Brooke Shields Is 'Feeling Better' with Family after 3-Day Illness — She Dealt with a Cancer Scare over a Decade Ago

• Brooke Shields took care of her mother as she battled alcoholism and dementia.
• Brooke has a great relationship with her children and enjoys spending time with her family.
• The actress, who had a cancer scare, has been married to her husband, Chris Henchy, for over two decades.

Brooke Shields is a famous supermodel and actress. She gained popularity at a young age as a child model.

At 13, Brooke had already gained critical acclaim by starring as a child prostitute in "Pretty Baby," a 1978 drama.

Along with her success came challenges. As a child, the actress was desperately attempting to help her mother, Teri Shields, to get sober. Brooke's mother worked as her manager.

The actress revealed that she was always trying to keep her mother alive and protect her from the world. Teri battled with alcoholism and went to rehab multiple times, but her drinking remained a constant source of agony to the "Sahara" star.

Teri went to rehab when Brooke, who was only 13 then, did her first intervention for her mother. However, the actress's mother made it clear that she was going to rehab for her daughter and not for herself.

Brooke's mother faced so much criticism for allowing her daughter to pose nude and star in sexually suggestive scenes. Aside from taking care of herself, the actress also financially supported her mother throughout her childhood.

These childhood traumas led to Brooke becoming a people pleaser. She would defend her mother and protect her even when Teri was in the wrong. "Even as a child, I had respectful pity for her," said Brooke.

Brooke also said Teri contributed to her body image issues because her mom would call her fat when she was drunk. The actress ended up believing she was fat, too. Meanwhile, tabloids didn't make it any easy for her as they branded her "athletic, "not thin," and "not a runway model."

Brooke made a difficult decision to put her mother in a senior living facility when she was diagnosed with dementia. The actress said her mother suffering from dementia was one of the most painful experiences she went through.

As per Brooke, she wouldn't change or erase anything about her life except her mother's illness. Despite the challenges she went through with her mom, Brooke said Teri instilled in her a strong work ethic.

How Is Brooke Shields' Relationship with Her Kids?

Brooke is now a mother and enjoys spending time with her family. She recently shared a picture of her and her family on Instagram enjoying special moments on vacation.

The actress said that before the pictures were taken, her family had battled Norovirus for three days. The contagious virus causes vomiting and diarrhea.

The family got better after being ill and were all smiles in the photos shared. One fan on Instagram expressed their sympathy, writing, "Uggggh so sorry you were sick! Know what that feels like. Glad you got this picture 👏.”

Another fan said she was "glad" the whole family was "feeling better," and an individual complimented the family, writing, "Such a beautiful family. I'm glad you're all feeling better.”

In the pictures Brooke shared, her family members were enjoying summer at the beach and indulging in fresh fruits. Brooke took pictures with her husband, Chris Henchy, and her daughters, Rowan Francis Henchy and Grier Hammond Henchy.

At 36, Brooke's last round of IVF led to the birth of the couple's first child. A few years later, Brooke conceived her second child naturally and gave birth to her.

The beautiful selfies were taken against the background of a gorgeous sunset. In one picture, Rowan and Grier matched in all-white outfits as their mother, who looked stunning in a black and white dress, hugged them tightly.

A fan lauded Brooke's "beautiful family," while another person complimented the actress, saying, "Finally showing your age and its beautiful." A fan also concurred, "You will always be beautiful Brooke. Great pic. Shout out to 'aging gracefully' 🙌🔥.” One more fan wrote:

"Thanks for allowing your self to have face wrinkles just like the rest of us. You're still beautiful."

Brooke once revealed her family's adorable holiday tradition that allows them to spend time with each other.

The "Pretty Baby" star said her sister hosts Thanksgiving while she takes care of a big family pre-Christmas dinner. Brooke admitted that her kids' enthusiasm makes holidays memorable:

"The kids, they love the tradition. Whether it's hot chocolate, or decorating the tree, or eating cranberries or popcorn or whatever it is."

The actress added that she initiated these traditions, but now it's her children who crave them and want the magic of it. She said her kids don't just want gifts; they want to enhance these traditions. "It's heartwarming to see," she noted.

Brooke also said her daughters pressure her to be more active on social media, but she doesn't like these platforms because of how toxic they can get.

The actress, who's been married to her husband for over two decades, likes to involve her daughters when it comes to creating new traditions and decorating during holidays.

What Were Brooke Shields' Struggles with Her Health?

Brooke has been married to her husband, Henchy, for 22 years. Henchy has supported the actress even as she went through struggles with her health.

After the couple decided to marry, they wanted to have a child. However, the journey to parenthood wasn't easy, as Brooke underwent several fertility treatments before she could get pregnant.

The actress revealed this detail in her book, "Down Came The Rain: My Journey Through Postpartum Depression," released in 2006.

In the book, Brooke also revealed that the reason she couldn't get pregnant naturally was because of a surgery she had a few years ago to remove precancerous cells in her cervix.

When these cells were removed during the surgery, it led to the removal of the cervical glands that secrete the mucus necessary to transport the sperm. So, this surgery led to Brooke's fertility issues.

The actress and her husband went through IVF together after she learned she couldn't conceive naturally. She experienced miscarriages and several rounds of failed IVF.

At 36, Brooke's last round of IVF led to the birth of the couple's first child. A few years later, Brooke conceived her second child naturally and gave birth to her.

Eventually, when the 58-year-old had her first child, she suffered from postpartum depression, which came with feelings of panic, dread, and sadness.

In 2002, the "Lipstick Jungle" actress had another cancer scare when she developed a spot on her face that doctors diagnosed to be precancerous.

This scare led the actress to be more vigilant with the time she and her daughters spend in the sun so as to protect their skin from sun damage and cancer risks.

Now, Brooke and her husband have been through a lot together, but they are still in love. The actress said her husband was a keeper, and there was no one else she would love or be loved by except Henchy.

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