Credit: Shutterstock/Ron Adar
The Real Housewives of Miami cast member Julia Lemigova‘s wife, tennis superstar Martina Navratilova, has just been diagnosed with two forms of cancer.
Nearly 13 years after being diagnosed with non-invasive breast cancer, which she was able to beat in just six months by way of a lumpectomy and six weeks of radiation, Martina confirmed her Stage 1 throat cancer diagnosis and revealed the discovery of early-stage breast cancer.
“This double whammy is serious but still fixable, and I’m hoping for a favorable outcome,” Martina, 66, told Tennis.com on January 2. “It’s going to stink for a while, but I’ll fight with all have I got.”
According to Martina, she was at the WTA Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, last November when she noticed that one of the lymph nodes in her neck was swollen and ultimately underwent a biopsy. Then, as further examinations took place, she learned she was dealing with breast cancer as well.
Luckily, as she prepares to begin treatment later this month, Martina is looking at a positive prognosis. As the outlet explained, the type of throat cancer she has, type HPV, has a history of responding well to treatment.
Back in September 2010, after she learned she was officially cancer-free, Martina released a statement.
“I really didn’t talk much about breast cancer before I had it,” Martina told PEOPLE. “Now, I’m approached by women and we share our stories. It’s encouraging to see that there’s life after cancer.”
Just before Martina went public with the news of her cancer diagnoses, Julia, 50, who was added to RHOM as the first lesbian cast member of the Real Housewives franchise in late 2021, shared a series of photos of the two of them in her 2022 tribute post.
“2022 was a amazing year full of its ups and downs. I can’t wait to see what 2023 has up its sleeve … Wishing everyone a beautiful & blessed New Year,” she wrote in the caption.
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New episodes of The Real Housewives of Miami season five begin streaming every Thursday on Peacock.