I grew up in the 1970s and still have a deep-rooted love for the TV shows I grew up on, one of which was The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spin-off, Rhoda (and, yes, Phyllis too). I was crushed when I learned, back in 2013, that its star, Valerie Harper, was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer known as leptomeningeal carcinomatosis. With this condition, cancer cells spread into the fluid-filled membrane surrounding the brain. At the time of the diagnosis, the actress was given just three months to live. But, thanks to the wonders of modern medicine and a supportive spouse, Valerie, thankfully, is still here.
After her diagnosis in January of 2013, Valerie was put on an relatively new chemotherapy drug which stopped the cancer cells from multiplying. Earlier this year, Valerie’s health began to decline, and she experienced seizures and cognitive issues. She’s now on yet another drug and the issues have lessened. As she recently told Broadway World, “It’s a breakthrough of a new pill. It’s better than what I am taking – which is still working. I haven’t had any bad thing happen for the last five to six months.”
The now 78-year-old actress is still working, lending her voice to episode of The Simpsons and American Dad, and playing a woman with Alzheimer’s in the short film My Mom and the Girl, which recently qualified for Academy Award consideration. Almost 4 years after she shared her diagnosis with PEOPLE, she once again sat down with the magazine to give her fans an update on her life and health. She tells the magazine, “I still have cancer, but I’m okay and most of my days are good.”
Valerie credits her husband of husband of 30 years, former personal trainer Tony Caccioti, as the key to her survival. She says, “He does everything for me, drives me everywhere, makes sure I’m eating healthy, walking and lifting weights. Really, he’s the best nudge in the world.” When asked what advice she would give to other cancer patients, she emphatically said, “Get yourself a fabulous husband or wife, who’s really committed to you and you living and you continuing…unless they want you to say goodbye!”
Valerie’s oncologist, Dr. Jeremy Rudnick, tells PEOPLE, “It’s a miracle she’s still here,” adding, “Valerie developed this disease at a time when we keep coming up with stronger and better targeting drugs for her particular cancer. The longer we keep her alive the more options we have.”
I’m so glad that Valerie is still around and making the most of life. It’s really a precious thing. I mean, who knew she would have outlived Mary Tyler Moore? Best of all, she’s still the plucky, outspoken woman that we all knew and loved as Rhoda. Keep on keeping on, Valerie. And, just in case it even needs to be said, cancer sucks.
Photos: WENN.com, Getty Images
Well, I’m crying. What an incredible woman – plucky is right. I’m glad she is still living life to the fullest despite unbelievable odds.
My mother had breast cancer on and off for 20 years. The last six plus years of her life it had spread to her liver and bones. When it gets to that stage the life expectancy of living for more then five years if less than 5%. She lived for over six. The doctors were amazed and told us she was a walking miracle. The drugs mom took we’re so good and her will to live gave her that extra time. Nobody knows what your odds are. Medicine is getting good, no question. But I also think a fighting spirit and that basic instinct of survival should never be forgotten.
Cancer is my personal enemy. It took my family hostage for 20 years. It dictated how we lived as a family and it robbed us of a wife, mother, grandma and friend. My dream is that we eradicate once and for all.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I lost my mother to emphysema and understand your vendetta. Internet hugs.
Love her, and she looks wonderful. Its great to see some good news in the midst of the all the bad.
I’m really happy for her.Tears a plenty. I just lost a great friend to breast cancer-she was only 44. And have another good friend in her early 40s that has just come out of remission. We are all praying for her…there are no guarantees in life.
As they say, science can only go so far then comes God.
She’s always had a great spirit & outlook during her illness! It’s very inspiring. Bless her soul
Sorry, who says that?
I don’t want a religious debate, but if there was a god, there wouldn’t be cancer.
Obviously, people who believe in god & have faith.
Religion was devised by humans and science doesn’t lie. However, even though it’s caused the death of millions of people, there are still those who derive a lot of comfort from it. So good for them, but in truth, the man in the sky doesn’t exist folks.
