Evert’s younger sister, Jeanne, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2018 and succumbed to the disease at the age of 62 in February 2020. This compelled the doctors to test other siblings as they found out that Evert had a genetic mutation (BRCA-1) that led to her sister’s demise. The former World No. 1 credited Jeanne as well as the advanced sciences for her early detection, therefore saving her life.
The 18-time Grand Slam champion went through six rounds of chemotherapy before being declared cancer free at the end of last year. Her doctor told her that there was a 90% chance that the cancer would not return due to an early diagnosis.
The entire tennis world, including former players Billie Jean King and Amelie Mauresmo, along with journalists and fans applauded and thanked the 68-year-old American for sharing her story and inspiring others to take action at the earliest.
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“I will always have a heavy heart. I will never heal from losing Jeanne” - Chris Evert
In the column she penned, Chris Evert revealed that she has just one more surgery scheduled later for completing her recovery process – an “easy” task, according to her doctors. Despite all that, the American missed her sister Jeanne, stating that she will always have a “heavy” heart, while at the same time cherishing the help she gave her through the timely diagnosis.
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