Kathy Bates is an Academy Award winning actress who is one of the most respected stars in Hollywood. She recently surprised her fans by opening up to Dr. Phil about how being unlucky in life doesn’t mean your world has to come crashing down.

Bates revealed that she was 55 when she was first diagnosed with a Stage 1 ovarian tumor back in 2003. Though she had to undergo surgery and have chemotherapy for nine months, she kept her diagnosis a secret from the public.

“I didn’t tell anybody. I continued to work right after the operation, doing Little Black Book with Brittany Murphy,” she said. “My agent at the time was very old-school and didn’t want me to be the poster child for ovarian cancer. I didn’t want anyone to know, but it really took a lot out of me.”

Bates was able to beat the disease, but in 2012, it came back with a vengeance.

This time, Bates was diagnosed with a breast tumor, and she decided to have a double mastectomy. Though she is now cancer free, she is currently experiencing other problems. The actress had to have her lymph nodes removed during her previous treatments, and the extreme pain and swelling that comes with her lymphedema has no cure.

“It’s a souvenir you definitely don’t want,” Bates said. “I really felt that life was over for me. I probably wouldn’t work again, and I was angry for a long time.”

Bates has since become the national spokesperson for Lymphatic Education & Research Network (LE&RN), and has even lost 60 pounds to help manage the pain. Her advice to other women is to stop worrying about what they look like and to focus on their health!

Watch Bates’ very open and honest interview below.