Breast Cancer

Nita Lowey (1937–2025), former U.S. representative from New York

Nita Lowey represented New York as a Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1989 to 2021.

Sarah Danser (1990–2024), Naked and Afraid star

Sarah Danser was a reality TV personality known for her appearances in several seasons of “Naked and Afraid” and its spin-off, “Naked and Afraid XL.”

Rachael Lillis (1969–2024), voiced both Misty and Jessie in Pokémon

Rachael Lillis was a voice actress best known as the voices of Misty and Jessie in the hit animated series “Pokémon.” 

Ina Jaffe (1948–2024), longtime NPR correspondent

Ina Jaffe was a journalist and radio personality who, for 36 years as an investigative correspondent, had been one of NPR’s most recognizable and reliable voices.

Lizzy Musi (1991–2024), star of Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings

Lizzy Musi was a professional race car driver and star of the reality series “Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings.” 

Bette Nash (1935–2024), world’s longest-serving flight attendant

Bette Nash was a flight attendant who worked for 67 years, longer than any other flight attendant in history. 

Kris Hallenga (1985–2024), CoppaFeel! breast cancer awareness founder

Kris Hallenga was a writer who promoted early breast cancer detection for young women after her own diagnosis at the age of 23.

Janice Burgess (1952–2024), creator of The Backyardigans

Janice Burgess created the Nickelodeon animated show “The Backyardigans.”

Ellen Gilchrist (1935–2024), National Book Award-winning author 

Ellen Gilchrist was an author who won a National Book Award in 1984 for her story collection, “Victory Over Japan.” 

Betty Rollin (1936–2023), journalist and women’s health advocate 

Betty Rollin was a news correspondent and author whose two memoirs were both adapted into TV movies, including “First, You Cry” starring .

Robbin Bain (1936–2023), “Today Girl” on NBC

Robbin Bain was a former beauty pageant winner who became a “Today Girl” on television, offering fashion and beauty tips in segments for NBC’s “Today” in the 1960s.

Tasha Butts (1982–2023), Georgetown women’s basketball head coach

Tasha Butts was a former WNBA player who had recently been named the head coach of Georgetown University’s women’s basketball team.

Suzanne Somers (1946–2023), Three’s Company star

Suzanne Somers was an actress best known for her starring role as Chrissy Snow on the 1970s and ‘80s sitcom “Three’s Company.”

Nikki McCray-Penson (1971–2023), WNBA star and coach 

Nikki McCray-Penson was a star of the WNBA who won Olympic gold on the U.S. women’s basketball team in 1996 and 2000.  

Dr. Susan Love (1948–2023), influential breast cancer researcher 

Dr. Susan Love, an American surgeon who challenged paternalism in the medical establishment, changed the way breast cancer is researched and treated.

Sara Lane (1949–2023), actress in The Virginian

Sara Lane was an actress best known for playing Elizabeth Grainger on “The Virginian.”

Tatjana Patitz (1966–2023), one of the first supermodels

Tatjana Patitz was one of the original supermodels who rose to fame in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Lucy Simon (1940–2022), Broadway composer and singer   

Lucy Simon  was an acclaimed Broadway composer and singer who sang with her sister Carly Simon as the Simon Sisters in the 1960s.

Tiffany Jackson (1985–2022), WNBA star and coach

Tiffany Jackson was a WNBA star and coach who played for teams including the New York Liberty and Tulsa Shock.

Sacheen Littlefeather (1946–2022), activist who declined Marlon Brando’s Oscar

Sacheen Littlefeather was an actress and Native American activist who made news when she appeared at the 1973 Academy Awards to decline Oscar.

Olivia Newton-John (1948–2022), “Grease” star and chart-topping singer

Olivia Newton-John was a singer and actress known for a country-turned-pop musical career and for roles in movies including “Grease.”

Carol M. Baldwin (1929–2022), breast cancer fundraiser and mother of four movie stars

Carol M. Baldwin was the founder of the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund and the mother of actors Alec, Stephen, Billy, and Daniel Baldwin.

