Marisa Abela is celebrated for her work in the HBO series “Industry,” but she recently opened up about how she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2020 at age 23. It has been six years, and Abela is opening up about being grateful to be alive but also discussing how her struggle with cancer has impacted her health and appearance.
Marisa Abela Discusses Thyroid Cancer & Her Appearance
In an interview on the “How To Fail with Elizabeth Day” podcast, published on January 14, Abela discussed her body and how difficult it was to maintain her image after having thyroid cancer because of the thyroid’s impact on hormones and metabolism. In her chat, she also expressed her gratitude for her life and for being healthy now.
“Not that I have a particularly terrible relationship with my body or anything, but I’m hard on myself, especially as an actor; I have to see myself all the time,” she shared. “My number one thing now is that I’m healthy, and when I think about food, it’s about healthy choices, not just skinny choices for once. But it hasn’t quite done enough in the sense that, of course, I’m still slightly vain and I want to look good.”
She spoke about the difficulties of trying to stay fit after thyroid cancer, saying it was “more difficult” after her diagnosis. “At the beginning I was like, ‘I’m going to have peace with my body now,’ and what’s difficult is that now I have to work harder to maintain a healthy physique,” she said. “You want to be a sort of perfect person afterwards, and it’s so stupid, you know, as if!”
Abela discussed her health and fitness, and also advocated for women’s health, encouraging fans to listen to their bodies and, if they feel that something is wrong, not to “let anyone bully you into thinking that it’s normal or that it’s going to work itself out.”
Marisa Abela’s Fans Show Her Love & Support
Abela shared how she “never” expected to be diagnosed with cancer at 23, and she required an 8-hour surgery. It was 2020, and COVID-19, and she had to go to the hospital on her own. “I was aware, um, that that was potentially going to cause hormonal issues throughout my life, then, and that was very scary. Just the aftermath of the whole thing was scary,” Abela said. “I had to have a total thyroidectomy, and I think like 19 lymph nodes were removed from the side of my neck. So I don’t have a a working I don’t have a thyroid anymore.”
Abela’s honesty and vulnerability about her health and surviving cancer are inspiring. The interview was shared on YouTube, giving fans an opportunity to react. The post has received supportive messages. “What a lovely, grounded, and smart young lady,” a comment reads. “This conversation has really inspired me. I didn’t know she had been through so much. She is so authentic, beautiful, but normal! Just in awe,” another fan wrote.
Other reactions include, “what an amazing woman. warm, funny, and so real. I loved her in industry, she is a truly inspirational actress,” and “I love when a guest has a deep well of experience, even at a young age.”
