Pamela Anderson recalls being told she had ‘10 years to live’ after her hepatitis C diagnosis.
Pamela Anderson has recalled the devastating moment she was told she had just 10 years to live after being diagnosed with hepatitis C in the late 1990s.The 59-year-old Baywatch star, who contracted the blood-borne infection around 1999, said doctors at the time described the diagnosis as “a death sentence” because there was no cure available then. Anderson has previously said she contracted hepatitis C after sharing a tattoo needle with her then-husband, Tommy Lee.Speaking at the amfAR Venezia Gala 2026, where she was presented with the Award of Courage, Anderson opened up about the lasting emotional impact of the diagnosis and how it affected her life and decisions.“Back in the late 90s, when I was diagnosed with hepatitis C, there was no cure. It was a death sentence. That’s what my doctor told me, that I probably had around 10 years to live,” she said.“I’m sure that coloured and corrupted my decisions. It was not fear of death, but fear of what might happen to my young children. It turned my life inside out.”
‘It stays with me; it haunts me’
Anderson shares sons Brandon, 30, and Dylan, 28, with Lee. She said the prospect of dying young weighed heavily on her, particularly because of her children.More than a decade after her diagnosis, however, Anderson was offered a new treatment that ultimately cured her of the infection.“Ten blurry years later, there was a cure,” she recalled. “I was lucky, I was offered it in its early stages, and it took everything I had in my bank to pay for it [because] it wasn’t covered by insurance yet.”Although Anderson was grateful to have access to the treatment, she said the experience also left her with feelings of guilt over the fact that others did not have the same access.“I am grateful to say now that I am Hep C free, but my experience of shame and guilt was also an unconscious journey. It stays with me. It haunts me,” she said.
Pamela Anderson says diagnosis left her feeling like ‘damaged goods’
The actress also spoke about the stigma and shame she associated with her diagnosis, revealing that the emotional consequences continued long after she was cured.“My words did not match my feelings. I was angry and scared. I went into sabotage mode,” Anderson said.She described feeling as though the words “damaged goods” were “carved” into her forehead and said she began presenting herself that way.“And just like the sexual abuse that I endured as a child, it felt like it was carved into my forehead: Damaged goods. And I presented myself as such,” she said.Anderson acknowledged that she does not believe she ever fully “recovered” from receiving the diagnosis, but said she eventually found a way to channel the experience through her creative work.“My truth has come through my work, finding ways to express myself through the arts,” she said. “It gave me the ammunition I needed, a fertile life to use and play in.”She added, “I’m not a victim, I’m a victor. I am strong and capable, more now than I could ever dream of … I’m not the damsel in distress, no matter how easy that role is to play.”
Anderson announced she was cured in 2015
Anderson publicly announced that she was free of hepatitis C in 2015, after completing a 12-week course of treatment.During a September 2015 appearance on Watch What Happens Live, she spoke about undergoing the new medication and said she expected to be cured by November.“I am taking medicine right now, they have come up with a cure,” she said at the time. “I am almost half way through and by November 1 I should be cured – a 98 per cent chance.”Reflecting on the 16 years she had spent living with hepatitis C, Anderson said the diagnosis had continued to affect her self-esteem.“I’m very fortunate that I’ve had Hep C for about 16 years. Sixteen years ago, that was [presented to me] as a death sentence. I think it really worked on my self-esteem,” she said.“Even though I may have looked confident on the outside, I think it really was a dark cloud that lingered over me.”
What is hepatitis C and can it be cured?
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that is transmitted through infected blood. Many people with the condition experience no symptoms, meaning they may not realise they have been infected. Without treatment, however, the infection can cause serious liver damage and potentially life-threatening complications.Treatment has changed significantly since Anderson was first diagnosed. The NHS says modern antiviral medication can cure hepatitis C in most people. Treatment generally involves taking antiviral tablets daily for around eight to 12 weeks.Anderson was in Venice to promote her new film Place To Be and to receive the Award of Courage at the amfAR Venezia Gala 2026.The actress rose to international fame playing lifeguard C.J. Parker on Baywatch during the 1990s. In recent years, she has experienced a career resurgence, including critical acclaim for her performance in The Last Showgirl.