Young and restless star Christian LeBlanc shares the reason for his months-long absence from the popular daytime series.
During a guest appearance on CBS affiliate 4WWL in New Orleans, the 65-year-old actor revealed publicly for the first time that he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in June – a blood cancer that develops in the plasma cells in the bone marrow.
“In my 65 years, I have never spent a day in the hospital until this year,” he said, recalling the shocking diagnosis. “It’s a common cancer, but it progresses very quickly.”
He described the subtle signs that led to his diagnosis that something was wrong with his health, including rapid weight loss. “I put [my character] Michael [Baldwin]wedding ring and I lowered my hand and the ring fell without friction. I said, ‘What a strange thing,'” he recalled, noting that he lost 35 pounds in two months.
LeBlanc also started experiencing nosebleeds on set and noticed his eye started to droop. “My eyes shook a little,” he explained. After visiting a neurological ophthalmologist, he found out that he has a tumor in the sinus cavity that is pressing on his optic nerve.
The star said viewers even noticed a change in the look of his eyes. “The fans caught on to it,” he said, laughing. “People have said to me, ‘Your eye is a little Jim Carrey this way, a little Michael this way.’
Christian LeBlanc.
Paul Archuleta/Getty Images
Stars who faced breast cancer and shared their stories
After treatment with immunotherapy, LeBlanc is now in remission and working to regain the weight he lost. “[My doctors] said, ‘Eat like it’s your job,’ and I said, ‘I was raised to keep this promise. Louisiana, New Orleans, easy to do,'” recalled LeBlanc, who grew up in New Orleans.
LeBlanc also reflected on how his diagnosis was a situation of life imitating art as his TV character experienced his own cancer journey. “It’s interesting. You play that scene where you hear the word, just the word, in the doctor’s office: cancer. And I have to play that as Michael Baldwin,” he said.
In an exciting update for fans of the show, LeBlanc — who first joined the cast in 1991 — teased that he will return to the screen for the soap’s Thanksgiving episode.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
‘The Young and the Restless’ star Eric Braeden says he’s cancer-free: ‘I’m loving life’
Speaking about his experience with cancer, LeBlanc also highlighted costar Eric Braeden’s prostate cancer diagnosis and recovery. In August, the 82-year-old German actor – who played Victor Newman on the soap for more than 40 years – shared during a Facebook Live that he is now cancer free.
“I have been cancer free since three days ago,” he said in the video, before thanking his fans for their support and well wishes.
“Thank you for all your good thoughts, all your prayers,” Braeden continued. “I can tell you it’s obviously helped because I had my last cystoscopy two days ago – that’s when they slide a camera into your bladder – and I’m cancer free.”
“They couldn’t find anything,” he added. “Isn’t that nice?”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education