Model Bianca Balti Shares Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis

Bianca Balti is sharing a heartbreaking health update.

The model, 40, announced in a Sept. 15 Instagram post that she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

"Last Sunday, I checked myself into the ER to find out that my lower abdominal pain was stage 3C ovarian cancer," Balti wrote. "It’s been a week full of fear, pain and tears but mostly love, hope, laughter, and strength."

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model has an optimistic outlook on her cancer battle, sharing that her friends and family serve as motivation to give this fight everything she has.

"I have a long journey ahead, but I know I will beat this," she said. "For myself, my loved ones (my daughters are at the top of the list), and all of you who need strength, you can borrow some of mine cause I have loads."

Balti—who shares Matilde, 17, with her ex-husband, Christian Lucidi, and Mia, 9, with her husband Matthew McRae—concluded her health update with an inspiring message to her followers.

"Life happens; give it a reason," she shared. "So far, cancer has given me a chance to find beauty through life’s hurdles."

As part of her announcement, the Italian model also included a slew of smile-filled selfies and videos from her time in the hospital with her loved ones and medical staff.

In one of the videos, Balti further elaborated on her positive outlook as she tackles cancer.

"I'm doing so much better, and I'm just blessed that I found out," she explained to the camera, adding that she had just left surgery after "they took out everything" from her "lower abdomen," adding that she's gearing up for chemotherapy.

Balti added, "I am doing so well, I swear to you. I have very, very, very high hopes for everything. Do not worry for me, and you'll see me soon in perfect health."

This isn't the first time that Balti has publicly opened up about her health.

Earlier this year, she shared that she had undergone a preventative double mastectomy in Dec. 2022 after learning that she was a carrier for the BRCA1 gene. The results meant that she had a 50 percent chance of getting breast cancer and a 30 perfect chance of getting ovarian cancer in her lifetime.

"The hardest part of this entire process has been the fear,” she told Vogue in March. “Of finding out the diagnosis, the unknown, of taking time off work, of not knowing how my body will look.”

Balti said that hearing from other women who were inspired to get checked after learning her story is what pushed her to continue to be open about her health journey.

"Every time I speak publicly about what happened to me, people will reach out and tell me they did a mammogram or had their genes tested,” she explained. “So I know it actually makes a difference when you talk about it."