Though she is gone at 79, Diane Keaton leaves behind a lifetime of lessons on health, survival, and resilience, drawn from her own difficult experiences. Her public disclosures about her fights with skin cancer and bulimia serve as her final, powerful message to the world.
The first lesson is one of prevention and vigilance. After being diagnosed with skin cancer at 21 and knowing her family history, she adopted her signature hats. While she regretted not using sunblock earlier, her later life was a masterclass in sun safety, teaching us that it’s never too late to take protective measures seriously.
The second lesson is on the destructive nature of addiction and the courage it takes to seek help. Her stark description of her bulimia as an addiction, complete with 20,000-calorie binges, is a sobering look at the disease. But her story of committing to intensive therapy teaches that recovery, though difficult, is possible.
A third, and perhaps most important, lesson is the power of vulnerability. For years, Keaton kept her struggles private. But when she chose to speak, she did so to build community. Her desire to be a “sister” to others with eating disorders teaches us that sharing our stories can transform private pain into collective strength.
Diane Keaton’s life was a testament to the fact that our greatest challenges can become our most powerful teaching moments. Her enduring legacy is not just in the roles she played, but in the profound life lessons she shared.