Here & There…At Belmont Park

Cynthia Nixon

Before she challenged Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a hotly contested Democratic primary in September, Cynthia Nixon battled breast cancer. The former Sex and the City star was diagnosed in 2006, undergoing a lumpectomy and radiation to treat it. She was 40 years old at the time, and it wasn’t the first time the disease had touched her life: Nixon’s mother also dealt with and survived breast cancer. In a 2008 Nightline interview, she said that knowing her mother had had the disease made her aware that her chances of also getting it someday were higher. Nixon, who is a mother of three, became an ambassador for the breast cancer foundation Susan G. Komen following her ordeal.

Sandra Lee

Celebrity chef Sandra Lee — the longtime girlfriend of Cuomo and de facto first lady of New York State — learned she had breast cancer after a routine mammogram in 2015. The disease was caught early, but doctors still advised her to undergo a double mastectomy to help prevent a recurrence. She has been cancer-free since, but was rehospitalized several months after her surgery due to serious complications. Lee is now sharing intimate details of her diagnosis, treatment and recovery in a new HBO documentary called Rx: Early Detection, a Cancer Journey with Sandra Lee. The film was produced by actress Kathy Bates, a fellow breast cancer survivor.

Robin Roberts

Longtime Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts got her breast cancer diagnosis in 2007, announcing it on air. Roberts initially found a lump at home during a self-exam of her breasts. (Doctors recommend doing breast self-exams monthly.) The Upper West Sider would then undergo surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, as the disease was particularly aggressive. She adopted a healthier, largely organic diet and stricter workout regimen in hopes of staying healthy, but developed a rare blood cancer called myelodysplastic syndrome in 2011. Ironically, it can be a side effect of undergoing cancer treatment. That condition required a bone marrow transplant, but Roberts has been healthy since then.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

In 2017, actress Julia Louis Dreyfus put production of her hit HBO comedy Veep on hold after learning she had breast cancer. The Manhattan-born comedian broke the news to her fans on Twitter, expressing optimism about her fight and her support network. She also took the opportunity to advocate for universal healthcare to help women in similar circumstances. The Seinfeld star underwent surgery and finished up chemotherapy earlier this year, and recently returned to work on a new season of Veep.

Gloria Steinem

Activist and icon Gloria Steinem had a bout with breast cancer in the 1980s. She underwent a lumpectomy and followed it up with radiation. Steinem rose to prominence as a leader of the then-fledgling feminist movement in the 1960s. The Upper East Sider got her start as a journalist, jump-starting her career with an explosive exposé of the New York Playboy Club. Despite her cancer battle three decades ago, Steinem is still going strong today at 84 years old.

Hoda Kotb

TODAY Show anchor Hoda Kotb fought breast cancer in 2007 when she was just 42 years old. Her doctor delivered the shocking news to Kotb over the phone while she was in a meeting with an intern. The journalist was very open about her diagnosis and treatment, letting NBC cameras document much of her journey. She underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery, dealing with it all in the midst of a nasty divorce from then-husband Burzis Kanga. In 2017, Kotb celebrated two happy milestones: 10 years cancer free and the adoption of a baby girl she named Haley Joy.