Back in 2012 she gathered the strength and told US Weekly, “It’s no secret that I am an ovarian cancer survivor, nine years and counting. But few know that several weeks ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer.” Explaining what it looks like to be diagnosed with this disease, she says, “You think American Horror Story is scary? You should’ve been in that room with me.”

After she was told the devastating news that she suffers from ovarian cancer back in 2003, her ordeal started taking place. She had undergone multiple painful surgeries and nine months of chemotherapy but decided not to share it with anyone. She told PEOPLE:

“I didn’t tell anybody. I continued to work right after the operation, doing Little Black Book with Brittany Murphy. My agent at the time was very old-school and didn’t want me to be the poster child for ovarian cancer. I didn’t want anyone to know, but it really took a lot out of me.”

Her strong will helped her overcome the situation and be cancer free up until that moment when her doctor told her she was back on the start. She had cancer again. She wondered whether that would mean walking the same path of pain and suffering all over again.