Grey’s Anatomy Star James Pickens Jr. Shares Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

by

James Pickens Jr. is getting candid about his health.

The actor from Grey’s Anatomy recently revealed he has prostate cancer. He discovered the cancer earlier this year after a biopsy found a tumor.

In a recent interview with Black Health Matters, he shared some difficult news. He explained that prostate cancer is a recurring issue in his family, having affected his father and several of his father’s brothers. He admitted he wasn’t shocked by his own diagnosis, given the family history.

Okay, so even though my idol is 71 and has a family history of this really scary illness, he actually shared something amazing that’s kept his spirits up! It’s like, even with everything going on, he’s found a little bit of hope, and honestly, it’s so inspiring to me. I’m just so glad he’s sharing even the small victories with us.

He mentioned that several family members have had the illness, including a 90-year-old first cousin who is still living, his son, and a couple of his uncles. Thankfully, as far as he knows, none of them have died from it.

James’ real-life health struggles are now reflected in his role on the ABC medical drama. In a recent episode, his character, Dr. Richard Webber – a role he’s played since the show began in 2005 – revealed to Dr. Miranda Bailey (played by Chandra Wilson) that he too has been diagnosed with cancer.

Although it remains to be seen how Richard’s health progresses, James felt positive about his own situation, explaining that his tumor was caught very early because he sees his doctors regularly.

He explained that he’s been getting yearly physicals for 34 years. His doctor told him that being so consistent with his health checkups actually benefited him, allowing them to detect a problem very early on because of the regular testing.

Besides James, numerous celebrities have openly shared their experiences with health challenges. For more stories about celebrity health, continue reading.

Former Total Bellas star Nikki Bella shared that one of her breast implants moved after being hit during an elbow strike from wrestler Piper Niven in a match that took place in July 2025.

She reassured her sister, Bella Garcia, that they would get the issue resolved eventually. She explained to the doctor that as soon as her professional commitments ended – after she retired – she would return to address the problem and ensure everything looked its best, because she planned to actively pursue solutions in the future and didn’t want it to remain in its current condition.

Lupita Nyong’o received a diagnosis of uterine fibroids – non-cancerous growths in or around the uterus – in 2014, the year she won an Academy Award for her acting role in 12 Years a Slave.

She didn’t share her diagnosis until 2025, when she revealed on Instagram that she had been privately struggling with the condition for over ten years.

She explained that many girls are taught to accept period pain as a normal part of being a woman. This often leaves them dealing with a common issue in silence and feeling isolated.

 

In July 2025, the actress from Daisy Jones & The Six revealed she’d been hospitalized for a hernia. This happened because she’d been wearing pants that were too tight, which caused a gap in her abdominal muscles.

Someone messaged Suki on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, asking why she hadn’t been tweeting lately. Suki jokingly replied, hinting she’d been dealing with a painful hernia caused by wearing very tight pants six months prior, and hadn’t wanted to share the issue.

The former star of Beverly Hills, 90210 shared in April 2025 that he was recovering from surgery to repair a nearly ruptured appendix.

Brian shared in an Instagram video that he recently experienced stomach pain which led him to the emergency room. He explained he had a perforated appendix – it hadn’t fully burst, but was very close to doing so.

He added, “I’m on the road to recovery. It’s not an easy process. This is my first major surgery.”

During a soccer game against Seattle Reign on September 14th at Lumen Field in Seattle, a midfielder for Racing Louisville collapsed after only a few minutes of play.

According to Reuters, the U.S. Women’s National Team player was seen slowly sitting down on the field with a teammate supporting her, just before she collapsed. Trainers were immediately called to assess her condition.

Savannah received immediate medical attention on the field and was taken to a nearby hospital for more tests, according to a statement from the National Women’s Soccer League. They reported that she is currently in stable condition and is alert.

Adam Devine revealed that injuries from being hit by a cement truck at age 11 still cause him problems today.

