Catherine Zeta-Jones 'a Mess' After Husband's Diagnosis

27 July 2014

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas

Catherine Zeta-Jones was a "mess" after her husband was diagnosed with cancer.

Michael Douglas discovered he had stage four throat cancer in 2010 after being misdiagnosed, "not once, not twice, but three times," and his wife admitted she found it difficult to cope.

Speaking at the International Federation of Head and Neck Oncologic Societies' fifth World Congress opening ceremony in New York, the 44-year-old actress said: "I was a mess. I'll be quite frank, I was a mess.

"When I'm married to a man who has such a conviction for life ... he fights to make the wrongs right. For the first time he was fighting for his life."

69-year-old Michael - who has daughter Carys, 11, and son, Dylan, 12, with Catherine - has been cancer free since January 2011 and said: "In every sense of the word. I'm very fortunate to be here today."

Crediting the medical team at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, he said: "We can only imagine what the next century will bring. Thank you for saving my life."

The couple split briefly last year but soon reconciled and are happier than ever.