Actress and Breast Cancer Advocate Jamie Lee Curtis, 65, Pays Tribute to Late Stepfather, Says Her Professional Demeanor Comes From Him

Helping You Reduce Your Breast Cancer Risk

• Actress Jamie Lee Curtis says in a heartfelt social media post that her late stepfather helped shape her into who she is today, and she misses him deeply.
• Curtis, 65, once experienced a breast cancer scare after discovering a lump on her breast. A biopsy later revealed the mass was benign. Nevertheless, the harrowing experience of possibly having breast cancer put early detection and cancer screenings at the top of mind for her.
• The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends women begin screening for breast cancer at age 40.
• Women who have a strong family history of breast cancer, have dense breasts, have a genetic mutation known to increase the risk of breast cancer, such as a BRCA gene mutation, or a medical history, including chest radiation therapy before age 30, are considered at higher risk for breast cancer.
• While mammograms are extremely valuable for breast cancer screening, more effective screening methods like 3D mammograms and breast ultrasounds are highly recommended for women with dense breasts.

“Trading Places” actress Jamie Lee Curtis, 65, is showing love to her stepfather, Robert Brandt, who helped raise her since she was a child. In a social media post, she credits Brandt, who died in 2009, for shaping her into who she is today. Support from him and other loved ones was helpful as the actress dealt with a cancer scare a few years ago. “So much of my professional demeanor is from him, and he taught me that ‘your handshake is your signature’ and to look people in the eye when you meet them,” Curtis said of her late stepfather. Curtis is known for her roles in productions such as 1983’s "Trading Places" and "Anything But Love." She started acting in the late ’70s, appearing in numerous “Operation Petticoat” TV episodes. Her star grew during the ’80s with roles such as “A Fish Called Wanda.” Her appearances grew sporadic during the ’90s and 2000s, although she landed a recurring role in the “Scream Queens” television series. Through her success on-screen, one of her strongest supporters was her stepfather, who fell in love with Curtis’ mom when the actress was very young and took on the task of raising their family. “He raised me from three years on. He was a young businessman, an ex-Marine, who fell in love with a movie star with two very young daughters,” Curtis explained. “He really didn’t want to have children, he stepped up to that task,” the actress said.

She added that she misses Brandt, and since his birthday was a day removed from her mom’s, she’s “always reminded of this big loss in [her] life every year around this time.” About 25 years ago, Curtis also had a breast cancer scare that left a lasting impact on her when she was 40. During that emotional time, her stepfather was among the most influential people in her orbit. It's so important to have a solid support system during trying times, such as facing a health scare.

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Jamie’s Cancer Scare

“There is not a woman alive who hasn’t had some contact with breast cancer, either through a friend or through her own experience with it. I had my own personal moment of truth when I had a biopsy done on a small, questionable lump on my breast. It was scary,” Curtis explained at a Women’s Luncheon BaylorScott and White Dallas Foundation’s “The Torch” reports. Further testing found the lump to be benign. Although the actress dodged a bullet, the possibility of cancer stuck with her. “Everything turned out fine, but it brought me very close to understanding how lucky I am to have access to all these resources and great doctors,” she said. Curtis has become a staunch advocate for cancer awareness and early detection since her cancer scare. “For me, there is no more important work — besides being a good mom to my kids — than using my celebrity to get more exposure for a specific cause such as this,” Curtis said.

How to Cope With a Cancer Diagnosis

If you are facing a breast cancer diagnosis, your emotions are likely to run high, which is completely normal. Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik says emotions are often fluid when coping with a diagnosis. “The patient or person going through the stressful event should accept that emotions will be fluid. You may feel fine one day and then feel a massive wave of stress the next. It’s also important for those you look to for support, whether that’s a therapist, friends, and family, or both, to understand the fluidity of stress-related emotions,” Dr. Plutchik said. WATCH: How to cope with complex and changing emotions. If a stressful event affects how you think and feel, it may be time to seek mental health treatment. This could mean traditional talk therapy, medication, changing lifestyle habits (like exercise and diet), seeking a support group, or many other approaches.

Curtis Urges Women to Stay Current With Breast Cancer Screenings

Mammograms are used to screen for breast cancer. Women who haven’t gone through menopause are encouraged to get a mammogram annually between the ages of 45 and 54. If you have experienced menopause, you can get a mammogram every two years. “We know that cancers grow more rapidly in our younger patients, and having that annual mammogram can be lifesaving,” Dr. Connie Lehman , a professor at Harvard Medical School, told SurvivorNet. WATCH: Getting a mammogram. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends women begin screening for breast cancer at age 40. Women should talk with their doctor to learn about their cancer risk and assess when a good time is to start annual mammograms. “We all agree regular screening mammography saves lives,” Dr. Lehman said. Women who have a strong family history of breast cancer, have dense breasts, have a genetic mutation known to increase the risk of breast cancer, such as a BRCA gene mutation , or a medical history, including chest radiation therapy before age 30, are considered at higher risk for breast cancer. Experiencing menstruation at an early age (before 12) or having dense breasts can also put you into a high-risk category. If you are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer, you should begin screening earlier. Breast density is determined through mammograms. However, women with dense breasts are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer because dense breast tissue can mask potential cancer during screening. 3D mammograms, breast ultrasound, breast MRI, and molecular breast imaging are options for women with dense breasts for a more precise screening. It is important to ask your doctor about your breast density and cancer risk.