Actress Kathy Bates has been a familiar face in television and movies for many years. She’s famous for playing strong characters, and in real life, she’s just as tough.
Recently, Kathy Bates revealed that she has a chronic health condition. This diagnosis has led her to make some significant changes in her life…
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In 1970, Kathy Bates moved to New York City to pursue acting. Reflecting on that time, she recalls never fitting the ingenue mold but finding her way nonetheless. “I was never an ingenue,” she said. “I’ve always been a character actor. When I was younger, it was tough because I wasn’t considered conventionally pretty. It was challenging, not just because of fewer job opportunities, but also because of how people perceived me.”
Her Broadway career gained momentum in 1980 when she played Stella May in “Come Back To The Five And Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean.” Despite losing out on film adaptations of her stage roles several times, her breakthrough came at 42 with her role as a disturbed fan in “Misery,” which earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Reflecting on the roles she typically gets, Bates remarked, “You’re either young and glamorous and get the lead, or you’re not attractive enough. So you end up playing the friend, the killer, the lesbian, the doctor, or something else,” she explained. “But those who play the young, pretty roles often lack power. Conversely, a character can have power but may not be seen as feminine.”
She began directing episodes for shows like “Homicide: Life On The Street,” “NYPD Blue,” “Oz,” and the popular series “Six Feet Under.”
In her personal life, Kathy Bates has faced health challenges. She battled cancer twice: ovarian cancer in 2003 and breast cancer in 2012.
After her breast cancer surgery, Kathy Bates began speaking out about her lymphedema diagnosis. She now serves as a spokesperson for the Lymphatic Education & Research Network.
She recently shared that she has lost 80 pounds over the past few years. To manage her condition, the actress wears compression sleeves on her arms to prevent swelling. She’s careful to wear them during flights or when doing strenuous activities, as these can trigger flare-ups.
Managing her condition requires her to slow down and be mindful. She explained, “If I can stop rushing, relax my shoulders, straighten my spine, breathe deeply, and focus on each little task, I feel more confident in managing LE. The pandemic forced me to slow down.”
She encourages others with the condition not to let it limit their lives. She said, “Going out in public wearing a compression garment, especially when people don’t understand about LE, can sometimes be more difficult than the disease itself. However, staying home and being inactive will only worsen your body and mind.”
She stressed on making sure to not let your condition define you; something she makes sure to do herself as well.
She is making sure she advocates for more research into lymphedema and gets funding allocated to those working in raising awareness about the condition.
Kathy Bates does not let her diagnosis slow her down, the actress is still making sure she plays roles she enjoys and does the work she wants to!
The actress has learned to not just live with her condition but also how to make sure she can thrive with it.
Share this article to inspire others in their fight against lymphedema.