1. Tig Notaro

Comedian Tig Notaro was diagnosed with breast cancer in both breasts in 2012–a year that was full of unfortunate personal events. Tig suffered from pneumonia and then a life-threatening bacterial infection called clostridium dificile caused by the antibiotics; her relationship with her girlfriend ended; and her mother died two weeks before she was diagnosed. However, despite all the difficulties she went through in 2012, Tig didn’t let the disease bring her down. According to Biography, she greeted an L.A. audience at Club Largo with “Good evening. Hello. I have cancer. How are you?”, a greeting that later became famous.

Tig Notaro had surgery to remove the breast cancer and decided not to have reconstructive surgery. In November 2014, at her New York Comedy Festival performance, the TSA security did not believe Tig was a woman due to her lack of breasts, so she took off her clothes. Humor was a constant during Tig’s fight and she became a face and voice for women all over the world who live without breasts. Tig is now cancer-free.

Seventeen celebrities who went through breast cancer.