Rachel Zegler shared details about one of the most traumatizing weeks of her life.
The 21-year-old actress, known for her leading on “The West Side Story,” shared a story on Instagram over the weekend about a biopsy procedure she had at 19. The post was shared temporarily via Instagram Stories and featured a photo of a scar on Zegler.
“Two years ago I found a lump in my breast and went through what was undoubtedly the scariest week of my life,” Zegler said in the post, according to People Magazine.
“No OB/GYN was taking new patients due to the backlog of the pandemic, but I was fortunate to have the care of my pediatrician who prescribed me an ultrasound, which led to an out-patient biopsy procedure,” she added. “Thankfully it was benign.”
KAYLEIGH MCENANY: BREAST CANCER AND ME – WHY I CHOSE TO HAVE A PREVENTATIVE DOUBLE MASTECTOMY
“And now the scar serves as a reminder to check my breasts regularly for any irregular growth – the fibroadenoma in my left breast is a common occurrence but nevertheless extremely scary to find. Early detection saves lives!!! Check your titty meat :),” Zegler continued.
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2019, 264,000 new cases of Female breast cancer were recorded by the agency, and more than 42,000 women died of the disease.
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In 2021, Zegler rose to fame after receiving critical acclaim for her performance in “West Side Story” and becoming the youngest recipient of the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress at 20 years old. In the past, Zegler has used social media to talk openly about her physical and mental health, tweeting in 2018, “Hello. My name is Rachel. I suffer from anxiety and depression, and occasionally feel depersonalized/disassociated from reality. I am a work in progress. I am finding the common ground between me and my mind. And that’s enough.”
She is set to star in the leading role for Disney’s upcoming live-action remake film “Snow White” alongside Gal Gadot and Martin Klebba.