Valerie Harper 'Close to Remission'- Read Full Interview
By: Nicole Rosky Aug. 29, 2013
Yesterday, BWW reported that Valerie Harper, who revealed in March that she has terminal brain cancer, will be among the contestants when the new season of ABC's DANCING WITH THE STARS begins. The 74-year-old has been diagnosed with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, a rare form of cancer in which cancer cells spread into the membrane surrounding the brain. Despite the fact that doctors had only given her three months to live, she has defied the odds and perservered despite the obstacles.
Earlier today she appeared on the 'Today Show', where she revealed that she is "pretty close to a remission" Check out the transcript to the full interview below!
So if you were assessing Val's condition in laymen's terms right now, what would you say?
DR. RUDNICK:
I'd say that we're-- we're getting pretty close to remission.
Wow, wow, that's amazing.
Wow, it's amazing.
Did you think she'd even be here, at this point?
DR. RUDNICK:
No, it defies the odds.
That's great to hear.
DR. RUDNICK:
The problem is any time this can change.
Oh yeah, exactly. It's volatile. Because of where it is.
You mean tomorrow morning something could happen?
Oh yeah, oh sure, oh yeah. With this kind of-
DR. RUDNICK:
They develop resistance to the therapy. And it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.
So is it about buying time in the hope that something better comes--
Yes.
DR. RUDNICK:
Life is about buying time.
Exactly. That's what I always say.
Once Harper announced she had been diagnosed with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis in March, she gave NBC News' Peacock Productions unprecedented access to tell her story.
"Valerie's Story - a Meredith Vieira Special" takes viewers on Harper's raw and emotional journey. From the revelation that she had an incurable disease, to doctor's visits, the hour-long documentary takes an intimate look inside Harper's reality as she goes through experimental treatments and lives each day to the fullest with her husband Tony Cacciotti and their daughter Christina.
"Valerie's Story - a Meredith Vieira Special" premieres on Thursday, September 19 at 10p, after the finale of "Million Second Quiz."
Harper is a four-time Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee who has appeared on Broadway in productions of King Lear, Something Different, Metamorphosis, and the Tony award winning Story Theatre. She was nominated for a Tony award for her recent role in Looped.
She began her TV career on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," for which she received two Golden Globe nominations and won three Emmy Awards as Rhoda Morgenstern. She was again nominated for three Golden Globe awards and won an Emmy Award for her show lead role on "Rhoda." Her feature films include "Chapter Two," "Freebie and the Bean," and "The Last Married Couple in America."
Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos
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