'Facts of Life' Star Reveals 5-Year Battle With Cancer

Facts of Life star Mindy Cohn has revealed a five-year battle with breast cancer, telling PEOPLE that she was diagnosed in 2012.

"I was walking around my neighborhood in Los Angeles and I suddenly got so tired," she said. "I just couldn't go anymore."

Cohn went to the doctor, where a scan showed something in her breast, which led to a biopsy.

"It was breast cancer," she said. "I kept that secret for a long time."

Cohn battled the disease for five years, undergoing a double mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation.

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"I've always been an optimist," she said. "But the cancer metastasized. It kept spreading and coming back. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, and then it would. And then I'd wait for another shoe to drop, and it would. I was frustrated and enraged. I couldn't control any of this. I couldn't fix it."

While Cohn had continued to work in Hollywood since The Facts of Life, the actress took a break after her diagnosis, spending time with two of her close friends, lifestyle gurus Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Dr. Brent Ridge. Cohn spent time on their farm outside Sharon Springs, NY, fighting her battle in the beautiful setting.

"They are my family," she said. "I have my parents, who have always been there for me. And then I have my family by choice, which includes them. We'll be in each others' lives forever."

The 51-year-old is now cancer free and is ready to return to acting.

"I'm feeling great," she shared. "And I'm so ready to get back to working. I think I'm a good actress, and I have a lot to offer. I'm excited to see what I get to do next!"

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