How does that go? If someone dies they blame science, if someone survives they praise God?
Science “lies” all the time. ALL THE TIME. (In fact, the term “science” – meaning “knowledge” – should be in quote marks itself. What it actually means is: ‘very limited knowledge about what we think we know right now, seen from a paradigm that is only one possible interpretation of the workings of the universe and the human body – and an extremely reductive one at that’.)
I don’t have the time or the inclination right now to dissert about it, but I know it close enough to have realised that a long time ago.
I’ve been through chemo twice in the past several years, and my faith really helped me deal with my suffering.
My amazing Dad unexpectedly passed away 53 days ago after battling cancer, left this Earth 2 days after his 60th birthday. My sisters and I had no idea he was sick, he hid it from us. Once the monster spread to his brain it killed him in 3 months. My Dad was the strongest and healthiest man, I’ve always known how horrible cancer is but now it’s unreal to me. I’m happy others are exceeding expectations and still fighting. My heart is broken and breaks even more for all who know this pain.
I’m so sorry for your loss. My Dad passed 2.5 years ago from colon cancer and I miss him everyday. Everything accomplishment I’ve had, there’s always a piece missing because he’s not physically here to be proud of me. The main reason we had an incredibly small wedding was because he wasn’t here to do the archaic walking me down the aisle and dancing, etc.
Now, I don’t know what your beliefs are, but as an Indigenous person, I believe that he comes back to us in many forms. The day before our wedding day, I was in the backyard raking up the leaves because it was a mess (we got married in our backyard) and I didn’t want it to seem in photographs we were a messy couple. I stopped raking to watch a butterfly and lo and behold it flew and hit me in the nose! The butterfly was one of the symbols used for my Dad’s clan. I believe he was telling me to get over nature and let the leaves leaf. In the pictures the leaves actually look whimsical. If you stop and pause and look for signs, you’ll feel your Dad around you and know that he loves you.
I love this. Thank you for sharing your story.
Wow, what an amazing story. She is doing more than many healthy people, making the most of her time here and doing what she loves. What an inspiration.
Finally some good news!! I wish her all the time in the world.
Valerie Harper has lung cancer that spread to her brain. She is a spokesperson for LUNG FORCE, a lung cancer advocacy organization. Please correct this. It matters very much to people who have been impacted by this terrible disease. I lost my mom to lung cancer in 2013.
Yes. One of our dearest family friends, just a few years younger than Valerie, got diagnosed with lung cancer at the same time. Sadly, she passed away a year later.
God bless this woman, love her!
Cancer can fuck itself.
I am so glad she is still with us! I remember she was doing her “good bye” tour on DWTS. At that point she had only months to live so she was what the heck, I’ll do DWTS. Good for you Valerie!
Thank goodness for this lovely headline amidst all of the awfulness. I love her, and this is a great story. So happy for her, and hope she keeps going for many more years.
Well said, I completely agree. Wonderful news for Valerie and her loved ones. Good for her! I’ve lost family to cancer and I don’t wish that on anyone. Peace and hugs to all.
Thrilled for her, it’s amazing what modern medicine can do! Very thankful for all the researchers, scholars, physicians, advocates, etc. who help make all these things possible. Sometimes it absolutely does come down to the “fight” (however you want to conceptualize that) a person has, but sometimes there is just no rhyme or reason (and just because someone succumbs suddenly doesn’t necessarily mean they had less fight than someone else). I love hearing these stories, but I think it also helps to highlight all the work being done in the background…from the oncologist who works insane hours to the people who tirelessly organize fundraisers, to the love of a partner/friends/family, to the organizations that provide health insurance to cover these ridiculously priced treatments. When a village is involved, there’s no telling what can be accomplished! Remembering all the people out there who don’t have all the moving parts to create a “village” and hoping someday these stories will be the norm, not the “miracles”
Oh, Rho! I love this woman. After her diagnosis, she was offering signed copies of her book on her site, so I got one. I still treasure it. She personalized it, so now I have my name written in her hand! <3
I glad she’s still posting positive thoughts.