Marnie Schulenburg (1984–2022), “As the World Turns” star  

Marnie Schulenburg was an actress who starred as Alison Stewart on the soap opera “As the World Turns.”  

Jane “Nightbirde” Marczewski (1990–2022), “America’s Got Talent” star

Jane Marczewski was a singer known as “Nightbirde” who became a fan favorite after a stirring audition on “America’s Got Talent” while she was battling cancer.  

Chris-Tia Donaldson (1979–2021), founder and CEO of Thank God it’s Natural haircare

Chris-Tia Donaldson was the founder and CEO of Thank God it’s Natural (TGIN) haircare.

José Baselga (1959–2021), oncologist who revolutionized breast cancer treatment

Jos é Baselga was a Spanish oncologist who developed highly effective new drugs for treating breast cancer.

Sue Nichols Maciorowski (1965–2020), Disney animation artist on “Hercules,” “Mulan”

Sue Nichols Maciorowski was an animation artist who worked on beloved Disney films including “The Lion King,” “Mulan,” and “Hercules.”

Kelly Preston (1962–2020), “Jerry Maguire” star

Kelly Preston was an actress known for roles in movies including “Jerry Maguire,” “Twins,” and “Sky High.” She was actor John Travolta’s wife.

Elizabeth Wurtzel (1967–2020), bestselling author of “Prozac Nation”

Elizabeth Wurtzel was the author of the bestselling 1994 memoir “Prozac Nation,” which detailed her long-running battle with depression, beginning when she was a child. Published when she was 27, “Prozac Nation” became a sensation for its candid, sometimes funny and sometimes soberly insightful look at Wurtzel’s own heavily medicated life, warts and all. “Prozac Nation” was an early entry in the burgeoning genre of mental health memoirs, and Wurtzel received both high praise and harsh criticism for the book. Critics called it excruciating and luminescent, narcissistic and emotionally powerful. After “Prozac Nation,” Wurtzel continued her writing career as well as later attending law school.

Dr. Bernard Fisher (1918–2019), pioneer of breast cancer treatment

Dr. Bernard Fisher was a surgeon whose research revolutionized the treatment of breast cancer.

Suzanne Whang (1962–2019), former host of “House Hunters”

Suzanne Whang was the host of HGTV’s “House Hunters” from the show’s debut in 1999 through 2007. She was also an actress and comedian, and she had a recurring role as Polly Nguyen on “Las Vegas.” Whang played Carol Cheng on “General Hospital” and made appearances on shows including “Criminal Minds,” “Two and a Half Men,” and “Boston Legal.” She won the Best Up & Coming Comedian Award at the 2002 Las Vegas Comedy Festival and the Andy Kaufman Award at the 2004 New York Comedy Festival. She had been battling breast cancer for 13 years.

Cokie Roberts (1943–2019), legendary journalist with NPR and ABC News

Cokie Roberts was a journalist known for her work on NPR’s “Morning Edition” as well as co-anchoring ABC News’ “This Week with Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts.”

Maryetta Dussourd (1944–2019), mother exposed clergy abuse

Maryetta Dussourd was one of the first to work to expose sexual abuse in the Boston-area Catholic Church, leading to the worldwide church scandal of the early 2000s.

Daphne Sheldrick (1934 – 2018), elephant conservationist featured in “Born to Be Wild 3D”

Daphne Sheldrick, British-Kenyan elephant conservationist who was featured in “Born to Be Wild 3D” documentary, died Thursday, April 12, 2018, after a long battle with breast cancer, according to the Associated Press. She was 83.

RIP to 6 Cancer Fighters

These cancer doctors, nurses, and scientists devoted their lives to helping others.

Rita Henley Jensen (1947–2017), pioneer of women’s journalism founded Women’s eNews

Rita Henley Jensen, founder of Women’s eNews and the Jane Crow Project, died Oct. 18 of breast cancer, according to her daughter, Ariel Jensen-Vargas. She was 70.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Join us in remembering those who battled breast cancer.

