Beyond the pages of her book, Brinkley is transparent about her skin cancer diagnosis. As the host of The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Champions for Change Gala, she let people into one of her most intimate health struggles.
“I am so grateful to all the people in this room, having an opportunity to actually see the people who are doing the research, who are doing the surgeries, who are constantly making it better and easier for us to deal when things like this come along,” she expressed at the event. “Skin cancer is really on the rise. I heard today on TV that one in five people will get skin cancer. So it’s nice to know that they’re constantly evolving techniques like Mohs surgery, which minimizes how deep they have to go [to preserve healthy tissue].”
The Malibu native had a “lifetime of sun,” both on her home turf and in preparation for her on-screen roles.
“I got a job where they would say, ‘Here’s a bathing suit. Get a tan,'” the National Lampoon’s Vacation alum recalled.