Valerie Harper Diagnosed with Brain Cancer; Given Only 3 Months to Live!

In shocking news today, People magazine announced that Valerie Harper has Terminal Brain Cancer!  Back in January, tests revealed that she has leptomeningeal carcinomatosis.   This is a rare cancer where the cancerous cells spread to the fluid that surrounds the brain.

She was diagnosed with as little as three months to live.

Harper was known for her iconic television role as Rhoda Morgenstern.  Rhoda was a character on the Mary Tyler Moore show, a role for which Harper won three back to back Emmys.  Her spin off show entitled simply “Rhoda”, used to pull in as many as 50 million viewers a week.  Harper has a total of four Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe, not to mention countless nominations from playing that character.  She was receiving an unprecedented $25,000 per episode in the 70’s.  There currently is no equivalent television star today….maybe House.

The 72 year old Harper appears to maintain a positive outlook..as much as one can have after being given a death sentence.  She told People,

  “I don’t think of dying, I think of being here now.”

Harper battled lung cancer and won back in 2009.  She has been married to her husband Tony Cacciotti since 1987. The two have a daughter together.   I hope the media circus allows them to have this time together in peace.

Here is a throwback to the opening of Rhoda…..