Olivia Munn has revealed that her mother, Kim Munn (a.k.a. Miss Kim), has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The actor revealed her own breast cancer diagnosis and double mastectomy in March 2024 after undergoing a genetic test that said she was negative for the BRCA gene but further testing revealed she had luminal B breast cancer. Munn was diagnosed in 2023.
Munn shared her mother’s diagnosis on Instagram on July 9. “My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer,” Munn captioned her post, which featured photos of her mother receiving treatment for her illness. “You may know that when I talk about my own battle with cancer I bring up the Lifetime Risk Assessment test that saved my life. I never would’ve predicted it would save my mom’s life as well.”
Munn said in her Instagram post that she urged her mother and sister to take the Breast Cancer Lifetime Risk Assessment test. Her mother’s results came back with a score of 26.2%, which prompted Munn to encourage her to get an MRI. This MRI revealed that Kim had Stage 1 Her2 breast cancer. According to The Newsroom alum, her mother has undergone 12 rounds of chemotherapy since and “will continue monthly Herceptin transfusions until this fall.” Kim also had a double mastectomy like her daughter.
Munn’s post documents her mother’s cancer treatment and shares photos of their family supporting her through the process, including images of John Mulaney, Munn’s husband, and their children.
“From my mom being there after my double mastectomy to me being there after hers. From me having to find an oncologist, to my mom and I sharing one. I can tell you this: going through cancer is really hard. But there’s something about watching a loved one go through it that is even more heartbreaking,” Munn’s post continued. “My mom’s husband, Sam, and I learned everything we could about Her2, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, cold caps… I spent many nights taking care of my mom when the chemo became too much, wishing I could fight the fight for her, even if only for a day to give her a little break. It’s no small feat to realize you can’t do it for them. To anyone out there who is taking care of someone or has made it their profession to do so, thank you. There fights can feel near impossible without you.”
Munn has publicly advocated for people to take the Tyrer-Cuzick Risk Assessment test in the years since she took it herself. The test “saved my life and now my mom’s,” Munn wrote.
“This is a free, online test,” she continued. “Anything above 20% is considered high risk for breast cancer and you should insist that your doctor order a breast MRI. According to Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi, every woman should take the test starting at the age of 30. She advises recalculating anytime you have started hormone treatment, had a baby, or have a relative newly diagnosed with breast cancer. We’re taught about our periods, yearly Pap smears, and mammograms at 40. And we now need every gynecologist to incorporate lifetime risk test into their care plan. All of these things matter, you can’t leave one off. My mom wanted me to tell you that she hopes by sharing her story it will help save someone’s life.”
“I want to say how proud I am of my mom. She’s handled all of this with bravery and humor while still driving us crazy (just days after her double mastectomy, she tried to do laundry and make dinner — she’s insane),” Munn went on, closing out her statement with a thank you to medical professionals. “My family and I would like to thank the hospital nurses, patient coordinators, and staff who have taken care of my mother.”