Kassie DePaiva (Eve Donovan, Days of our Lives; ex-Blair Cramer, One Life to Live/General Hospital/All My Children) used World Cancer Day to make an announcement fans have been praying for since the actress revealed in August 2016 that she had been diagnosed with cancer. DePaiva is now cancer free.
"I'm grateful I can say I am cancer free," DePaiva shared on Twitter. "To all of you who battle cancer...fight on! Trust the journey!"
Today is #WorldCancerDay and I'm grateful I can say I am cancer free. To all of you who battle cancer...fight on! Trust the journey!
— Kassie DePaiva (@KassieDePaiva) February 4, 2017
On August 25, 2016, DePaiva shared a message on her personal web site under very different circumstances. The Emmy-nominated fan favorite wanted to explain to fans why she had not been more active on the social media platform.
"I know that I have been quiet lately and I want to let you know what's been going on in my life," DePaiva shared in a message on her personal web site. "I was asked back to play Eve on DAYS and had begun my exciting return. During the 3-week July hiatus, I was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and have spent 6 of the last 9 weeks in the hospital."
Adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a type of cancer that interferes with the production of normal white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Approximately 20,000 cases are diagnosed each year in the United States. Treatment may include chemotherapy, blood transfusions, or, in some cases, a stem cell transplant.
At the time, DePaiva explained that she would undergo a three-month period of treatment and assured fans that her doctors had said her prognosis was "good."
DePaiva's announcement is one in a series of recent hopeful messages about soap stars who are battling cancer.
Earlier this year, DePaiva's on-screen daughter, Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr Manning, OLTL) shared good news about her real-life brother, Eddie Alderson (ex-Matthew Buchanan, OLTL). Eddie was diagnosed in November 2016 with lymphoma cancer.
"God is SO GOOD," Kristen Alderson exclaimed on Twitter, adding that "miracles happen."
God is SO GOOD! Tears of joy yesterday & today w/ great news on @KassieDePaiva & @Eddie_Alderson Couldn't be more grateful! Miracles happen🙏
- Kristen Alderson (@krisalderson) January 12, 2017
Eddie later tweeted a message of thanks to fans. "Thank you all for the continued prayers. PET scan from Monday shows the prayers are working, so keep up the good work, guys!"
Also in January, The Bold and the Beautiful's Linsey Godfrey (Caroline Spencer) marked ten years of being cancer free.
"Today is my 10 year anniversary of being in remission," she says in a video post. "I've been in remission and officially cured of cancer 10 years. 10 years ago today, January 4, 2007, I did my last round of chemo... So I raise my glass to people who are fighting, to people who have lost their battle, and to finding a cure for all cancers. Cheers."
If you're on Twitter, you can send your messages directly to @KassieDePaiva, @Eddie_Alderson, and @LinseyGodfrey.
You can also share your own messages of encouragement. We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
