Standup Comedian and Self-Proclaimed 'Love Goddess' Judy Tenuta Dies From Cancer, New England Patriots Host a ‘Day of Pampering’ for Cancer Survivors and More

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From the death of standup comedian and "Love Goddess" Judy Tenuta to professional sports hall-of-famers discussing their cancer, here’s what’s happening in the cancer space this week.

Standup comedian Judy Tenuta died from ovarian cancer, according to her longtime manager.

Tenuta rose to fame in the 1980s performing sets while playing an accordion and wearing what some considered outlandish outfits.

The standup comedian, 72, died on Thursday surrounded by her family, according to her longtime manager, Roger Paul.

Self-proclaimed "The Love Goddess," Tenuta starred in a 1987 comedy special on HBO alongside fellow comedians Ellen DeGeneres, Rita Rudner and Paula Poundstone.

Comedian Al Yankovic shared his condolences on Twitter, "Devastated to hear of the passing of my dear, dear friend, the lovely Miss Judy Tenuta. I can’t believe she’s gone. Earth has truly lost a goddess."

"So sad to hear of the passing of my longtime friend and collaborator Judy Tenuta. The world has lost a brilliant talent," wrote actress Cassandra Peterson, also known as Elvira, on Twitter.

NFL Hall of Famer and analyst Terry Bradshaw shared his diagnoses of bladder cancer and skin cancer.

Terry Bradshaw, a Hall of Fame quarterback and analyst on Fox’s NFL pregame show announced that he was diagnosed with bladder cancer in November and underwent treatment at the Yale University Medical Center in New Haven, Connecticut. While he said that he is now bladder cancer-free, he also announced that he received a diagnosis of Merkel cell carcinoma— a rare type of skin cancer — in March, which was treated with surgery at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

"Folks, I may not look like my old self, but I feel like my old self. I'm cancer free, I'm feeling great. And over time, I'm going to be back to where I normally am,” Bradshaw said during the pregame show.

Former tennis player Martina Navratilova opened up about her breast cancer diagnosis.

Czech-American former professional tennis player, Martina Navratilova — who won 59 major titles, earning her a spot in the Tennis Hall of Fame — recently discussed her 2010 breast cancer diagnosis in an interview with “Today.”

“You can be the healthiest person on the planet and still get cancer. You are definitely improving the odds by being healthy, but you’re not totally eliminating the possibility,” Navratilova said.

Navratilova also commented on her friend and tennis rival Chris Evert’s ovarian cancer diagnosis.

“Chris was such a brave warrior through it all and she went public as well for the same reason — she wanted to make sure that women were aware of what they can do to prevent this from happening,” Navratilova said.

The New England Patriots hosted 16 cancer survivors at the 2022 Day of Pampering.

As a part of the NFL’s Crucial Catch — a campaign run in conjunction with the American Cancer Society to improve cancer outcomes through early detection and risk reduction — the New England Patriots held the 2022 Day of Pampering for 16 women who were being treated for cancer in the greater Boston area. The day, which was hosted at Gillette Stadium, included yoga, candle making, massages and jewelry making.

The cause is near to the heart of Robert Kraft, president and CEO of the Patriots, whose wife died of ovarian cancer in 2011.

"This is one of the most special days to me personally because I lost the dearest person in my life to this insidious disease over 11 years ago," Kraft said. "I know what you're going through. I remember the chemo, the radiation, the pain."

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