Pamela Anderson reveals the devastating diagnosis that once left her fearing for her life

Pamela Anderson has revealed that a hepatitis C diagnosis once left her believing she had only around a decade to live, adding the fear of what could happen to her young children changed the course of her life.

The Baywatch star, who was honored with amfAR’s Award of Courage in Venice on Sunday night, spoke about the diagnosis during an emotional speech at the organization’s gala.

Anderson was diagnosed with hepatitis C in the late 1990s, at a time when there was no cure.

She later underwent treatment after new medications became available and said she was declared 'hep C free' in 2015.

Anderson also revealed that paying for the treatment cost her nearly her entire savings.

According to Anderson, her doctor had warned her she 'probably had around 10 years to live.'

She said the news left her thinking less about her own death and more about what might happen to her children.

“It was not fear of death, but fear of what might happen to my young children. It turned my life inside out,” she told Variety.

Pamela Anderson was diagnosed with hepatitis C in the late 1990s, when there was no cure. (Photo by Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that primarily affects the liver and is spread through contact with infected blood.

In the US, sharing needles, syringes or other equipment used to inject drugs is the most common route of transmission, although exposure can also happen through contaminated tattoo or piercing equipment, needlestick injuries and other contact with blood.

The American Liver Foundation estimates that around 2.7 million people in the US are living with current hepatitis C infection. Many people have no symptoms, meaning the infection can go undetected.

Anderson said she was 'hep C free' by 2015 after undergoing treatment. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

When was hepatitis C cured?

A cure for hepatitis C was found in 2011, allowing Anderson to eventually receive treatment. She said she had become 'hep C free' by 2015, although the experience continued to affect her.

Anderson said the diagnosis brought feelings of shame and guilt that remained with her, comparing that experience to the impact of sexual abuse she endured as a child.

Despite saying she has not 'fully recovered' from the diagnosis, Anderson said she has begun to come to terms with what happened and has channelled those experiences into her work.

Her recent career resurgence has included roles in The Last Showgirl, The Naked Gun, Rosebush Pruning and Place to Be, which premieres at the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday.

“My truth has come through my work, finding ways to express myself through the arts,” Anderson said.

“I’m not a victim, I’m a victor. I am strong and capable, more now than I could ever dream of.”

Anderson was one of two honorees at Sunday’s amfAR Gala, where performance artist Marina Abramović received the Award of Inspiration.

The event also featured performances from Mimi Webb and Bebe Rexha, while a selection of high-value items was auctioned to raise money.

Abramović’s contribution proved to be the evening’s biggest sale. Her package, which included a digital artwork, lunch cooked by the artist at her Manhattan apartment and a tutorial in the 'Abramović Method,' sold for €500,000 ($580,000).

amfAR, which works toward ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic, has also supported hepatitis C research and advocacy because hepatitis C is a common co-infection among people living with HIV.