Canadian actress Lisa Ray, star of The World Unseen, I Can't Think Straight, began blogging this week about her diagnosis with Multiple Myeloma, a rare and incurable cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow.
Lisa Ray
At first, she wasn't sure if she would go public with the news. She wrote on her blog:
I asked around if I should speak openly about getting diagnosed recently with Multiple Myeloma. Some advised me to keep my "‘condition"’ a secret as it could negatively affect my career. Buh? I’m plumper, redder, more energetic and wily than ever before- Kiss me like I’ve been kidnapped!
Ultimately, she decided to share her story in hopes of raising awareness about (and hopefully funding for) the disease. Ray was diagnosed on June 23, and started her first cycle of treatment for the disease on July 2. She recently wrote:
For me, it was a relief to hear what was wrong. The plasma cells in my bone marrow were rampaging, multiplying, squeezing out the red blood cells and it was time to begin doing something about it. I was also tired of being tired all the time. And you just know when something is not kosher with your body. So when I sat there with Bobcat- my life partner and reservoir of Yellow- and got the news I didn’t react and I didn’t cry. I’m an actress, believe me, I can be dramatic. Not just then though.
Ray's tone is optimistic, and she writes that the treatments have made her crave sweets and, well, everything else:
Who knew it would turn me into a free range chicken, pecking the landscape freely. I find it distracting to walk down my patch of Queen St without stopping for a nibble at the Pie Shack, scoping some sushi or sampling up kimchi and eggs.
I’m currently obsessed with the pepperettes at Meat on the Beach. I had a Gollum-worthy breakdown at the counter recently when I found out they haven’t restocked. So I’ve always been fond of food, fought my battles with food (having been a model) and finally at 37 discovered balance. Until the ‘roids hit that is. Then I see a plate of "Reliable Halibut and Fries" and my stomach goes: THAT IS MINE.
For now, Ray is preparing to premiere two films at the Toronto International Film Festival and continuing to receive treatment for the disease.
Her The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight director, Shamim Sarif, has written about Lisa on her own Facebook blog:
What's truly admirable is that nothing in her attitude has changed. I know many of you feel upset and depressed by the news, because the movies have that rare and magical ability to transport you to a place you feel you know, and to put before you images of a face, a smile, and gestures that you learn to understand and predict, and which give you a feeling of knowing that person intimately.
And I know you all appreciate the work she has done in all her movies, as well as The World Unseen and I Can't Think Straight. So I would say, acknowledge the sorrow, but let's give her the message that we visualise her in perfect health and starring in many more Enlightenment movies. There is a cure for everything that ails us - we just need to find it, or allow the body to find it. And if anyone has the mind and spirit to allow that healing to happen, it's Lisa.
Besides, I have two more scripts waiting, Lisa. And nice try, but you don't get off that easily...
Sarif even posted the sweet photo below of her wife, Hanan Kattan and Ray, with the caption:
Nurse Hanan taking Lisa Ray's temperature - at least, that's what she told me she was doing
You can follow Ray's progress on her blog, or follow her on Twitter. You can also learn more about Myeloma and make donations to Myeloma Canada at their official website.
Oh nooooo! :(
What horrible news!
I wish Lisa the best and am hoping for a full recovery :)
Positive thoughts....
She is amazing....even through this challenge.
Wow, this is shocking but
Wow, this is shocking but I'm sure she will beat it with such positive thoughts and energy. Never underestimate the power of the mind when it comes to fighting disease. I wish her a full recovery!
I'm gonna head over to the website and make my donation now...
awwww poor her!!! sending
awwww poor her!!!
sending lots of light to her...let's pray for her guys! :/
That's Horrible!
Oh gosh, hopefully she beats cancer. I'm pretty sure plenty of people will be praying for a quick and speedy recovery.
"And it's amazing
With the look in your eyes
Like you could save me
But you won't even try"
- Matt Nathanson
oh. apparently it's
oh. apparently it's incurable :( But she also says her prognosis is good and that she is hoping to go into full remission.
Anyone know how can it be classified as incurable but you can go into remission with it as well?
