John Mulaney presents Olivia Munn with Woman of Impact Award amid her cancer battle, recalls her struggle

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: John Mulaney honored his wife, Olivia Munn, with an emotional speech at InStyle Imagemaker Awards, on Thursday, October 24, where he presented her with the Woman of Impact Award.

Mulaney celebrated Munn’s resilience during her breast cancer diagnosis in April 2023 and the multiple surgeries that followed that year, praising her determination to live fully despite these challenges.

John Mulaney recounts Olivia Munn’s courage during her 2023 surgeries

John Mulaney recalled a moment from Olivia Munn’s third surgery in September 2023, noting the challenges they faced.

Munn had suffered significant blood loss in her second surgery, which made them both anxious.

“We were both a little nervous,” Mulaney said. He described how Munn found strength in a book she read about Jackie Kennedy Onassis, who had struggled to move forward after her husband’s death.

“She said to me, ‘I just read this book about Jackie O. Jackie O. never got over her husband being killed,’” Mulaney recounted as per Daily Mail. 

He replied, “‘No, I get it, it was a big deal.’ She added, ‘She always regretted that she didn’t move past it.’”

Determined to stay positive, Munn told him, “I’m scared, but I’m taking all of this and I’m not going to let it hang over our lives. I’m moving past it.”

Mulaney then shared his admiration for Munn saying, “I thought how lucky our kids are to have you as their mother, how lucky I am to have you as my partner in life.”

John Mulaney on Olivia Munn’s timely cancer diagnosis

In April 2023, Olivia Munn was diagnosed with luminal B cancer in both breasts. She has since undergone five surgeries, including a double mastectomy and a hysterectomy.

Mulaney reflected on the difficult journey, saying, “We learned she would need five surgeries. We learned there was a risk of lymphedema. We learned that if we had not caught it when we caught it, things could have been a lot worse.”

Adding a light moment, Mulaney revealed a linguistic lesson he gained through the experience.

“I also learned it’s not pronounced ‘masectomy,’ it’s pronounced ‘mastectomy.’ It has a T in it. It shouldn’t. It should be ‘masectomy.’ It’s ironic that the word itself has a part that should be removed, I think,” he joked.

John Mulaney and Olivia Munn welcome their second child in 2023

John Mulaney and Olivia Munn recently celebrated the birth of their second child, daughter Mei June Mulaney, who was born via surrogate in September 2023.

Mei June joins their two-year-old son, Malcolm. "I had so many profound emotions about not being able to carry my daughter," Munn said in the September post on Instagram.

Munn also expressed gratitude to her surrogate for showing "much grace and understanding," for she kept the baby "safe for 9 months and made our dreams come true."

"I am so proud of my little plum, my little dragon for making the journey to be with us. My heart has exploded," she wrote.