“This trip was difficult for me”

Nicole Eggert revealed that she was diagnosed with breast cancer last month in December, and admitted that “the journey has been difficult for me.”

The 51-year-old Baywatch star – who made her first public appearance in 18 months last year in June – spoke about her health battle during an interview with the people Published on Monday.

The actress reported that after gaining about 25 pounds and experiencing pain in her left breast beginning in October, she underwent a mammogram and three biopsies — which led to a diagnosis of stage 2 breast cancer.

While she initially assumed her symptoms were due to menopause, she “immediately” contacted her doctor when she felt a lump after performing a self-examination.

“It was really hurtful and hurtful,” Nicole explained. “I immediately went to my GP and she told me I had to go straight away and get checked out.”

But she added: “The problem is I couldn't get an appointment. Everything was booked up. So I had to wait until the end of November to get it done.”

“This journey has been difficult for me,” Eggert — a mother of two daughters — admitted to the outlet.

“This has not been a fun ride in life,” the actress said, adding that she was focusing on positivity. “I always read inspirational quotes and cliche things, but they keep me going.”

Nicole revealed that her next steps are to undergo surgery to remove the cancer, as well as to undergo chemotherapy and radiation. The star added that it is currently unclear whether the cancer has spread.

Regarding the lump, she explained: “I can definitely feel it. It's there. It needs to be taken out. So it's just a matter of should I do the treatment before surgery or can they do the surgery and then I can do the treatment afterward.”

Eggert was honest about the difficulty of waiting, saying, “I'm panicking where I want to be, just get it out of me.”

“You're sitting there and he's inside you, and every second that goes by she's inside me.” It's growing, and you just want to get rid of it.

Nicole is a mother to daughters Delaine, 25, and Keegan, 12, and admitted her “biggest fear” is no longer being there for her children.

She explained that although Delaine is an “adult,” the actress also has “a 12-year-old at home where I am the sole caregiver.” I have no family. i have nothing.'

The Blown Away actress recalled the moment she told her children about her breast cancer diagnosis, and recalled the “horror” on Keegan's face.

“It made me realize right away that there's no giving up on this. This is something I have to get over. This is something I have to get over. She needs me more than anything and anyone.”

The star – a single mother – told People magazine it hasn't been easy financially.

'My fear is that my daily activity, everything I do to keep everything going, will completely stop when I don't feel well or I'm sick or I'm in the hospital or whatever happens.'

“It's very stressful, and I'm doing everything I can to not escalate,” Nicole continued.

“At night when I lie down, I panic because I'm like, 'Okay, who's going to cover all the bills?' Who will do all this?

Mindy Molinari, Eggert's close friend, created the website GoFundMe For Nicole to help the star with finances as she begins her health battle.

The artist published the link to the page on her social media accounts, including Instagram.

“Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear,” she wrote in the caption alongside a photo of herself with her two daughters.

'If we believe tomorrow will be better, we can endure hardship today. – Thich Nhat Hanh. Link in bio – Please read and please share.'

She also expressed her gratitude for her friend's help while speaking with the magazine and revealed that she has plans to start a non-profit organization after her recovery.

“I 100% want to start a non-profit for other single parents like me, who don't have any family, don't have anyone to turn to.”

“They bear all this on their own because they love their children so much, but when something happens to them, what then?” Nicole added.

Real Housewives alum Bethenny Frankel shared a screenshot of the GoFundMe page on her Instagram Stories and wrote: “As a mother, this breaks my heart…”

“I donated to this cause.” As someone with no parental support, it was scary to be out there alone. Being responsible for girls, terrified of not being able to put a roof over their heads, let alone not being there for them, is terrifying.

“And then to not have the ability to earn…it's all terrible.” Spread the word. “Donate a small amount,” she told her followers, adding that people close to her had also made a similar donation.

'The name of this game is pay it forward. I don't even know her but my heart is breaking right now for her and those little girls…Xoxo.

After facing financial struggles in the past, such as filing for bankruptcy for the third time in 2013, the star started a new venture in 2014 by becoming a driver for her own ice cream truck.

Nicole notably portrayed the role of Roberta “Summer” Quinn on the hit series, Baywatch, in its third and fourth seasons.

She also starred in Charles In Charge from 1987 to 1990, playing the character Jimmy Powell.