Actress Lauren Tom announced this week that her daughter, Elia, known as Ellie, has been diagnosed with osteosarcoma. This rare and aggressive form of bone cancer most commonly affects teenagers and young adults.
Tom, 64, who is recognized for her role as Julie in the second season of the sitcom Friends, stated on Instagram that her family is fully committed to supporting Ellie's healing. She expressed gratitude for the assistance of friends, family, and the medical staff at Cedars Sinai.
"Ellie is an amazing, deep, sensitive, wise, strong, brave, intelligent, and funny soul. Beautiful inside and out," Tom wrote of her daughter, a sentiment she shared alongside a trans flag emoji. She encouraged fans to keep Ellie in their prayers and to share messages of support on Instagram.
Tom and her husband, actor Curt Kaplan, have been married for nearly 27 years and are also parents to a 22-year-old son named Leo. Tom shared that they have a significant journey ahead and asked for continued prayers for Ellie's complete recovery.
Messages of support have come from fellow actors, including Ken Jeong, who wrote, "Sending all our love and prayers for Ellie. Anything we can do let us know. Love you." Ming Na Wen also offered her support, stating, "Praying for Ellie and keeping all of your family in our thoughts and prayers, sis! Love you!"
Tom, who grew up in Chicago, began her acting career at age 17. Her other notable roles include Lena St Clair in the film The Joy Luck Club, Amy Wong in Futurama, and Minh and Connie in King of the Hill. She also appeared in Andi Mack and Supernatural.
Tom has previously spoken about the challenges of parenting and her efforts to avoid passing on her own perfectionist tendencies to her children. She emphasized the importance of modeling desired behavior for her children, noting that they observe their parents' actions constantly.