Richard Simmons Reveals Cancer Diagnosis

Richard Simmons is opening up about his skin cancer diagnosis in a message to his fans. The fitness personality shared his story on Facebook Tuesday, a day after concerning fans with a post about dying that he later clarified was meant to be an inspirational message. 

Simmons revealed in his post Tuesday that he first noticed a small blemish on his face before reaching out to a dermatologist. “Mirror mirror on the wall what’s that blemish which is so small? There was this strange looking bump under my right eye. I had a tube of neosporin which I would put on I the morning and the evening….it was still there. It was time to call my dermatologist,” he began. “I sat in his chair and he looked at it through a magnifying mirror. He told me he would have to scrape it and put it under the microscope. Now I am getting a little bit nervous.”

“He comes back about 20 minutes later and says the C word. You have cancer,” the Sweatin’ to the Oldies star continued. “I asked him what kind of cancer and he said. Basel Cell Carcinoma. I told him to stop calling me dirty names. He laughed.” Simmons would soon undergo treatment to “burn” his skin and remove the cancerous cells. “There was no numbing it just had to be done with a small instrument,” Simmons recalled. “As he started burning my skin a tear dropped down my cheek. You can’t cry during this and he wiped my tear. The burning really hurt my skin. It lasted about 30 minutes.”

After the first treatment, Simmons got the “sad news” that the cancer hadn’t been totally removed. “He burned my face again. This time was worse than before…It was deeper. I did not cry this time but I did grit my teeth,” Simmons wrote. Fortunately, upon returning, Simmons found that “the third time was a charm,” hugging his doctor when he learned the news that the cancer was completely gone.

“My cancer was nothing compared to some people that I knew,” Simmons continued, recalling the stories of several people in his life who were treated for more serious diagnoses. “I have lost a lot of friends to cancer,” he continued. “But I want to leave you with a positive story.One of my best friends shared with me that every time she ate she felt sick. I made an appt for her to see my doctor.” Upon being diagnosed with stomach cancer, Simmons’ friend spent 20 days in the hospital undergoing surgery and chemotherapy, but today she is cancer-free. “I know some of you reading this have had cancer or have known someone in your life who has had cancer,” Simmons concluded. “Promise me you will see your doctor and get a complete check up.”

Simmons’ story about skin cancer came the day after he concerned fans with a post reading, “I have some news to tell you. Please don’t be sad. I am ….dying. Oh I can see your faces now. The truth is we all are dying. Every day we live we are getting closer to our death.” The star later clarified on Facebook that his message was meant to be about appreciating every day, writing, “I am not dying. It was a message about saying how we should embrace every day that we have.Sorry for this confusion.”