Pamela Anderson’s hepatitis C diagnosis ‘was a death sentence’
Actress Pamela Anderson recently shared her experience of living with a hepatitis C diagnosis in the 1990s, which she described as a 'death sentence' at the time. She highlighted the emotional toll of the illness and the financial struggle she faced to access a cure once it became available.
Why it matters
The story sheds light on the evolution of medical treatment for chronic diseases and the significant psychological impact of health diagnoses on public figures.
Share article Pamela Anderson has revealed she was delivered a diagnosis that amounted to a “death sentence” at the height of her fame in the 1990s.
Speaking at the amfAR Venezia Gala 2026, hosted by Taika Waititi and presented by Orlando Bloom , the 59-year-old actress recalled the day she was diagnosed.
Pamela Anderson has shared a moving insight into her life at the amfAR foundation for aids research gala. AP Photo/Scott A Garfitt
“Back in the late 90s when I was diagnosed with hepatitis C there was no cure,” she said as she collected the Award of Courage at the AIDS charity event.
“It was a death sentence. That’s what my doctor told me, that I probably had around 10 years to live.”
The feeling that her diagnosis made her “damaged goods” led Anderson on a destructive path of self-sabotage.
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