“It’s been incredibly difficult,” Devine shared on the In Depth With Graham Bensinger podcast in 2025. “I experience spasms throughout my body, and doctors recently told me I was facing a life-threatening situation—within the last year, actually.”

He explained that his pain is intermittent, saying, “My body has a few quirks and isn’t quite perfect.”

A former contestant on The Bachelor recently went to the hospital because of severe back pain. He said he was in so much pain he had to crawl to get help, and the pain got worse during a road trip with a friend.

He described a persistent tingling sensation that reached his knees, saying it was “crazy.” On his Trading Secrets podcast in March 2025, he explained that just a few weeks prior, he was able to squat 295 pounds. Now, he can’t even do a squat, losing his balance even when trying to stand on one foot. He compared the feeling to having a stroke.

But with the help of a back specialist and some steroids, he added, “We’re on the mend.”

Gina Kirschenheiter, from The Real Housewives of Orange County, revealed that her ex-husband, Matt Kirschenheiter, had a heart attack in March 2025, but he is recovering well.

I was so concerned to hear about what happened to the incredibly talented star of 30 Rock back in March of last year. He actually had a health issue while attending a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden and needed to be assisted out of the arena. It was definitely a scary moment for everyone there.

The comedian later posted on social media to explain that he hadn’t been feeling well due to food poisoning, but he was starting to recover.

In February 2025, the former Even Stevens star revealed she was accidentally shot in the face during a birthday celebration for her husband, Brendan Rooney. They were on a trip to go clay pigeon shooting when the incident occurred.

In an Instagram post, she explained that she was accidentally shot in the face by someone at a party who fired a gun unsafely. Thankfully, @thebrendanrooney quickly helped, checked her condition, and took her to the hospital. She was hit five times, and one bullet came dangerously close to her right eye – less than an inch away.

Okay, so I wanted to share a bit of a personal update. I recently had a small fragment get lodged behind my eye, and unfortunately, surgery to remove it isn’t a safe option right now. My doctors are keeping a close watch on things, but thankfully, my vision is still perfectly normal at the moment. I’m staying positive and focusing on self-care!

Oh my gosh, she actually said she’s just so thankful to still be here! It was so emotional. She kept saying how much she loves her daughters, her husband, her whole family and all her friends. She said she literally saw her whole life pass before her eyes, and honestly, it just wrecked me. She was so right – she kept begging everyone to hug the people they love whenever they get the chance, because everything can change in an instant. I’m seriously going to hug everyone I know after hearing that. It was just… everything.

Amy Schumer is grateful for the internet, even though it can be harsh, because it helped her discover a health issue. After noticing she looked “puffier” and facing criticism online, doctors began commenting, suggesting she might have Cushing syndrome, a condition often linked to high cortisol levels or steroid use. This prompted Amy to realize she’d been receiving steroid injections after a breast reduction and C-section. She wouldn’t have known about the condition without the online attention. Thankfully, doctors determined her case of Cushing syndrome would resolve on its own, which Amy called “the greatest news imaginable.” She shared this relief in a February 2024 newsletter, happy to be healthy.

During a December 2024 game, an AHL player was accidentally cut in the face by another player’s skate, requiring 25 stitches. After his son made a full recovery, New Jersey Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald told ESPN, “We feel very fortunate, and I wouldn’t want any parent to go through that.”

In March 2022, Hailey Bieber experienced a frightening health scare while having breakfast with her husband, Justin Bieber. She suddenly developed stroke-like symptoms, initially unable to respond when Justin asked if she was okay. She then realized she couldn’t speak and the right side of her face began to droop.

Although the symptoms eventually passed, Hailey went to the hospital where doctors discovered she had a small blood clot in her brain, which they identified as a TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack).

Further testing at UCLA revealed Hailey had a hole in her heart called a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Doctors determined the blood clot had traveled to her heart, passed through the hole, and reached her brain, causing the TIA.

Hailey has since undergone a successful procedure to close the PFO and is now recovering well.

