Busy Philipps Reveals Brain Tumor Removal: ‘Grateful That I’m Alive’

Busy Philipps revealed she had a malignant brain tumor removed just weeks before beginning production on her new CBS series Cupertino. The Freaks & Geeks star discovered the tumor after getting a precautionary full-body MRI she learned about on Instagram — despite her doctor considering her young and healthy with no symptoms. The scan revealed a brain lesion requiring immediate follow-up. Surgeons removed an oligodendroglioma, a malignant tumor caused by two genetic alterations. Her doctor warned that waiting until symptoms appeared would have made removal far more difficult. Philipps kept her diagnosis private, fearing she might lose her role. The surgery was successful, and she proceeded with filming. “I’m grateful that I’m alive,” she told People. “There’s nothing to be afraid of in having information. It’s only empowering.”