Remission does not mean "cured"
If you want to get technical about it, most cancers are "incurable" meaning that after treatment, there is 0.000% chance of a recurrance. But we've all seen that cancer cells can break off and go "sleep" somewhere else in the body for years before acting up again. They've found breast cancer cells in liver and brain tumors in fact. It's called metastasizing, and is something that cancer does often.
Remission simply means that there is no activity of the disease. But it also means that there is a possibility of recurrance. It depends on the type of cancer when/if that recurrance would occur after remission.
For Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, which is what I had, the window is 3-5 years after remission. After that, the chances of recurrance are extremely small. For other more aggressive cancers, that window may be larger, and the chance may be larger as well.
My thoughts and prayers are with her and her family. She has an excellent support system, I'm sure, and will no doubt win her battle. Got to say, I know what she means about the steroids, prednisone makes you eat like a horse!
positive vibes ....
from the interviews i seen with her, lisa ray seems to hava a lot of fire, a big spirit, and powerful energy. i hope and pray that she has the strength and stamina to beat this cancer like ... serena beats tennis balls (i wanted to say something more colorful, but nevermind). we need to see her in a lot more movies, so let's send out POSITIVE vibes!
i have a friend who was diagnosed with MM when she was 33. 4 years later, she is in remission, and just had a baby. so, there is hope --- LOTS of it.
fine
she said she will be fine.. just be positive...
its a horrible desease and the cure is her and every one else being positve
this is so...
...horrible to read. I wish her all the best, and hopefully with her positive attitute, coupled with the treatment she will go into remission, and hopefully beat this. I admire her courage to go public to raise awareness for the disease. She's the best.
___________________________________________________
"Come fly away with me, right in the land of eternity"
brave woman
..
Sosad.. she can have my bonemarrow
-----------
You're Everywhere to me.
I wish her all the best and
uff
Yes, she's amazing
I was impressed by Lisa Ray from the moment I first saw her, in the film Water (the last in the series that started with Fire). She lit up the screen there, in a film it must have taken courage to be part of. She smouldered in The World Unseen, and she had fun with some of the craziest & clunkiest lines in I Can't Think Straight.
I'm even more impressed by her honesty about her diagnosis. I think it's great that she's feeling so positive and seems to have so much support; long may both things continue. At the same time, I hope she continues to express whatever she feels honestly, as some of my bisexual and lesbian friends who've struggled with and survived cancer (or not) have felt pressure to "be positive" for the people around them without regard to their own needs to scream and cry. Keep being real, Lisa Ray; it's an inspiration.
Does anyone know what the two films are she's premiering in Toronto? The most concrete way of supporting her I can see is to find and pay to see those films when they're released--to keep supporting her and her career, especially in the face of naysayers who told her to hide the truth for fear she'd lose her audience.
And really, one never needs another reason to watch more Lisa Ray.
What a woman she is! Her
What a woman she is! Her spirit and positive attitude is truly amazing.
I wish her all the best...
Stay strong Ms Ray, stay
whoa. bummer.
Wow - 'what a bummer' somehow isn't adequately expressing my sadness on hearing the news. BUT Lisa Ray is a fighter and a type-A personality and all that plus a legion of loving fans, will get you through. Just keep fighting!
1 <3 U.
I wish her well..
Get well soon Lisa.
Love.
:O lisa ray !
omg she's such an amazing person ! I love those movies,
and i also saw her on the tv program called "plan", which helps third world countries.
it's amazing that she can share her experiences,
Hope she will be alright ! <3
oh......my.......god.......
i can't belive it .... i'm speechless and soooooo SAD i'm just thinking of anybody who could tell me " no this isn't true" ...but i know this is true ....
so i can only say that i hope she beats that up and ... be good
i love her ..... she's amazing COME ON LISA I'M WITH U
ciao
Lisa Ray in my book...
....
I am devastated by this news...I don't even know what to think or say. Since she's positive about her recovery, I guess I'll have to stay positive to. I really reallly hope that she beats this!
-------
Visit my favorite site www.thehungersite.com and click the big yellow button to help end world hunger. It's free to click- & c'mon it's a shiny yellow button!
What a shocker to come back
I Hope Lisa Ray Gets Better
Model of bravery
Slight segue...
