"I learnt to really cut the chaff" - Martina Navratilova on how cancer put her life into perspective

Martina Navratilova has divulged how her cancer diagnosis impacted her life and how it also put her life into perspective.

Earlier this year, Navratilova revealed that she is battling with throat cancer. She had already successfully overcome a similar illness in 2010. During that period, she was diagnosed with throat and breast cancer and underwent intensive radiation therapy.

The former World No. 1 recently appeared on the "On with Kara Swisher" podcast, where she shared her experience of being diagnosed with cancer for the second time. Navratilova expressed that she had become scared of dying, adding that the "death sentence" put a lot of things into perspective for her.

"The second time I got diagnosed, it was a "holy sh*t, I could die in a year or less" because the original doctor said it could be in my lungs or my kidneys or liver, which would mean it could also be in your brain. So before I knew exactly where it was, I was terrified that this could be a death sentence. And once I found out it wasn't, the prognosis is very good. But still, it puts things in perspective, no doubt about it," Navratilova said.

Martina Navratilova stated that during that time, she acquired the skill of distancing herself from individuals who had a negative impact on her well-being. She made a conscious decision to sever ties with those who constantly depleted her energy.

"When your health is at a crossroads like that, everything else takes second place. First, you have to get healthy. And I just learned to... I learned to really cut the chaff, you know, stay away from people that don't give me the energy, that suck it out of me. At the same time, I try to give the energy to people. But, you know, it needs to be a symbiotic situation, not a one-way ticket. So I've stepped away from the one-way people," she added.

Martina Navratilova after receiving cancer diagnosis: "I was in total panic for three days thinking I may not see next Christmas"

Martina Navratilova at a WTA Event in 2022

Earlier this year, Martina Navratilova defeated cancer for the second time. In an interview with British journalist and TV presenter Piers Morgan, she talked about the emotions she felt following the devastating news of her second cancer diagnosis.

Navratilova disclosed that upon receiving the diagnosis, she panicked for several days and was concerned that she would be unable to spend Christmas with her wife, Julia Lemigova, and their family.

“I was in a total panic for three days thinking I may not see next Christmas,” Martina Navratilova said.

The 18-time Grand Slam champion also discussed how she contemplated creating a bucket list because she believed she had only one year left to live.

“The bucket list came into my mind of all the things I wanted to do. And this may sound really shallow, but I was like, okay, ‘Which kick-ass car do I really want to drive if I live like a year?’” she added.