Pamela Anderson receives amfAR Award of Courage and reflects on past hepatitis C diagnosis

Pamela Anderson was presented with amfAR’s Award of Courage at a gala in Venice on Sunday. During her remarks, the actress discussed her hepatitis C diagnosis in the late 1990s, when doctors told her she had about ten years to live. At that time, no cure existed for the viral infection that can cause liver inflammation and long-term damage.

"It was a death sentence," Anderson said.

She explained that the diagnosis affected her decisions, not out of fear of death but because of concerns for her young children. Anderson also recounted publicly revealing the infection in 2002, stating she contracted it after sharing a tattoo needle with her then-husband, drummer Tommy Lee, who has denied ever having the disease.

The actress said the illness brought feelings of shame and guilt that lingered for years. In 2011 a cure for hepatitis C became available, and four years later Anderson announced she was virus-free. She noted that the treatment was not yet covered by insurance and that she spent her entire savings to afford it.

"I was lucky. I was offered it in its early stages, and it took everything I had in my bank to pay for it," she said.

Anderson added that she has now come to terms with the experience and that her recent acting work, including roles in several films premiering at the Venice Film Festival, has helped her express herself and move beyond the illness.

"My truth has come through my work… I’m not a victim, I’m a victor. I am strong and capable, more now than I could ever dream of," she said.