Andy Whitfield - Spartacus ...

[wraithfodder]

Came home, turned on PC, and checked news and Twitter, to find out that Andy Whitfield (lead star of Starz's Spartacus) just got diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Yikes! Well, you can do everything right, be healthy as a horse (and Whitfield sure is in great shape) but cancer can still pop up. Maureen Ryan (@moryan on Twitter) has more on the situation at her blog at

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2010/03/spartacus-andy-whitfield.html

Starz issued a press release:

“SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND” STAR ANDY WHITFIELD DIAGNOSED WITH NON-HODGKIN LYMPHOMA

 Production on second season of the hit Starz series delayed to accommodate treatment
 
Los Angeles- Andy Whitfield, who plays the title role in Starz Original series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand," announced today he has been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and will begin treatment immediately in New Zealand. Whitfield discovered the cancer during a routine checkup as he prepped for the sophomore season.  Andy’s doctors have stated his condition is very treatable, and was detected in its early stages.
 
"I'm receiving excellent care, and am feeling strong, positive and determined with an army of support behind me," says Whitfield.
 
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Andy," says Chris Albrecht, President and CEO of Starz.  "His health, of course, is our primary concern. He has our complete support during this difficult time.”

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I've been enjoying the show (although could do with a bit less copious spilling of blood) and am glad they caught it early!

Comments

[kristen999.livejournal.com]

That form of cancer seems to hit men any time. My husband fought it and he got sick when he was only 23.

Don't watch the show, but I hope he fights it with all he has.

[wild-cat.livejournal.com]

Gee, I was walking past these series all the time having no idea that my favourite archangel stars in it! And only to find out that he's got health troubles too? Too many stars died a few last years. May he get well!

[crashbarrier.livejournal.com]

Oh.. N-HL.. in itself not good.. but the earlier they catch it the more treatable it is.. so *fingers crossed*

Spartacus B-S is on my "to watch list" having just now finished Legend of the Seeker s1:)

[lamaudite.livejournal.com]

Damn, I had no idea. I do hope they caught it early enough.

[anjak-j.livejournal.com]

I hate the term 'Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma' with a passion since it leads to generalisations that aren't helpful for patients, such as generalised survival rates. There are so many different types with different treatment regimes and prognoses - some of which are highly treatable and even curable, others which are almost untreatable.

I remember my mother reading stuff on the Internet when she was diagnosed with a type of NHL at late stage. And some of the stuff that is compiled from all of the statistics being dumped together scared the shit out of her, unnecessarily since the type she had had a cure rate even treated at late stage of over 70%.