Former ‘SNL’ Star Victoria Jackson Says Inoperable Cancer Means Less Than 3 Years to Live

Victoria Jackson attends SNL's 40th Anniversary Celebration in New York City on Feb. 15, 2015. Larry Busacca/Getty Images

Actress and comedian Victoria Jackson, a former cast member of the hit sketch comedy show “Saturday Night Live,” has revealed that she has less than three years to live after an inoperable tumor was discovered in her trachea.

“Update on the cancer,” the 65-year-old shared in an Instagram video posted on Aug. 14. “They cannot operate and cut out the marble in my chest that is laying on my windpipe and eventually would suffocate me to death.”

The “Half Nelson” star went on to note that she was prescribed a “magic pill,” which she said would hopefully shrink the tumor.

“I looked up the pill on Google, and it says people who take this have 32.6 months to live, something like that,” she explained, clarifying in the post’s caption that her projected lifespan was 34.8 months.

“The people who took the placebo had 28 months to live. And I think that’s great,” she said. “I mean, the Bible says we have three score and ten—that would be 70 years for a normal life.”

Jackson—who shares daughter Scarlet with her ex-husband, film score composer Nisan Mark Eventoff, and daughter Aubrey with her current husband, former police officer Paul Wessel—expressed that she’s had “a fantastic life.”

However, the actress said there were still several milestones that she hopes to experience before dying.

“I'd like to see my grandson born—his name is Jimmy—in October, and get to know him a little,” she said. “And I would like to see my daughter, Aubrey, have a baby.”

Cancer Battle

Jackson, who appeared on “Saturday Night Live” from 1986 to 1992, has been forthcoming about her health struggles, revealing in January 2016 that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

“It all happened pretty suddenly,” the comedian wrote on her website. “Suddenly, I was in surgery (double mastectomy) and soon I’ll be beginning chemo I’m told. They say my hair will probably fall out. I’m Stage 3A. The funny thing is I’ve never felt healthier. There are no symptoms.”

The actress wrote that her distressing health scare only strengthened her faith in God. “Cancer is a horrible word,” she penned. “But, let me tell you, as a Jesus follower, this has strangely been a blessing to my family and made us much closer to each other and to God.”

In July 2016, Jackson published a separate update on her website, sharing that she had undergone her final cancer treatment. “A BIG Thank you to all the doctors, nurses and technicians whose loving care, kindness and beautiful faces and hearts I’ll never forget!” she wrote.

However, earlier this summer, Jackson took to Instagram to share that she believed her cancer had come back.

In a video posted on July 19, the actress revealed that she had been dealing with a persistent cough since contracting COVID-19 a year prior, leading her to seek advice from a medical professional. After undergoing a CT scan, Jackson’s doctor discovered a swollen node in her trachea, a U-shaped hollow tube linking the voice box to the lungs.

“When I got breast cancer 9 years ago and got my breasts cut off ... they found some cancer in my lymph nodes under my arm, so they took these all out,” Jackson explained. “Maybe the cancer went to my lungs’ lymph node. Maybe we’re gonna be on a very not fun journey this year, I don’t know yet.”

In a series of subsequent updates, Jackson shared that she had undergone a bronchoscopy, a procedure used to examine the inside of the lungs and air passages, per the Mayo Clinic.

On Aug. 1, Jackson uploaded a video on Instagram alongside the caption: “It’s cancer! Back from 9 years ago!”

“I’m trying to see if my marble that they found in my lung is cancer or not. I cannot understand their words on here, so I’m a little nervous,” she said in the clip while attempting to read through the results of her bronchoscopy.

“Malignant cells present,” she read from her computer screen, adding: “I think that means cancer.”

“Had it before, been through it before. Jesus walked me through it,” she said. “Here we go again.”