Chicago Med star Marlyne Barrett reveals cancer diagnosis

We all love Marlyne Barrett. The actress has been a core member of Chicago Med since its inception, and she’s been crucial to most of the show’s most iconic storylines. Unfortunately, Barrett has been dealt a difficult health situation in her own life.

The actress told People Magazine that she’s been diagnosed with ovarian and uterine cancer. She was officially diagnosed back in July, but decided to stay silent on the matter until recently, citing a desire to keep things between her and her family for as long as possible.

Marlyne Barrett weight loss

"“I’m an extremely private person, but I felt a responsibility to tell my story”, Barrett noted. “When my character went through breast cancer, I had a sea of people reach out to me through social media. They brought me courage, and so I felt a sense of inevitability to meet their hearts where they met me.”"

Barrett, who has two children with her husband, Gavin, has been undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Her weight loss has been notable between seasons 7 and 8 of Med, though less obvious is the fact that has shaved her head. The reason fans haven’t noticed? As the actress points out, she always wore a wig to play Maggie.

The Chicago Med team have been supportive of Barrett during this difficult time, and have made sure that she has what she needs to work comfortably. The actress revealed that she starts work an hour earlier than she used, as a means of getting her bearings before the shoot. She also felt that staying on Med has done a lot to keep her busy.

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"“Work brings me a lot of joy right now”, she explained. “It brings me a lot of reprieve to think about something other than, ‘When is my next chemo shift?’ and ‘How am I going to hug my children?'”"

Longtime Med fans will remember that Maggie Lockwood had a cancer scare in 2019 that she was able to overcome, and the real-life correlation has not been lost on the actress:

"“When my character went through breast cancer, I had a sea of people reach out to me through social media. They brought me courage, and so I felt a sense of inevitability to meet their hearts where they met me.”"

We can only hope that life reflects art, and that Barrett is able to pull through. Our thoughts are with her and her family during this time.

For the latest spoilers and news, plus more on the entire series, follow the Chicago Med category at One Chicago Center.