Earlier this month, Pamela Anderson got the best news EVER.
The former Baywatch star and PETA advocate shared with fans that she had been cured of Hepatitis C.
And now, it’s time to celebrate.
“It has been 20 years … and I always felt this little dark cloud hanging over me,” Anderson told People at a party for Coco Eco in Santa Monica, CA.
“I think anyone struggling with a disease that they say you can live with is still – it still plays into a lot of your decisions in your life.”
Anderson shared her diagnosis in 2002, having contracted the virus from Tommy Lee via a shared tattoo needle. Lee, Anderson confirmed at the event, was cured a year ago.
“Twenty years ago they told me I would die in 10 years. And 10 years into that, they told me I would be able to live with it and probably die of something else, but it all was very scary stuff,” Anderson said.
“I’ve been too busy, I think it really hasn’t even hit me yet, but it’s exciting because now I get 20 years back on my life.”
The news has allowed Anderson to think big picture in terms of what she’s going to do with those bonus years.
“People have to understand that climate change is a real thing and it’s the most important thing,” Anderson explained of her newest cause.
“So I’m going to go nuts. I’m kicking it up a notch. That fact that I get more time on this earth – I am going to be a great shepherd of the earth.”
For those still living with the virus, Anderson offered advice.
“They have to go to their doctor. They have to get tested. There’s different kinds of Hep C but there’s cures for every single one of them,” Anderson stressed.
“They just have to talk to their doctors and having insurance is the best thing to have. … It’s an expensive drug. So you better have insurance.”
