Yarnall: Fighting Cancer
2 min read
Celeste Yarnall, best known to original series fans for her role of Martha Landon in The Apple, is trying to enjoy life while continuing her fight against cancer.
The actress was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer and had surgery and chemo back in 2014 and 2015.
“I so happy to share with you that I am still in remission from the high-grade stage 3 ovarian cancer,” she said. “My operation took place in November 2014, followed by six rounds of chemo, and then another surgery to repair my abdomen in July 2015. I dealt with two blood clots, and they installed one of those IVC filters to protect me during the surgery from the blood clots migrating. I completed after the surgery a course of blood-thinning injections. Happily, they surgically removed the IVC filter successfully. One more surgery followed in December of 2015, but I also that month began my immunotherapy in Grand Cayman at PerseusPCI. Here they used the tumor tissue we had stored during the first surgery and shipped it to Perseus. There, they used my blood and created a vaccine just for me. So, at this time, I have completed four vaccine treatments at Perseus in Grand Cayman.”
Remission means that Yarnall takes “this state of being one day at a time and celebrate each of those days as a blessing – which I do with my amazing husband Nazim Artist, who is originally from London and is a very talented painter. I am due to return to Cayman as there are two more vaccines that I require.”
Yarnall had recent hip surgery this month and is working to get back to dancing again. “Just a few days ago, I took my first walk around the cul-de-sac out front of our home with my physical therapist and Nazim. It’s just one week post-hip-replacement surgery, using my BungyPump Walking Poles. We also went through my whole series of exercises so far, and I must say I did pretty well. I followed instructions from my surgeon and took my pain med a half-hour before she came to help me get moving.”
“My hope is that it will soon mean walking without pain and hopefully dancing my passion again,” said Yarnall, “which is Argentine Tango, the very dance that brought my husband and me together.”
Yarnall will be resuming her appearances next month with her first one being a non-Star Trek event. “I will be a keynote speaker, with my husband Nazim…[at] Earthshift Meets Star Knowledge Conference,” she said, “which] will be held at the beautiful Desert Hot Springs, California.”
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