The same year Hailey faced a health issue, Justin also experienced one. In June 2022, he revealed he had been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a condition that temporarily paralyzed parts of his face and led him to cancel the remaining dates of his Justice World Tour.

In a video posted to Instagram, Justin explained that the virus affected the nerves in his ear and face, causing paralysis. He showed fans how it impacted his ability to blink, smile, and even move his nostril on one side of his face. He also shared that it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to eat.

Fortunately, the paralysis eventually went away. Hailey shared on Good Morning America that Justin was recovering well and feeling much better, adding that it had been a frightening experience, but he was going to be okay and she was grateful he was fine.

Jamie Foxx recently shared details about the health scare he experienced in April 2023, which he had initially kept private. He explained that while in Atlanta, he suffered a severe headache and asked for aspirin. Before he could take it, he lost consciousness and doesn’t remember the next twenty days.

Initially, a doctor gave him a cortisone shot and sent him home, but his sister, Deidra Dixon, was worried and took him to the hospital. There, doctors discovered he had a brain bleed that led to a stroke.

After surgery, twenty days later on May 4th, Jamie woke up in a wheelchair unable to walk. He then traveled to Chicago to begin rehabilitation and therapy.

He expressed his gratitude for the prayers he received, saying, “I needed every prayer.”

Okay, so I was chatting with a reality TV star recently, and she shared something intense. She told me she actually felt like she ‘died’ while running during the first challenge of her new show on NBC! It was a really shocking thing to hear, and she wanted people to know just how physically demanding the competition is.

She shared on the show Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser that her memory of the event was fragmented. She recalled hearing a helicopter, feeling like she was floating, and then seeing her grandfather. After that, she remembered only darkness, followed by light, leading her to realize she had died that day.

She explained that her organs were failing. She hadn’t known she had rhabdomyolysis, a condition where the body essentially starts to shut down.

Emilia Clarke, known for her role in Game of Thrones, revealed a harrowing health battle in a 2019 essay for The New Yorker. While filming the series, she experienced a sudden and severe headache while at the gym. She described collapsing and being violently ill, quickly realizing something was seriously wrong with her brain.

A hospital scan revealed she’d suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage – a life-threatening stroke caused by bleeding around the brain – due to a ruptured aneurysm. She underwent immediate surgery to repair it, but the pain was excruciating. During her recovery, she experienced aphasia, leaving her unable to speak coherently.

Though the aphasia eventually passed and she was discharged after a month, a 2013 scan revealed the aneurysm had doubled in size, requiring a second surgery. This surgery was unsuccessful, leading to a massive bleed and a grim prognosis. Doctors had to perform a more invasive procedure, accessing her brain directly through her skull.

Fortunately, Emilia reports she has now made a full recovery and is at 100%.

Cori Broadus, Snoop Dogg’s daughter, is thankful for the support of her family. In January 2024, she suffered a stroke and her loved ones immediately came to her aid. She told TopMob News reporter Will Marfuggi in December 2024 that “Everybody just came to my rescue.” Cori ended up staying in the hospital longer than expected due to other health issues. She explained that while she could have gone home after the stroke, her lupus and failing kidneys required further care. Now, Cori is recovering well. “I’m doing great,” she said. “I just had a little bit of motor skills that I had to work back on. But other than that, I was fine.”

Shailene Woodley struggled with serious health issues throughout her 20s. In a September 2024 podcast interview, she revealed she experienced hearing loss, debilitating fatigue, and constant stomach pain. She described a confusing experience with multiple doctors offering different diagnoses. Determined to find answers, Woodley, who comes from a holistic health background and studies herbalism, sought help from both traditional doctors and alternative healers. This search for well-being lasted for ten years. The physical discomfort led to deeper issues, including fear of food and struggles with body image, identity, and feeling comfortable in her own body. Thankfully, after addressing both her physical and mental health, Shailene is now healthy and happy.

Read More

2025-11-16 00:48