2 News
October 18, 2023
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
Second bout of breast cancer claims life of actress Suzanne Somers By Ethan Nahté
As I was transcribing an interview for our National Breast Cancer Awareness issue, a text came across on Sunday evening about the death of Suzanne Somers. The actress best known for TV shows “Three’s Company” and “She’s the Sheriff ” died a day before her 77th birthday from her second bout with breast cancer. It came across as a chilling coincidence. Somers, who had first battled skin cancer before her first diagnosis of breast cancer in 2000, had eschewed the comments of naysayers, including the American Cancer Society, when she chose not to do chemotherapy. She chose instead a chemical-free and organic lifestyle. In addition to being a spokesperson on infomercials for the ThighMaster exercise equipment, she would eventually promote a healthier lifestyle with a health and wellness website carrying
her own brand of cosmetic, fitness and weight loss products. She also wrote several books on subjects such as cancer, aging, beauty, wellness, menopause
and sex. Somers’ longtime publicist, R. Couri Hay, shared a statement on behalf of the actress’ family with the news Sunday. The actress, who “survived an aggressive form” of breast cancer for over 23 years, “passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours” on Sunday,” the statement read. “Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce, and her immediate family,” the statement continued. “Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on Oct. 16th. Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life, and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly.” She had spoken to People magazine the Sunday prior, talking about how she planned to celebrate and seemed in good spirits. In July, she had told “Entertainment Tonight” her breast cancer had returned, saying “I have been living with
cancer since my 20s. And every time (it) pops up, I continue to bat it back. I do my best not to let this insidious disease control me. “Like any cancer patient, when you get that dreaded ‘It’s back,’ you get a pit in your stomach. Then I put on my battle gear and go to war. This is familiar battleground for me, and I’m very tough. Throughout her battles, she said the “big upside” was it had strengthened the bond with her husband over the years. “We have not spent one day apart in 42 years,” she said. Before “Three’s Company,” my earliest memory of Somers was the “Blonde in the white Thunderbird” in the George Lucas film “American Graffiti.” She was the unattainable mystery girl. For me, she was one of the three women who served as the inspiration for a character in one of my novellas, along with Natalie Wood and Olivia Newton-John.
