Skip to content Melanie’s journey hasn’t been without its modern-day battles. In 2010, she faced a new kind of terror when she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Later, she underwent a grueling process to remove cancerous cells from her nose, a vulnerable moment for an actress whose career depended on her appearance. She faced the diagnosis with her characteristic, self-deprecating humor, famously joking that she looked like a “dork” with a bandage on her face. Her openness about her battle with cancer turned her into a passionate advocate for awareness, and she has become a dedicated supporter of the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.