a situation like this. “I mean, I’m a tough broad, and I handled this…but if I didn’t have the friends that I have, the support system that I have, the fabulous doctors, a fantastic plastic surgeon, I would have fallen apart,” she adds.
Zimmer hopes that in sharing her story, she’s able to help others. “Early detection, early detection, early detection, early detection,” she repeated. “Get your mammograms, get them soon.”
Soap Hub wishes Kim Zimmer continued recovery and joins Daytime Stands Up for Cancer in thanking her for sharing her story.
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