TV Icon Eric Braeden Reveals His ‘Cancer-Free’ Status And Thanks Fans For Their ‘Good Thoughts’

Aug 18, 2023

Veteran German actor and soap opera favorite Eric Braeden has proved to the entertainment world that longevity and creativity can work hand-in-hand, thanks to his long-running role on the iconic TV series "The Young and the Restless." Over the years, he has occasionally kept up with fans sharing major life updates, and one such was the state of his health.

The veteran actor is well-known for portraying Victor Newman in the CBS series. Braeden has played the role for over four decades. Before starring in the series, the actor acted in several TV shows and movies like, "Escape from the Planet of the Apes," "Titanic" and others.

In a Facebook Live on Aug. 13, 2023, “The Young and the Restless” star actor revealed the current state of his health. From the time he was diagnosed with cancer to when he announced his victory over the disease, Braeden has been open in sharing his thoughts, opinions and experiences about his health journey.

Braeden has received multiple awards for his role in the soap opera. However, apart from his epic career, the actor counts his family as one of his biggest accomplishments. The actor often shows his immense love for his family, as can be seen from his social media posts about his family.

Not only did Braeden become an inspiration to his fans, but his son also decided to follow in his father's footsteps. The actor's son, Christian Gudegast, is a screenwriter and actor. Through Christian, the star actor is a grandfather to three lovely girls. Christian is the only child from Braeden's marriage to Dale Russell Gudegast. The couple have been married for over 50 years now.

In a 2019 post on social media, the actor penned a heartwarming tribute to his wife on their anniversary. His love for his family is immense, and he does not shy away from showing it.

In April 2023, the soap opera actor revealed his cancer diagnosis after dealing with prostate issues. He also explained that he had been undergoing immunotherapy. Braeden had shared a video clip to his social media pages to reveal his diagnosis.

Braeden had earlier revealed his cancer diagnosis a month before his interview with People in May. At the time, he divulged why he decided to go public with the news of his diagnosis. He had said:

"I decided to go public with it because I can help people not to be so fearful of it." 

The actor further expressed how he hoped that his diagnosis would help remind men to check themselves. Braeden further added the symptoms of this disease. He revealed:

"The first indications are difficulty to urinate or to empty your bladder completely, and that increases as the prostate grows. It impinges on the urethra, and as it grows more, it impinges more. Hence, the flow is restricted."

Braeden was misdiagnosed, and it made him all the more encouraged to share his experience. He made it known that the first doctor had inserted a catheter to evaluate his bladder, and it came out clear. Later on, a urologist confirmed that the actor had stage one bladder cancer. 

In his Facebook Live, the soap opera star revealed that as of three days ago, he is now cancer-free. The actor continued:

"I had my last cystoscopy two days ago – that's when they thread a camera into your bladder – and I am cancer-free."

He further expressed his joy that they "couldn't find the damn thing. Isn't that nice?" Braeden further revealed that he is still waiting on the results of an MRI, which will confirm the status of his bladder, and whether the cancer has spread from his bladder. 

He explained that if the results bring good news, he still has to undergo several prophylactic infusions. The actor's cancer-free status makes him happy. In his video, he expressed:

"I love life, man. Why wouldn't I? I'm working on the No. 1 show. It has been No. 1 for 38 years now. Why would I complain? That would be obscene."

Braeden felt good about himself and further thanked everyone, his family, friends and fans, for their prayers and well wishes. He relayed, “I thank you for all of your good thoughts, all of your prayers (they) meant a great deal to me.”

The actor connected with so many people all over the world during his cancer battle and does not take their wishes for granted. The actor was also glad that he encouraged some women to talk to their husbands about undergoing these exams and checkups. 

The iconic actor further revealed that he had been recovering from knee replacement surgery while dealing with his prostate issues. Braeden recounted his experience, which was complicated and painful. The TV star was not shy to talk about his prostate to his fans as he revealed that he is old and "don't give a s**t." When the Hollywood star was first told of his diagnosis, he remained unfazed because he knew he would face it “head-on.”

Isn't it inspiring that Eric Braeden is able to overcome cancer? Do you know anyone who has had a similar diagnosis? Let us know, and be sure to pass this on to other Braeden fans.