The soap opera star recently opened up about his shocking cancer diagnosis and his difficult recovery process.
The Young And The Restless’ Christian LeBlanc debuted on the long-running show in 1991 as his character Michael Baldwin. But nowadays, the actor’s day-to-day routine looks slightly different after his blood cancer diagnosis. LeBlanc, 65, has missed several tapings of TYATR and is now speaking out about his absence.
During an interview with a CBS affiliate news station 4WWL, LeBlanc explained, “I was diagnosed around June at St. John’s Providence Hospital.”
He continued, “I’ve never spent a day in the hospital in my 65 years until this year.”
Troubling Warning Signs LeBlanc Didn’t Ignore
Later in the interview, the actor noted that several signs led him to believe something was wrong with his health.
As reported by The U.S. Sun, LeBlanc noticed that his wedding ring was easily slipping off his finger and that he was experiencing increased nose bleeds.
Another telltale sign that something was amiss was something that viewers noticed on screen—according to some fans, that actor’s eye looked “a little wonky.”
When LeBlanc sought medical attention to address the concern, a tumor was found in his sinus cavity. The growth, found to be pressing on his optic nerve, was found to be Multiple myeloma.
The diagnosis, a type of blood cancer, affects the body’s plasma cells. According to the actor, the cancer is a “very common” type. LeBlanc received surgery and immunotherapy treatment but had to undergo a lengthy hospital stay afterward.
The star explained that he “lost 35 pounds in two months… and not in a good way.”
“But when they said, ‘Eat like it’s your job,’ I said, ‘I was raised to fulfill this promise,'” he said, recalling his road to recovery post-treatment.
After LeBlanc’s recovery efforts, he is now in complete remission. The actor confirmed that he will be returning to the set of TYATR for the soap opera’s anticipated Thanksgiving episode.