Aggressive chemotherapy is what Selma Blair has turned to as a last resort to help treat her multiple sclerosis.
At the Time 100 Health Summit the charismatic actress divulged that she’s turned to the risky treatment of aggressive chemo and stem cell transplants to help manage the pain of her condition.
The Hellboy actor revealed her MS diagnosis last year after various treatments were failing to alleviate her symptoms. “The disease modifiers didn’t work for me at the time, and I was really declining more rapidly than I found acceptable,” the steely-looking actor told a panel during the summit.
As for why she decided to go with the risky and new treatment of chemo and stem cell transplants for MS, Blair stated she was hesitant at first. She didn’t want to mess up what was still working in her body with a new procedure she couldn’t trust.
“Why would I put this horrible drug in it — chemotherapy, I don’t have cancer,” Blair told the summit panel. “But I was kind of out of options and I was looking.”
Blair says she was actually heartened at first when she felt relief from some symptoms after a round of chemo. She didn’t step into the procedure lightly, considering the risks and her young son, Arthur. Speaking about the risks, Selma Blair emotionally added “I was warned,” pausing to gather her thoughts.
“You kind of make your plans for death. I told my son I’m doing this, you know and he would like me cremated. You have more chemo than for cancer patients because the aim is to almost kill you and it’s the stem cells that allow you to live with the amount of chemo.”
She continued, “The chemo is the MS cure, if it, in fact, it does happen.”
The “Cruel Intentions” star has not been shy about her journey with battling MS. She’s shared multiple pictures of her ongoing battle, including her shaved head for the chemo treatment. “My hair is still not growing in … I never minded hair loss or any of those things that would be ego-involved,” the actor stated during the summit.
“My dream was to lie next to my son at night and be there as long as he needs me and hopefully do something for people. I’ve heard so much from people with chronic diseases or MS, and they’re scared and they don’t know when it’s going to get worse.”
