"I'm not ashamed" - Chris Evert makes her feelings clear on being open about ovarian cancer battle to 'help women'

Former World No.1 Chris Evert was diagnosed with stage 1C ovarian cancer in 2022. She battled through the disease with strength and resilience, successfully overcoming it.

As the cancer was detected at an early stage, it was possible to treat it and take curable measures. Since then, Evert has been the biggest advocate for preventive measures like regular check health checkups, genetic testing, and early detection.

The American legend talked about spreading awareness after realizing it from her own experience. She said this to ‘We are Tennis’ by BNP Paribas in an interview:

“I think it made me stronger in the sense of, a stronger sense of myself, and when I spoke, like people were surprised that I was so open about having ovarian cancer. I'm, like, why? I'm not ashamed. It's like women, you know, I want to help women.”

“This is a reality and this happens to women, and I want them to really know that they can be proactive and they can prevent this if they get testing and if they get genetic testing, especially, because really my whole thing, the BRCA gene, B R C A, BRCA gene, it's genetic, and that's what my sister Jeanne had and I had it, as well, and my whole family has been tested, but you have the BRCA gene, you have a good chance that you will either get breast or ovarian cancer,” she added.

Evert felt empowered when she opened up about her diagnosis and discovered that the root cause of her illness was ingrained in her genetics. Now, she aims to inspire others to be responsible for their health, encouraging them to seek preventive measures and early detection to mitigate potential risks before they become incurable.

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Chris Evert on how cancer transformed her life positively

Chris Evert at 2023 WTA Finals addressing media - Source: Getty

When 18-time Grand Slam champion Chris Evert was asked about how cancer changed the perspective of her life, she replied:

“It changed more. It changed me not worrying and fretting over stupid little things. It made you realize that, okay, you know, your health and your loved ones really are the things that you should be focusing on and are the most important things in life. Not money, not did I get this endorsement, not how many Grand Slam titles I won, not so and so's talking about me, little silly things like that.”

Evert dived deeply into life’s harsh realities, acknowledging how people often prioritize money, achievements, and materialistic things over their health and relationships.

She acknowledged being guilty of the same mindset but revealed that her battle with cancer shifted her perspective. Evert learned that materialistic possessions are quite silly compared to the importance of health and family.