...but honorable mention.
Hilarious quote from Shamim Sharif's blog. She is hysterically funny.
"I have to risk being asked to give up my After Ellen International Lesbian of the Year Award because I have done what no self-respecting lesbian would ever do - I actually had Carmen's (Sarah Shahi'S) mobile phone number and lost it."
This is terrible but like
Sad news. I can only send my
...
Noo.
Daddy's Girl
My father was diagnosed with the same cancer a few years ago. He's now bed bound but I'm sure he'll get better soon. We have to keep telling ourselves that to get through it. Soon enough my Dad will be getting up and driving to the store to get his own Orange Juice!!!!
I love you Daddy and I know you'll get back to normal in no time!
The Leukemia and Lymphoma
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society here in US has annual walks and events to help raise money for awareness and research. There's one this Sunday at UCLA that I will be participating in with my friends and family, so if anyone wants to go but doesn't have anyone to go with, let me know.
http://www.lightthenight.org
just go there and look up locations for address and info for this weekend and other areas that will also have the walk.
and here's my group's page if you wanna join us :)
http://pages.lightthenight.org/los/UCLA09/ForLife
Sad News.
Not to be on the pessimistic side
I lost my cousin to that type of cancer when we were both 13, it hit me so hard I was numb for months after it. Because everyone in the family told me she'll recover, and I truly believed in it, that when she was gone, I counldnt register the idea of her death, I couldnt believe it.
Her optimism is inspiring, and I really hope for her and all the cancer victims to recover, and beat such an awful disease.
Strong
Be Positive lisa
I know a how a person feels especially on this stage of life but I strongly believe that by being positive can really help to deal with such situations.well lisa is an awesome actress & human being & have the capacity of being positive in her fight & I believe from the bottom of me heart she can do that because when others can see something you can do, you really can do it.
Lisa Ray of Sunshine!
Keep strong, and visualize a strong healthy body, you can beat the cancer down. I'm with you in support and love.
Nash
www.brokenbarrel.ca
cancer
this sucks. Reminds you to live your life to the fullest and cherish every moment of it.
I wish all the best to Lisa, stay strong and keep fighting!!!
Beating myeloma
Like everyone else here, I was shocked when I read this news. I loved Lisa Ray in "I Can't Think Straight," "The World Unseen," and "Water." I was telling a friend about her diagnosis and she told me about someone she knows who has lived with myeloma for several decades, so there's definitely hope of a long and happy life. This man actually started a website, http://beating-myeloma.org, that has lots of good information if anyone is interested in learning more.
Best wishes to Ms. Ray and her family.
Best way to reach Lisa is her Blog
Hi Everyone,
I am involved in outreach for Lisa's films and projects, and occasionally communicate with her directly. The best way to leave her a message of support is to post a comment on her blog which you can get to from lisaraniray.com. She reads every comment there and blogs regularly. You can also stay updated on her future projects (TIFF, and many others).
Lastly, Lisa is sending inspiring and cute tidbits via Twitter about her experience and life in general. Feel free to follow her at http://twitter.com/lisaraniray.
Lastly, her Facebook "Fan" page is updated by her administrator. This is another good site for news and updates. http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/lisaraniray?ref=ts
There are naturally dozens of articles and 100's of comments for each, so if you'd like her to see your message, her blog is the best method.
Thanks
Sad but inspiring...
It is very sad that she is going through this situation but I am glad to hear that she is keeping an uplifted and optimistic spirit.
My thoughts and love go out to her and her loved ones.
<3
~*Copperboom*~
whoa!
I am so happy to hear that
I am so happy to hear that she is near full remission. She is a brave woman, amazing actress and has great taste in roles. I am pretty sure I just saw her on Psych as Sita.
=(
"whyyyyy her???" is all i can say right now
Support Lisa Ray
I know everyone here loves Lisa as much as I do. Let's support her by sponsoring her walk/run for Multiple Myeloma. Every little bit helps!!
http://pmhf3.akaraisin.com/pledge/Participant/Home.aspx?seid=2489&mid=9&pid=172578
Official Fan Video Contest-Win autographed items & support films