(NEXSTAR/WJW) – Richard Simmons has apologized for any confusion he may have caused Monday after writing on Facebook that he was “dying.”
“Sorry many of you have gotten upset about my message today,” Simmons wrote in a Facebook post later the same day. “Even the press has gotten in touch with me. I am not dying.”
The clarification came just hours after a more lengthy post from Simmons, in which he wrote, “I have some news to tell you. Please don’t be sad. I am … dying. Oh I can see your faces now. The truth is we all are dying. Every day we live we are getting closer to our death.”
In the original post, Simmons went on to urge his followers to enjoy their lives “to the fullest” while leading healthy lifestyles.
“Live today and don’t forget to pray,” he concluded the post.
While many of Simmons’ followers appeared to understand his intended message, others expressed concern for what they interpreted to be an update on the lifestyle guru’s health, prompting Simmons to issue a clarification.
“It was a message about saying how we should embrace every day that we have. Sorry for this confusion,” he wrote in a subsequent post.
On Tuesday, however, Simmons revealed he had once been diagnosed with skin cancer, though he didn’t indicate whether the diagnosis had inspired his Monday posts.
In a series of Facebook posts on Tuesday and Wednesday, Simmons recounted visiting a dermatologist years ago after noticing a “strange looking bump” under his eye.
“I sat in his chair and he looked at it through a magnifying mirror. He told me he would have to scrape it and put it under the microscope,” Simmons recalled. “Now I am getting a little bit nervous. He comes back about 20 minutes later and says the C word. You have cancer.”
Simmons, 75, said his doctor diagnosed him with basal cell carcinoma — one of the most common forms of skin cancer, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Fortunately, it’s also one of the most treatable, the organization notes.
Simmons then recounted a visit to a skin-cancer specialist, where the doctor used an instrument to “burn” off the cancerous cells — possibly referencing a cryotherapy or electrodessication procedure.
“As he started burning my skin a tear dropped down my cheek,” Simmons wrote. “You can’t cry during this and he wiped my tear. The burning really hurt my skin. It lasted about 30 minutes.”
Simmons said he followed up with the doctor later the same day to undergo the procedure for a second time, and possibly a third, before the cancerous cells had been removed.
His cancer story, however, “was nothing compared to some people that I knew,” Simmons said, explaining that he has “lost a lot of friends to cancer.”
“I know some of you reading this have had cancer or have known someone in your life who has had cancer. Promise me you will see your doctor and get a complete check up,” he wrote.
Simmons’ fans flooded the post with supportive messages, but praised him for being candid about his health scare.
“Sending, prayers, love and gentle warm hugs to you Richard. You are an amazing man,” one follower wrote.
Basal cell carcinoma, like many skin cancers, is usually caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays, usually from “the sun, tanning beds, or sunlamps,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Along with squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma is one of the more treatable forms of skin cancer, though it can become more problematic or even life-threatening if left untreated, the Skin Cancer Foundation warns.
The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends self-examinations for skin cancer once per month, and scheduling a screening with a dermatologist at least once per year. Those at higher risk are advised to go more frequently.
“Remember that early detection of skin cancer is the key to the most minimal and cost-effective treatment with the highest chance of a cure,” the foundation writes.
