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Tag: Busy Philipps

  • Busy Phillipps Responds to ‘Living on Borrowed Time’ Comments After Rare Brain Tumour Diagnosis

    Busy Phillipps Responds to ‘Living on Borrowed Time’ Comments After Rare Brain Tumour Diagnosis

    Actor Busy Philipps has publicly condemned Globe Magazine over a planned article characterizing her brain tumor recovery as “living on borrowed time.” The 47-year-old star, known for roles in Dawson’s Creek, Freaks and Geeks, and Cougar Town, shared a screenshot of a media request from her publicist to Instagram, denouncing the outlet’s “brazen approach.”

    Philipps Responds to ‘Insane’ Media Angle

    In a video accompanying the post, Philipps addressed the publication directly, preserving her signature candor.

    “The Globe is gonna run a story that I am living on borrowed time. To that I say, ‘Aren’t we all motherf***ers?’”

    She continued, laughing in disbelief at the premise of the upcoming piece.

    “But really this is insane. I’m not going to [respond]. My doctors spoke [to PEOPLE] and they’re gonna just run an article that I’m living on borrowed time and that some people who have brain tumours don’t live five years?”

    “That’s true… it’s not what my journey is but OK Globe, go f*** yourself.”

    Celebrity Peers Offer Support

    The comments section quickly filled with messages of support from fellow actors. Angela Kinsey of The Office wrote:

    “Good Lord! Ridiculous! Go Busy go! We got your back!!”

    Juliette Lewis, star of Natural Born Killers and Yellowjackets, shared a similar experience with tabloid tactics, highlighting the “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” pressure of pre-publication comment requests.

    “Ugh I remember getting these types of emails about ‘stories’ they were gonna run about MY life that were totally not true that you were damned if you do damned if you don’t,”

    “If you give a comment then it looks like you’ve commented and legitimise a total lie and if you don’t say anything many people will believe the totally false story. But Alas, now we have social media and we can talk directly to people!”

    Medical Context: Grade 2 Oligodendroglioma

    Philipps revealed in February that she had been diagnosed with a Grade 2 oligodendroglioma, a rare type of brain tumor, which was successfully removed the following month. As she noted in her Instagram callout, her medical team previously spoke to PEOPLE to clarify the prognosis.

    Neuro-oncologist Dr. Alexandra Miller provided details on the diagnosis:

    “It is considered malignant, but it has the best prognosis of all of the malignant gliomas,”

    “It’s sort of defined as a cancerous tumour based on the ability of the tumour to regrow over time, rather than it looking very malignant under the microscope.”

    Following surgery, Philipps does not currently require chemotherapy or radiotherapy. However, she will undergo regular scans to monitor for any recurrence.

    LADbible has contacted Globe Magazine for comment.

  • Dawson’s Creek Star Busy Philipps Diagnosed With Rare Brain Tumour at 47

    Dawson’s Creek Star Busy Philipps Diagnosed With Rare Brain Tumour at 47

    Actress Busy Philipps has opened up about her recent health battle, revealing she was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor earlier this year. Following a routine full-body MRI in February, the 47-year-old underwent surgery in early March, just before production began on her new television series, Cupertino.

    Reflecting on the life-altering diagnosis, the star expressed immense gratitude. “I’m grateful that I’m alive,” she told PEOPLE. “I didn’t know why I wanted to get this scan except for the fact that I just did.”

    An Intuitive Choice and a Crucial Push

    The decision to schedule the scan came during an incredibly emotional time. When Busy lost her friend and Dawson’s Creek co-star, James Van Der Beek, to colon cancer in February, a severe blizzard in New York City initially forced her to postpone the appointment for several weeks.

    However, her ex-husband and close friend, Marc Silverstein, strongly encouraged her not to delay the procedure any longer. “He’s like, ‘Maybe it’s the best thing you could do for your friend this morning. Go get that scan,’” the White Chicks actress recalled. Shortly after, Beverly Hills internist Dr. Justin Donlan informed her that he had identified a lesion on her brain that required further medical evaluation.

    The Shock of the Diagnosis

    The initial moments of processing the diagnosis were a whirlwind of emotion. Philipps described how she communicated the news to Silverstein. “The texts to my ex-husband are comical. While I was on the phone with Dr. Donlan, I texted Marc, ‘OMG I have a brain tumor.’ And he wrote back, ‘Busy, what? What are you saying? What are you talking about?’ I was like, ‘It looks fine. It’s probably benign. I don’t know.’”

    However, the gravity of the situation quickly became clear after her MRI results were fully analyzed. Doctors delivered a sobering message: “‘This is a real tumor, and it’s inside your brain. And Busy, it’s got to come out.’“

    The revelation took an immediate physical and emotional toll. “I was hyperventilating and trying to breathe.” Philipps also shared that her 18-year-old daughter, Birdie, ‘was kind of beside herself and really, really scared and overwhelmed with emotion’.

    Despite her own fear, the actress focused on comforting her daughter. “I just kept saying to her, ‘Birdie, you’re just not in the movie where your mom dies your senior year of high school. That’s just not the movie that you’re in. I promise you,’” she added.

    Surgery and Pathology Results

    On March 2, Philipps underwent a complex five-hour operation during which neurosurgeons successfully removed a 2.6cm mass from her brain. A subsequent biopsy identified the growth as a grade 2 oligodendroglioma, which is a rare type of brain tumor defined by specific genetic alterations.

    Her neuro-oncologist, Dr. Alexandra Miller of NYU Langone, explained to PEOPLE that oligodendrogliomas are quite uncommon, with only about 1,100 to 1,300 cases diagnosed annually in the United States.

    Addressing the prognosis, Dr. Miller clarified the nature of the condition: “It is considered malignant, but it has the best prognosis of all of the malignant gliomas.“ She added, “It’s sort of defined as a cancerous tumor based on the ability of the tumor to regrow over time, rather than it looking very malignant under the microscope.”

    A Complicated Recovery and Looking Ahead

    Though the tumor was successfully removed, Philipps faced a challenging recovery period. She developed a staph infection in her surgical incision, requiring a secondary operation on April 27 to clean the wound and remove a titanium tack from her skull. Fortunately, medical professionals caught the infection early before it could progress deeper.

    Today, Philipps does not require chemotherapy or radiotherapy, though she will continue to undergo regular monitoring scans to ensure the tumor does not return. Her surgeon has expressed high confidence, noting there is a great chance the tumor may never come back.

    Ultimately, Philipps hopes her story encourages others to trust their instincts when it comes to their health. “We are frequently told by doctors that there is nothing to worry about [when] you kind of know that there’s something to worry about,” she emphasized. “There’s nothing to be afraid of in having information. It’s only empowering.”