HEALTHPamela Anderson Recalls Being Given 10 Years to Live After Hepatitis C Diagnosis: 'It Was a Death Sentence'
Pamela Anderson reflected on her difficult hepatitis C diagnosis and the strength she found through her work.
Sept. 7 2026, Updated 11:57 a.m. ET
Pamela Anderson looked back on the difficult period after she was diagnosed with hepatitis C in the late 1990s.
"It was a death sentence. That’s what my doctor told me — that I probably had around 10 years to live," the Baywatch star recalled in a speech at the amfAR Gala in Venice, per Variety.
Pamela Anderson spoke about the lasting impact of her hepatitis C diagnosis.
"I’m sure that colored 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," she said.
On Sunday night, September 6, Anderson received amfAR’s Award of Courage.
The organization has also supported hepatitis C research and advocacy.
Pamela Anderson Found Hope Years Later
Pamela Anderson reflected on the fear she experienced after receiving her diagnosis.
Anderson eventually received treatment after a cure for hepatitis C became available in 2011.
By 2015, she said she was "hep C free," though paying for the treatment had taken everything she had in her bank.
She looked back on the emotions that followed her diagnosis.
"But my experience of shame and guilt was also an unconscious journey. It stays with me; it haunts me," she said.
Anderson continued, "And just like the s----- abuse that I endured as a child, it felt like it was carved into my forehead: Damaged goods. And I presented myself as such."
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Pamela Anderson discussed how her personal experiences influenced her creative work.
Anderson said she has not "fully recovered" from what happened.
Now she has "finally come to terms," and her work has become an important outlet for her.
"My truth has come through my work, finding ways to express myself through the arts. It gave me the ammunition I needed, a fertile life to use and play in," Anderson said.
"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," she added.
In recent years, Anderson has taken on acclaimed roles in projects including The Last Showgirl, The Naked Gun, Rosebush Pruning and Place to Be.
Anderson Channels Marilyn Monroe In Venice
Pamela Anderson celebrated her journey from a difficult diagnosis to a stronger chapter in her career.
Anderson brought a touch of old Hollywood glamour to Venice.
Per Allure, for the amfAR Gala, the actress wore her hair in a sculpted pageboy inspired by Marilyn Monroe, with curled ends framing her face.
Her orange dress added to the classic feel.
Earlier, Anderson embraced a more relaxed look at a cocktail party, styling her platinum curls into tousled, voluminous waves that paired with her pink dress.
While making her way to the festival, she was also spotted in New York City with her platinum hair tucked beneath a dove gray scarf that coordinated with her outfit and luggage.
