03 January 2023 , 13:00
374
0
Julia Lemigova has thanked fans for their support after her wife Martina Navratilova was diagnosed with two types of cancer.
The tennis star, 66, has been diagnosed with stage-one throat and breast cancer after finding a swollen lymph node in her neck in November.
Opening up about the diagnoses on Instagram, 50-year-old Julia said they were determined to overcome the illnesses.
Sharing a picture of herself with her wife and their dog, the Real Housewives of Miami star wrote: "Thank you to everyone who has reached out to share words of support.
"Together, we will fight this."
Real Housewives star NeNe Leakes savagely calls show's current cast 'starless'
Julia's Real Housewives co-stars offered their support in the comments.
Julia Lemigova thanked fans for their kind messages (Instagram)
The pair tied the knot in 2014 (Getty Images for Netflix)Adriana de Moura wrote: "Yes! Together we will win this battle," while Larsa Pippen and Lisa Hochstein each left a series of red heart emojis.
"We love you both and positive thoughts only," Guerdy Abraira wrote.
Alexia Echevarria added: "You are both strong and you will fight this and win."
Martina announced her cancer diagnoses on Monday and issued an emotional statement in which she vowed to fight the disease.
Martina has been diagnosed with throat and breast cancer (AFP/Getty Images)"This double whammy is serious but still fixable. I'm hoping for a favourable outcome. It's going to stink for a while but I'll fight with all I have got," she told The Times.
A spokeswoman for Martina has added that "both these cancers are in early stage with great outcomes".
Martina will no longer travel to this month's Australian Open in Melbourne where she was due to work as a TV pundit.
She is instead expected to make remote appearances from her home in Miami on the Tennis Channel broadcasts.
She will no longer travel to the Australian Open (BBC / Jonathan Ford)The news comes 13 years after the sporting icon was given the all-clear following radiation therapy for breast cancer.
Reality TV star 'beyond devastated' after stepson dies aged just 22
Martina announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2010 following a routine mammogram that showed she had ductal carcinoma in situ in her left breast.
She said that she felt helpless after the diagnosis, but decided to speak out to raise awareness for women in similar situations.
Her tumour was surgically removed before she received radiation therapy.