ii and anne, queen of great britain, and daughter of edward hyde, 1st earl of clarendon; died at age 34 queen atossa of persia (550 bc–475 bc) daughter of persian king cyrus the great, half-sister and wife of persian and egyptian king cambyses ii, later wife of cambyses ii's brother, persian and egyptian king smerdis, later wife of persian and egyptian king darius i, and mother of persian and egyptian king xerxes i; died at about age 75, circa 475 bc queen elizabeth the queen mother (1900–2002) born elizabeth angela marguerite bowes-lyon, mother of queen elizabeth ii and princess margaret, countess of snowdon; died at age 101 (breast and colon cancer survivor, only revealed posthumously) princess of ukok (c. 500 bc) "siberian ice maiden", a scytho-siberian woman whose remains were found in republic of altai, russia empress theodora (c. 500–548) empress of the byzantine empire and wife of emperor justinian i; both are commemorated on november 14 as saints in the eastern orthodox church; died before the age of 50 science name life comments diagnosis reference claudia alexander (1959–2015) canadian-born american research scientist mary anning (1799–1847) english fossil collector and paleontologist from lyme regis, dorset, england; subject of the book mary anning of lyme regis by crispin tickell; died at age 48 diagnosed in 1845 at age 46 mary astell (1666–1731) english philosopher and feminist writer; died at age 65 diagnosed in 1731 at age 65 dame patricia bergquist (1933–2009) born patricia rose smyth, new zealand zoologist and professor; died at age 76 yvonne brill (1924–2013) born yvonne madelaine claeys, canadian-american rocket and jet propulsion engineer; died at age 88 rachel carson (1907–1964) american environmentalist and author (silent spring); died at age 56 diagnosed in 1960 at age 53 dorothy leavitt cheney (1950–2018) american primatologist and scholar; died at age 68 anna donald (1966–2009) born anastasia katherine courtice, australian epidemiologist and company director; died at age 42 ruth marguerite easterling (1898–1943) african-american physician and pathologist; worked with william augustus hinton to help develop the hinton test for syphilis; died at age 45 sophie germain (1776–1831) french mathematician; died at age 55 jerri nielsen (1952–2009) born jerri lin cahill, american physician who famously treated herself for breast cancer while stuck in the south pole after discovering a lump on her breast, as depicted in the movie ice bound; died at age 57 diagnosed in 1999 at age 47 , edith pechey (1845–1908) aka mary edith pechey-phipson, british female physician and women's rights activist; died at age 63 diagnosed in 1907 at age 62 marjorie shostak (1945–1996) american anthropologist; died at age 51 diagnosed in 1989 at age 44 sports name life comments diagnosis reference kathy ahern (1949–1996) american professional golfer diagnosed c. 1991 raelene boyle (1951–present) australian olympic champion athlete; in 2000; also surviving ovarian cancer diagnosed in 1996 at age 45 kirsten venetta brown (1963–2006) african-american slalom canoeist; died at age 43 helen callaghan (1923–1992) canadian-born american baseball player; died at age 69 edna campbell (1968–present) african-american professional basketball star diagnosed in 2002 at age 34 marina dalglish (1954–present) founder of the marina dalglish appeal; wife of scottish former international football player kenny dalglish diagnosed in 2003 at age 49 faye dancer (1925–2002) former star of the all-american girls professional baseball league and the inspiration for madonna's character in the film a league of their own; died at age 77 diagnosed in 2000 at age 75 eleanor dapkus (1923–2011) american baseball player; died at age 87 cecilia de la hoya (1951–1990) born cecilia gonzalez, mother of boxing champion oscar de la hoya who founded the cecilia gonzalez de la hoya cancer center in her memory; died at age 39 kelly jo dowd (1965–2007) born kelly jo dennis, american mother of golfer dakoda dowd diagnosed in 2002 at age 37 ludmila engquist (1964–present) russian-swedish hurdler diagnosed in 1999 at age 34 heather farr (1965–1993) american lpga tour golfer; died at age 28 diagnosed in 1989 at age 24 deanna favre (1970–present) wife of american football quarterback brett favre; founder of the deanna favre hope foundation diagnosed in 2004 at age 33 , peggy fleming (1948–present) american olympic champion figure skater diagnosed in 1998 at age 50 ernie green (1938–present) african-american former professional cleveland browns football player; his two sisters were also diagnosed with breast cancer, one of whom died due to the disease diagnosed in 2005 at age 67 akira hokuto (1967–present) born hisako uno, japanese professional wrestler diagnosed in 2015 at age 48 tiffany jackson (1985–2022) american basketball player died in 2022 at age 37 jane mcgrath (1966–2008) born jane louise steele, wife of australian cricket champion glenn mcgrath diagnosed in 1997 at age 31 judy rankin (1945–present) born judy torluemke, american hall of fame professional golfer diagnosed in 2006 at age 61 betsy rawls (1928–present) american hall of fame professional golfer diagnosed in 1999 at age 71 dorothy shula (1933–1991) born dorothy alice bartish, american wife of miami dolphins football coach don shula who founded the don shula foundation for breast cancer research diagnosed in 1985 at age 51 rell sunn (1950–1998) american world surfing champion; died at age 47 diagnosed in 1983 at age 32 archived 2007-02-14 at the wayback machine mickey wright (1935–2020) american hall of fame professional golfer; died at age 85 diagnosed in 2006 kay yow (1942–2009) american head coach of the women's basketball team at north carolina state university; died at age 66 diagnosed in 1987 at age 45; recurrence in 2004 at age 62 television and radio name life comments diagnosis reference sarah beeny (1972–present) english broadcaster and entrepreneur diagnosed in 2022 at age 50 rachael bland (1978–2018) english journalist and podcast presenter diagnosed in 2016 at age 38; died in 2018 at age 40 julia bradbury (1970–present) irish-born english television presenter and journalist diagnosed in 2021 at age 51 pattie daly caruso (1944–2017) mother of american television personality carson daly , sarah cawood (1972–present) english broadcaster and presenter diagnosed in 2021 at age 49 julia child (1912–2004) born julia carolyn mcwilliams; american television chef, known as "the french chef"; survived breast cancer and died of natural causes at age 91 diagnosed in 1967 at age 55 brenda edwards (1969–present) english singer, actress and television presenter diagnosed in 2019 at age 50 linda ellerbee (1944–present) born linda jane smith; american television journalist diagnosed in 1991 at age 47 laura ingraham (1964–present) american radio host/pundit diagnosed in 2005 at age 41 caron keating (1962–2004) northern irish television celebrity; the caron keating foundation was founded in her honor; died at age 41 diagnosed in 1997 at age 34 jennifer lyon (1972–2010) american contestant on the cbs reality television series survivor: palau; died at age 37 diagnosed in 2005 at age 33 debbie mcgee (1958–present) english television, radio and stage performer diagnosed in 2018 at age 59 carol mcgiffin (1960–present) english radio and television broadcaster diagnosed in 2014 at age 54 wendy mesley (1957–present) canadian television presenter and reporter for cbc television diagnosed in january, 2005 at age 48 diana moran (1941–present) born diana ruth dicker, british model, fitness expert and journalist; known as "the green goddess" on bbc1's breakfast time television programme in the 1980s diagnosed in 1988 at age 47 dame jenni murray (1950–present) born jennifer susan bailey, british bbc presenter diagnosed in 2006 at age 56 dede robertson (1927–2022) born adelia elmer, american nurse, author, television personality, and activist; wife of american christian televangelist pat robertson; died at age 94 diagnosed in 1986 deidre sanders (1945–present) born june deidre sanders, english columnist and agony aunt diagnosed in 2022 at age 77 susan stamberg (1938–present) born susan levitt, american radio journalist for national public radio diagnosed in 1986 at age 48 betty thompson (1934–1994) canadian television host of a children's programme produced at ckco's studios; founded the annual betty thompson golf classic for breast cancer fundraising; died at age 60 diagnosed in 1990 at age 56 visual arts name life comments diagnosis reference lucy, lady duff-gordon (1863–1935) born lucy christiana sutherland, london-born canadian early 20th century fashion designer known as "lucile"; sister to screenwriter elinor glyn; survivor of the sinking of the titanic; died at age 71 archived 2003-09-20 at the wayback machine miriam engelberg (1958–2006) american graphic artist/writer/blogger; died on october 18, 2006, at age 48 diagnosed in 2001 at age 43 lona foote (1950/1951–1993) american photographer; died on april 15, 1993, at age 42 kate greenaway (1846–1901) british illustrator; died at age 55 trina schart hyman (1939–2004) american children's book illustrator; died at age 65 betsey johnson (1942–present) american fashion designer shirley ardell mason (1923–1998) american artist, inspiration for the book and film sybil; died at age 75 matuschka (1954–present) born joanne motichka, american fine art photographer and breast cancer activist diagnosed in 1991 jean muir (1928–1995) english fashion designer; died at age 66 alma reville (1899–1982) english-born american assistant film director, actress, and wife of film director alfred hitchcock; died of natural causes at age 82 hollis sigler (1948–2001) american painter; died at age 53 diagnosed in 1985, the cancer returned in 1991; by 1993, it had spread to her bones, pelvis and spine (sigler's mother and a great-grandmother had also succumbed to the disease) jo spence (1934–1992) british photographer; died at age 58 hendrickje stoffels (1626–1663) artist model and mistress of the dutch painter rembrandt barbra walz (1950/1951–1990) american fashion photographer; died at age 39 thelma wood (1901–1970) american sculptor; died at age 69 writing name life comments diagnosis reference kathy acker (1947–1997) born karen lehman, american author, playwright, and essayist; died at age 50 diagnosed in 1996, aged 49 valentine ackland (1906–1969) born mary kathleen macrory ackland, british poet; died at age 63 lisa bonchek adams (1969–2015) born lisa deborah bonchek, american writer known as @adamslisa; died at age 45 diagnosed in 2012 margery allingham (1904–1966) british mystery writer; died at age 62 v. c. andrews (1923–1986) born cleo virginia andrews, american author; died at age 62 sally belfrage (1936–1994) british author and journalist; died at age 57 erma bombeck (1927–1996) born erma louise fiste, american columnist and author; survived breast cancer but died during a kidney transplant; died at age 69 fanny burney (1752–1840) english novelist; survived breast cancer; died at age 88 anna petrovna bunina (1774–1829) russian poet and writer; died at age 55 joan riddell cook (1922–1995) american journalist and labor activist; founded jaws (journalism and women symposium); died at age 73 julia darling (1956–2005) award-winning british writer; died at age 48 antoinette-thérèse des houlières (1659–1718) french poet; died at age 59 , antoinette du ligier de la garde deshoulières (1638–1694) french poet; died at age 56 helen dewar (1936–2006) american political reporter for the washington post newspaper; died at age 70 shirley graham du bois (1896–1977) born lola shirley graham jr., african-american author, playwright, composer and activist; died at age 80 susan duncan (1952–present) australian author and magazine editor barbara ehrenreich (1941–2022) born barbara alexander, american author and ethicist annalee fadiman (1917–2002) born annalee whitmore, world war ii foreign correspondent for life and time magazines and author. committed suicide at age 85 after suffering from breast cancer and parkinson's disease caitlin flanagan (1961–present) american magazine writer, editor and book author mary lou forbes (1926–2009) born mary lou werner, aka ludie forbes, american journalist and commentator diagnosed in 2009, several weeks before her death at age 83 lacey fosburgh (1942–1993) american author; died at age 50 virginia hamilton (1936-2002) american author; died at age 65 jane hamsher (1959–present) born jane murphy, american film producer, author and liberal blogger diagnosed 3rd time in december 2006 at age 47 molly ivins (1944–2007) american journalist and author diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer; died at age 62 diagnosed in 1999 at age 55 alice james (1848–1892) american diarist, sister of american psychologist william james and american author henry james and daughter of american theologian henry james sr.; died at age 43 june jordan (1936–2002) african-american professor of african-american studies, poet and author of 28 books; died at age 62 diagnosed in 1992 at age 56 jennifer lash (1938–1993) aka jini fiennes; british writer/artist; mother of six (including actors ralph and joseph, producers martha, magnus, and sophie and jacob fiennes); died at age 55 diagnosed in the 1980s betsy lehman (1955–1994) boston globe newspaper columnist, and maureen bateman, a teacher, both of whom had advanced breast cancer, but died