Pamela Anderson says she was given 'death sentence' after Hepatitis C diagnosis
Pamela Anderson says she was given 'death sentence' after Hepatitis C diagnosis
Caroline Gaspich & Kathleen O'BoyleTue, September 8, 2026 at 1:57 AM UTC
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Pamela Anderson opened up about her Hepatitis C diagnosis -Credit:Getty
Pamela Anderson shared intimate details about her decades-long battle with hepatitis C during a heartfelt address at the amfAR Gala in Venice on Sunday night.
During her remarks, the 59-year-old star looked back on receiving her diagnosis, the fear and stigma that came with it, and the medical treatment that eventually made her "hep C free." When Anderson received her hepatitis C diagnosis in the late 1990s, no cure existed for the viral infection.
The Baywatch icon said her physician informed her she likely had just a decade left to live. This comes as Pamela previously opened up about her brief marriage with controversial country star Kid Rock.
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"It was a death sentence. That's what my doctor told me - that I probably had around 10 years to live," Anderson recalled. "I'm sure that colored and corrupted my decisions. It was not fear of death, but fear of what might happen to my young children. It turned my life inside out."
A cure for hepatitis C emerged in 2011, providing Anderson with a treatment pathway that hadn't been available at the time of her initial diagnosis. By 2015, she revealed she was "hep C free," though achieving this outcome required enormous financial sacrifice.
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Pamela Anderson spoke at the Venice International Film Festival -Credit:Getty
"It took everything I had in my bank" to cover treatment costs, Anderson said.
The performer received amfAR's Award of Courage at Sunday's event. The organization, dedicated to ending the HIV/AIDS crisis, has also championed hepatitis C research and advocacy, given that hepatitis C frequently affects those living with HIV.
For Anderson, however, the diagnosis carried weight far beyond its physical toll. She revealed that the shame and guilt tied to her experience lingered long after she had beaten the disease.
"But my experience of shame and guilt was also an unconscious journey. It stays with me; it haunts me," she continued. "And just like the sexual abuse that I endured as a child, it felt like it was carved into my forehead: Damaged goods. And I presented myself as such."
Anderson told fans about her struggle with the diagnosis -Credit:Getty
Anderson admitted she has not "fully recovered" from the emotional impact of her diagnosis, while also suggesting she may have "finally come to terms" with what occurred and discovered a way to channel the ordeal into something meaningful through her craft.
In recent years, Anderson has enjoyed a remarkable career comeback, appearing in a string of films including The Last Showgirl, The Naked Gun, Rosebush Pruning and Place to Be, which premieres at the Venice Film Festival. She credited her artistic pursuits with helping her work through her past and rediscover an inner resilience.
"My truth has come through my work, finding ways to express myself through the arts. It gave me the ammunition I needed, a fertile life to use and play in," Anderson concluded. "I'm not a victim, I'm a victor. I am strong and capable, more now than I could ever dream of ... I'm not the damsel in distress, no matter how easy that role is to play."
The prestigious gala, presented by World Gold Council and held at the Hilton Molino Stucky, was hosted by Taika Waititi and also recognized performance artist Marina Abramovi with the Award of Inspiration.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
