Cobie Smulders recently opened up about her fight with ovarian cancer.
You likely know Smulders from TV's "How I Met Your Mother," and she'll be coming to the big screen in several films this year — including "Avengers: Age of Ultron."
The 33-year-old now hopes her celebrity can raise awareness about ovarian cancer. Smulders recently revealed to Women's Health that she was diagnosed with the disease at age 25.
"I had tumors on both ovaries," she told the magazine. "And the cancer had spread into my lymph nodes and surrounding tissues."
Smulders beat the disease, but only after two years' worth of surgeries that left her with just one third of an ovary. Having had some time to reflect, she's looking to encourage others in their own battles with cancer.
"I don't think I'll ever feel like I'm cancer-free," she added. "Now that I'm five years out, I'm trying to think of it as a positive thing and what can I learn from it. And if I can create more awareness, I'll do it."
Doctors originally told Smulders she wouldn't be able to have children naturally. She's since given birth to two children with husband and 'Saturday Night Live' star Taran Killam. Just two months after the most recent birth, she posed topless for the cover of Women's Health.
"It was my first topless photo shoot where I wasn't trying to appear 'sexy,' which was interesting," the actress said. "Because it's a women's magazine, I feel like being topless is more about being confident and about being happy with your body rather than trying to excite somebody else."
The American Cancer Society estimates that about 21,290 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the US this year. Around 14,180 American women will likely die from the disease in 2015.
