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“I refer to it as ‘before tumor’ [and] ‘after tumor’, BT and AT. … I think most people who go through you know a major health scare or crisis like that, it's very cliche and trite but it forces you to really sort of assess your life if you haven’t already,” Walsh said of the experience.

After having the lemon-sized tumor removed, it was found to be benign but the memory of that uncertainty is something that Walsh will never forget.

“When I was going into surgery and I didn't know what was going to happen, I just had that real, I call it, like, a God moment or a very special moment, like, 'Well this is it, I've had a great run and if not I just want to do stuff that I love.'”

From that moment forward she said she has been focused on doing projects she loves with people she loves and living life to the fullest. Another change for the actress is her approach to health. Walsh admitted that she “never used a regular GP [General Practioner],” but has since changed her ways and stresses the importance of a patient-doctor relationship.

I joined @cignatogether on their mission to get everyone in for an annual check-up. Yup, EVERYONE. #GoKnowTakeControl #ad

A post shared by Kate Walsh (@katewalsh) on Sep 17, 2017 at 8:36am PDT

“I think that [what] people don't consider when they go to doctors is you can actually develop a great relationship with your doctor. You can find one that you really love and I think that's important to do,” Walsh said.

So why now, two years post-surgery, has Walsh decided to speak out?

“I didn't want to talk about initially because I wanted to have my own experience of recovery but I really was always intent on wanting to partner with someone just to share and talk about my experience,” she said.

She found that partner in Cigna as part of their TV Doctors campaign. Walsh joins Patrick Dempsey, Neil Patrick Harris, Donald Faison and Jane Seymour to encourage Americans to get the preventative care they need in the form of annual check-ups.

“Find your Addison … I did … she's awesome,” Walsh said.

Hear her full episode on ABC Radio’s “No Limits With Rebecca Jarvis”.

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