Maryam Mirzakhani (1977 - 2017), Fields Medal for mathematics winner

Editor's note: Maryam Mirzakhani's date of death was later clarified to have been July 14, 2017.

Noreen Fraser (1953 - 2017), Stand Up to Cancer co-creator

Noreen Fraser, a television producer and cancer crusader who co-created the network TV special "Stand Up to Cancer," died Monday, March 27, 2017, of metastatic breast cancer, according to multiple news sources. She was 63. Fraser became well-known for raising money to find new cures for cancer after she was diagnosed in 2001 with Stage IV breast cancer. Two years later, cancer had spread to her bones. She launched the Noreen Fraser Foundation in 2006 not only to fight cancer but also to find new ways to prevent the disease. In 2008, Noreen Fraser co-created and co-produced the network television special "Stand Up to Cancer," raising more than $100 million for cancer research.

Bimba Bosé (1975 - 2017), model, actress, and singer

Bimba Bosé, an Italian-born model, actress, and singer, died Monday, Jan. 23, 2017, of cancer at a hospital in Madrid, Spain, according to multiple news sources. She was 41.

Elizabeth Edwards: A Legacy of Caring

Elizabeth Edwards, who lost her long and public fight against breast cancer Dec. 7, 2010, didn't seek the spotlight. Instead, it found her when her husband, John, decided to run for political office. She embraced her role, becoming her husband's closest adviser during his stint in the U.S. Senate, when he was the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2004, and as he sought his party's presidential nod in 2008.

Caring for a Terminally Ill Loved One: First Take Care of Yourself

Self-care takes a back seat when we care for dying loved ones. But it's one of the most important considerations in an emotionally and physically harrowing time.

Turning Grief Into Purpose

While grieving a loss, you learn a lot about what helps or hampers healing. Meet two remarkable women who turned personal loss into an external source of comfort.

Marni Nixon (1930 - 2016), ghost singer for Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe

Marni Nixon, a singer who ghost sang for leading actresses in films including "The King and I" and "West Side Story," died July 24, 2016, according to multiple news sources. She was 86. The cause was breast cancer, according to Randy Banner, a friend of Nixon. Nixon, who was born Margaret Nixon McEathron Feb. 22, 1930, in Altadena, California, also acted in films and on TV and Broadway. Her film credits include "The Sound of Music" and "I Think I Do." She also appeared on TV's "Law and Order."

The Seven Most Touching Obituaries of 2015

Honoring seven souls who left their loved ones with a smile.

Century Spotlight: Margaret Walker (1915–1998)

The Harlem Renaissance is well-known—a period of great creative output from a group of Black artists living in New York City in the 1920s. It was a pivotal historical moment for a group of creative people long overdue for recognition. But Harlem wasn't the only place where African-American artists gathered and flourished in the first half of the 20 th century. Something similar took place in Chicago during the 1930s and '40s, led by the likes of Richard Wright and . That Midwestern renaissance yielded the writing of Margaret Walker .

Planning a wedding without your mom

Every day, I think about my mom. Sometimes I’ll look in the mirror and see a resemblance — the same high cheekbones, the same thin lips. Or I’ll hear a song she liked and start singing along to it. “Love shack, baby love shack!” Other times I’ll see material things that remind me of her — her old eyelash curler, which I admittedly still keep in my makeup bag. The crosstitch she made that’s now hanging in my home office. The small sterling silver bracelet she once wore that I now wear every day.

Cancer Isn't Funny: SNL Stars Gilda Radner, Danitra Vance, and Jan Hooks

The short roster of deceased "Saturday Night Live" cast members is tragic. and — both just 33 when they died of overdoses — left some of the most memorable and hilarious "SNL" sketches. was known as the nicest guy on "SNL" before he was murdered by his wife at 49. Charles Rocket and Michael O'Donoghue may not be household names, but both made major contributions in the early days of the show and both died too young, in their mid-50s.

Parents' Touching Last Dances

Weddings are times for great happiness, but sometimes that joy becomes bittersweet, as it did recently for two California families.