Christy Carlson Romano is sharing a vulnerable health update — and encouraging others to prioritize screenings.
The 41-year-old actress posted a video on Instagram on Tuesday (February 17), revealing that she and her husband, Brendan Rooney, both underwent cancer screenings due to family history. While Rooney’s results came back negative, Romano’s screening detected something that now requires further testing.
In the caption of her post, she wrote:
“Right now the news is that something is going on. I’m nervous and a bit scared (heck who wouldn’t be!). I’m going in for a PET scan later this week and hopefully it’s something easy to treat🤞,” Christy wrote in the caption. “I debated whether or not I was going to post this because I was afraid I’d come off ‘cringe.’ But I decided it was my duty to share, so that people get out there and get screenings. Let’s keep the good vibes going and I will keep you all posted as I get more information 💪”
In the accompanying video, Romano explained that both of her parents had cancer, as well as her maternal grandmother. Given that history, she said screening felt necessary.
She received the results while in Florida filming her upcoming Hallmark movie at Walt Disney World.
Romano shared that the next step is undergoing a PET scan. She also mentioned that she is currently working with insurance companies to secure coverage for the procedure.
During the video, she became emotional while speaking about the late James Van Der Beek and his impact on their community in Austin, Texas.
“I live in Austin, and I was able to meet James Van Der Beek a bunch. His family’s amazing. He’s a pillar of our community in Texas,” she said. “They always were raising money for the most amazing charities, and he’s not with us anymore. Cancer is everywhere. Which is why I got this test.”
Though the screening result has understandably shaken her, Romano emphasized that she is approaching the situation with faith and perspective.
“It’s time to have a strong sense of faith and know that it’s in God’s hands, most of it. I’m sure people think I’m overreacting, but I’m not, because cancer is pretty serious, and I have two little girls,” Christy said.
She continued through tears:
“This is a very emotional post,” she went on through tears. “When you’re somebody like me, you kinda have to take life a day at a time, really be grateful for all the amazing stuff around you. That’s why I always try to make jokes, and I try to be funny. Not just because I’m trying to be liked, or stay relevant. I don’t share that a lot. So when my book comes out you’re gonna find out a lot of stuff about me that you didn’t know.”
