Sharon Stone received a standing ovation after she delivered an emotional speech at the Women’s Cancer Research Fund’s (WCRF) An Unforgettable Evening fundraiser. The Oscar-nominated Basic Instinct actress paid tribute to others honored at the event and talked about her health struggles, encouraging those in attendance to support the WCRF.
Fox Business notes that Stone underwent breast reconstruction surgery in 2001 after doctors removed benign tumors, which she later learned were large fibroid tumors requiring more surgery. The 65-year-old actress also opened up about her health challenges in her memoir, The Beauty of Living Twice, including the fact she had one-and-a-half times more breast tissue removed than initially reported. At the WCRF event, she shared a poignant moment about her hairstylist—who did her hair after receiving her first chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer—and then tearfully urged the crowd to donate more money to the cause.
Though she did not provide many details, The Hollywood Reporter highlighted Stone’s confession she’d “just lost half my money to this banking thing.” She was likely referring to the recent collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and the subsequent financial market turmoil. The California-based bank, which primarily served tech start-ups, was shut down by regulators on March 10 following a liquidity crisis. The government has since announced plans to ensure customers can access their funds.
Stone also spoke about the recent passing of her brother, Patrick Stone, 57, who died from heart disease: “My brother just died,” she said, “and that doesn’t mean that I’m not here. This is not an easy time for any of us. This is a hard time in the world, but I’m telling you what, I’m not having some politician tell me what I can and cannot do. How I can and cannot live, and what the value of my life is and is not. So stand up. Stand up and say what you’re worth. I dare you. That’s what courage is.”
