Colin Egglesfield is encouraging others to be proactive about their health after being diagnosed with cancer for a third time.
“‘It’s not the hand that you’ve been dealt because you can’t change that. It’s how you play the cards that counts.’ I found this quote from an interview I did when I was 25 and it has served me well throughout my life including recently,” Egglesfield, 51, wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, January 21. “The beginning to this year hasn’t been the easiest, but in the spirit of what I said in my interview, this is another opportunity to decide who I choose to be in the face of uncertainty and challenges in my most recent cancer diagnosis.”
Egglesfield noted that doctors caught his “prostate cancer early” one year prior, adding, “[After] doing a lot of research and talking to quite a few health care professionals, I elected to be proactive and have surgery. I’m so grateful for the amazing support and care I’ve received over the past few months from @cityofhopephx, Dr. Gellhaus and all the nurses, other doctors, and staff that have been instrumental in supporting me through this scary time.”
While weathering his most recent health battle, Egglesfield showed support for anyone going through a similar challenge.
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“Hopefully this is a reminder to everyone that you’re not alone with whatever you’re facing and that it’s important to advocate for yourself and your health which includes checkups, seeking information and asking for help when you need it!” he shared. “And thank you to everyone else who has supported me and extended your well wishes! I feel it and each day I’m getting healthier and stronger. I’m still a bit sore but I’m making progress and am determined to come back stronger and healthier than ever especially with the help of my sexy walker :).”
Egglesfield concluded: “It all starts with a decision to commit to what you decide to be with whatever you’re facing. I decide to be RESILIENCE, FAITH, COURAGE, GRACE and INSPIRATION. … And fellas, be sure to get your PSA checked regularly. It saved my life!”
The actor was previously diagnosed with testicular cancer months after he started playing Josh Madden on All My Children in 2006. After receiving the news, Egglesfield found out that the cancer had spread to his other testicle despite going through surgery to remove it.
“After being diagnosed with it, it’s just a very scary experience because it’s all the fear of the unknown,” Egglesfield exclusively told Us Weekly in 2019 after opening up publicly about his health struggles. “I didn’t know what to expect, so reading about someone who had gone through [a] similar experience gave me the courage and the inspiration knowing that if he could do it and go on and survive and do what he did, it they gave me hope and inspiration that I could do the same thing.”
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Egglesfield — who is also known for roles in Melrose Place, Something Borrowed and The Client List — credited his career for helping him face the tougher days.
“It really helped me get through my cancer experience because I just knew that I needed to become a different person. And one of the biggest pieces of advice I got was from my mom, when after I got diagnosed for the second time,” he recalled. “At that point I literally thought that it could be the end. I remember calling her up one day and I broke down and she was like, ‘Colin, you may not be able to deal with this. But you need to be a warrior. You need to put your armor on and you need to go to battle now.’ Once she gave me that context, it made me realize, you know what? I do, because otherwise this is too overwhelming and it could crush me. So that really helped.”
