'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Martina Navratilova took umbrage at Kari Lake, the senior advisor to the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), this week in light of the US Supreme Court's ruling from a few weeks back, which will allow the Donald Trump administration to slash research funding on breast cancer for other purposes.
Three weeks ago, the US Supreme Court came down hard on DEI programmes, including breast cancer and HIV prevention research. Consequently, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has faced cancellation of many research grants, thereby increasing the prospects of endangering public health in the future.
Against that background, 59-time Majors titlist Martina Navratilova, who is herself a cancer survivor, took to her X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday (September 15) to call out the 47th US President's close confidant, Kari Lake. For the uninitiated, the USAGM senior advisor has been instrumental in the country's various funds being redirected away from cancer research.
Trending
"Hey Cari Lake- this actually is EVIL!!!" Martina Navratilova wrote on X while reposting a report from New York Times.
Navratilova's ire towards the above news is justified considering how she has had cancer on multiple occasions. The American legend first contracted non-invasive breast cancer in 2010, which was eventually treated with radiation and surgery. She then got stage 1 throat cancer 13 years later that further led to a separate breast cancer diagonisis.
Just like the former World No. 1, Lake is also a two-time breast cancer survivor, having faced two bouts: stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma and stage 4 breast cancer.
Martina Navratilova on second cancer diagnosis: "Holy s**t, I could die in a year or less"
In December 2023, Navratilova spoke candidly about her throat cancer diagnosis, claiming that she thought it was "a death sentence". However, the situation also gave the 18-time singles Major champion a lot of perspective on how to preserve both her physical and mental energy.
"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," Martina Navratilova said two years ago. "So before I knew exactly where it was, I was terrified that this could be a death sentence."
"First, you have to get healthy. 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."
The American is currently in the pink of her health and married to former Russian model Julia Lemigova, whom she first started dating in 2008.
