Chris Evert is an athlete who, despite facing enormous challenges, accomplished a brilliant career. For starters, she had to prove that women were worthy of respect in the sport. Then, throughout her career, she had to compete fiercely with Martina Navratilova.

Nonetheless, she was not crushed by the weight of the expectations. What really shook Evert was when a disease crept into her family and took her sister. Now, after a long battle with cancer, Chris Evert spoke about the importance of caring for one’s health.

Chris Evert calls for people to take their health seriously

Earlier this year, tennis icon Chris Evert revealed she was suffering from Stage 1C Ovarian Cancer. Since then, she has been vocal about the disease and awareness. The 67-year-old keeps her fans and followers updated about her medical condition, diagnosis, treatment, etc. 

In an effort to raise awareness about the potentially fatal disease, she took to Twitter and tried to create awareness about ovarian cancer and requested people to take their health seriously. “Only 10% of people who have the positive BRCA gene are aware they have it… PLEASE, if you have family history of breast or ovarian cancer, get genetic testing…. It could save your life,” she tweeted.

READ MORE: ‘Burst Into Tears’ – Chris Evert Reminisces Her Mother’s Sacrifices as She Felt Bad for Not Mentioning Her Enough

Speaking of Chrissie’s younger sister, the late Jeanne Evert Dubin, who passed away in February 2020 at 62, was also a professional tennis player. During the month of October 2017, the two sisters were rushing through the airport to catch their flight to Singapore for the WTA Finals. Chrissie then saw that Jeanne was struggling to catch her breath, a sign that something could be amiss with her health.

What is Evert doing these days?

The legend hung up her spikes in 1989 to focus on her careers in broadcasting and analysis. She worked together alongside Martina Navratilova at ESPN after years of intense competition. 

WATCH THE STORY: Jimmy Connors once recalled brutal media hounding of him and Chris Evert during their dating days

Evert has covered all four Grand Slam tournaments since 2011 for ESPN. She also participates in several initiatives to help make the world a better place. The 18-time Grand Slam winner handles her own charities, attends charity events, and works to combat issues like drug abuse and child cruelty.