christy carlson romano Reveals Positive Cancer Screening, Says Husband’s Test Was Negative and She’s Fighting for a PET Scan
Christy Carlson Romano, the 41-year-old former Disney star and voice of Kim Possible, shared an emotional health update on social media, saying a recent cancer screening returned a positive result for her while her husband’s test was clear. In a tearful video posted on Feb. 17 (ET), Romano described the next steps she will take and the obstacles she’s facing in securing follow-up imaging.
Tearful disclosure: positive screen, husband negative
Romano said she and her husband, Brendan Rooney, both went through cancer screenings because of a strong family history of the disease. She revealed that Rooney’s results "came back completely negative, " but hers "did not come back negative, " prompting immediate concern. She emphasized that a positive screening result is not an official diagnosis but does mean further testing is needed to determine whether cancer is present and, if so, how advanced it might be.
Visibly emotional, Romano told viewers she felt "nervous and a bit scared, " and highlighted her role as a mother to two young daughters — Isabella, 9, and Sophia, 7 — as a driving force behind her urgency to get answers. She said she’s trying to keep her focus day to day while leaning on faith and family for support.
PET scan next — but insurance dispute could delay answers
The next medical step Romano outlined is a PET scan, an imaging test that can detect metabolic activity and help identify cancerous lesions. She said she is pushing to get that scan scheduled, but that insurers are balking at covering the procedure. Romano described an active fight with her insurance company to obtain coverage, a hurdle that could postpone the definitive testing she needs.
She pledged to continue advocating for herself until she secures the scan and the answers it will provide, and asked followers to send positive energy while promising to update the public as more information becomes available.
Family history and recent losses spurred testing; memoir also in the works
Romano has been candid about a family history of cancer: both of her parents were diagnosed, her mother survived while her father died from the disease, and a maternal grandmother also succumbed to lung cancer. Those personal connections, she said, played a key role in her decision to get screened. Romano also cited the recent death of a friend and fellow actor from colorectal cancer as a prompt for taking action.
Beyond her health update, Romano said she is in the process of publishing a memoir and is trying to balance promoting that work with the uncertainty of her medical situation. She has asked for privacy and positivity as she navigates tests and insurance hurdles, and thanked family members for their support. Rooney left an encouraging message in the comments, telling her they would face the challenge together.
This announcement arrives amid a period of continued public candor from Romano, who last year described surviving a non-life-threatening but traumatic accidental shooting incident. Her latest disclosure reinforces her message about the importance of screenings and taking proactive steps when risk factors are present.
Romano’s followers and fellow entertainers have responded with offers of support. She has said she will provide updates as she receives them and continues the fight to get the PET scan that could clarify what the positive screening result means for her health.
