Lauren Tom is asking fans to keep her family in their thoughts after revealing that her 25-year-old daughter, Ellie, has been diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.
The Friends actress shared the news Sunday in an emotional Instagram post alongside a carousel of photos of Ellie, writing that her family is doing “everything we can to aid in her healing.”
“I wanted to share some tough news today,” Tom wrote. “This is my beautiful daughter, Ellie. She is currently battling osteosarcoma (bone cancer).”
Tom said she has been reminded of one of Fred Rogers’ most famous pieces of advice: “Look for the helpers.”
“In that light,” she wrote, “I’d like to thank our friends and family, and the incredible doctors and nurses at @cedarssinai for their ongoing boundless support, love, and care. It is truly humbling to see how willing people are to reach out and help.”
The actress also appealed directly to fans for support as her daughter begins treatment.
“We have a long journey ahead of us,” Tom wrote. “Would you be so kind to keep Ellie in your prayers for a complete recovery, and perhaps leave a comment for her here, or on her account?”
She described her daughter as “an amazing, deep, sensitive, wise, strong, brave, intelligent, and funny soul. Beautiful inside and out.”
Tom later echoed those sentiments in a message left on Ellie’s Instagram page, telling her daughter she was “strong” and “brave” and expressing confidence that she would recover.
Tom is perhaps best known to television audiences for playing Julie, Ross Geller’s girlfriend, during the second season of Friends. Introduced after Ross (David Schwimmer) returned from China, Julie became one of the sitcom’s most memorable supporting characters as Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) struggled to hide her feelings for him.
Before landing the role on Friends, Tom broke out in the 1993 film The Joy Luck Club, and she has since built a busy voice acting career with roles in shows including Futurama, King of the Hill, and American Dad!.
Osteosarcoma is a rare type of bone cancer that most often develops in the arms or legs. According to the Cleveland Clinic, treatment typically involves chemotherapy and surgery, and outcomes depend on whether the cancer has spread beyond the bone.
For now, Tom’s focus remains firmly on Ellie. “Thank you so much for reading and for your support,” she concluded.
