Kathy Bates Shows Off Amazing 60-Pound Weight Loss Amid Battle With Lymphedema
Kathy Bates may be 70 years old, but these days, she’s looking better than ever!
The actress was photographed earlier this week, and her 60-pound weight loss is definitely noticeable in photographs published by Page Six. In one of the images, Bates looks incredibly slim in a blue blazer and pair of black pants. The American Horror Story star dyed her normally white hair jet-black, and can also be seen rocking a pair of large, dark glasses.
Currently, Bates is battling lymphedema after getting her lymph nodes taken out. Previously, the actress battled both ovarian and breast cancer and came out on top. In an interview with People, Bates shares that she has lost a lot of weight — and that it has helped with the disease, one which causes swelling of the arms and legs due to blockage in the lymphatic system.
“I’m feeling great. I’ve lost a lot of weight and it’s really helped with my symptoms. I just still have to wear compression sleeves or guard against nicks and bug bites because that can lead to sepsis.”
She also shared that after her lymph node surgery, she was terrified of getting lymphedema, which is common once people get their lymph nodes removed. Bates is currently trying to spread awareness of the disease.
Bates says that lymphedema affects more than 10 million Americans — which is more than ALS, MS, AIDS and Parkinson’s combined. A lot of the time, the disease goes undetected, because — as Bates says — doctors don’t spend a ton of time in school on the lymphatic system. So, when people come to their physicians while presenting common symptoms, many medical professionals fail to recognize it.
Since becoming a national spokesperson for LE&RN, she was recently honored by WebMD as the 2019 “Game Changer” for her work on both cancer and lymphedema.
She was spotted sporting a noticeably slimmer figure in LA on Tuesday, January 29. https://t.co/ibTC1sXWZh
— OK! Magazine USA (@OKMagazine) January 30, 2019
“When I heard those figures I got involved,” she says of her affiliation with LE&RN. “I got very pissed off because it was unfair. I’ve been asked to lend my name to a cause [before] and I’ve made it my policy not to do that, but this is the first one I’ve felt strongly about.”
And after going through two battles — with cancer and now lymphedema — Bates knows what it’s like to be sick. She urges those who have friends or family members going through the same thing to stick by the patient through thick and thin, because it’s a long and hard journey.
“I’ve lost friends because some friends want to help but don’t realize it’s a long process. So they sort of drop out. It’s a problem. I think families try to do the best they can but it’s very difficult to help,” she shared.
Luckily, Bates has a good head on her shoulders — and is doing what she can to help both herself and those around her.
