EXCLUSIVE: Pamela Anderson Reveals Hepatitis C Battle 'Took Everything' in Her Bank Account
Pamela Anderson has revealed her Hepatitis C battle drained her fortune through costly medical treatments.
Oct. 1 2026, Published 6:15 a.m. ET
Baywatch alum Pamela Anderson revealed hepatitis C was "a death sentence" that "took everything" in her bank account, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Now 59, the blond bombshell said her doctor told her she had 10 years to live when she was diagnosed with the viral infection in the late 1990s.
'It Was a Death Sentence'
Pamela Anderson said her hepatitis C diagnosis left her fearing for her young children.
"It was a death sentence," she recalled.
Back then, there was no cure for hepatitis C, which causes liver inflammation and potential long-term damage.
"I'm sure that colored and corrupted my decisions," she said. "It was not fear of death but fear of what might happen to my young children. It turned my life inside out."
In 2002, when she publicly revealed she was infected with the virus, Anderson claimed she contracted it after sharing a tattoo needle with her then-husband, Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee.
She also claimed Lee had never told her he had the disease. At the time, the former couple was locked in a custody battle over their two sons, Brandon, now 30, and Dylan, 28.
Lee, now married to fourth wife Brittany Furlan, has repeatedly denied having hepatitis C.
Anderson Says Health Battle Still 'Haunts' Her
Tommy Lee repeatedly denied having hepatitis C after Anderson claimed he infected her.
The former beach babe got new hope in 2011 when researchers developed a cure for the infection. Four years later, Anderson announced she was "hep C free."
Still, she revealed her struggle with the disease "haunts" her.
"It stays with me; it haunts me," she said. "Just like the sexual abuse that I endured as a child, it felt like it was carved into my forehead: damaged goods. And I presented myself as such."
As for the cure, "I was lucky," said Anderson. "I was offered it in its early stages and it took everything I had in my bank to pay for it. It wasn't covered by insurance yet, and I felt tremendous guilt that others weren't granted the same access."
Anderson Declares: 'I'm Not a Victim'
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Anderson said treatment for hepatitis C drained her bank account.
Today, Anderson is rebuilding her career with roles in films like The Last Showgirl and The Naked Gun – and said she's "finally come to terms" with her hepatitis C diagnosis.
"I'm not a victim. I'm a victor," she said. "I am strong and capable, more now than I could ever dream of. ... I'm not the damsel in distress, no matter how easy that role is to play."
