Amid a health scare that nearly cost her life, Kate Mansi discovered she had been living with endometriosis for years without knowing. ‘The General Hospital’ actress, 38, credits a dramatic 2015 surgery with not only saving her but also unveiling the chronic condition that affects millions of women worldwide.
No typical warning symptoms in this case
Kate Mansi did not experience typical warning signs like abnormal periods or chronic cramping growing up, so endometriosis stayed off her radar completely. In 2015, severe pain, heavy bleeding, and nausea struck suddenly, leaving her stomach distended after days of escalating discomfort. “It had been going on for a couple of days, and doctors just kept dismissing it,” she told People. Despite multiple visits and calls over four days, Kate Mansi pushed through work on set, even as her makeup artist noted she looked green and pale.
Emergency and surgery
The pain intensified to unbearable levels, feeling like extreme contractions. “I’ve never gone through childbirth, but it felt like I was having extreme contractions. They would say action, I would do my scene, and then the second they said cut, I was literally doubled over in pain,” Kate Mansi said. She drove herself to the emergency room that day, where her mother and stepfather, an OB-GYN, joined her. Scans revealed an 11-centimeter mass, prompting initial fears of cancer as doctors summoned an oncologist.Her stepfather took decisive action. “My stepdad was so frustrated, and because he’s my stepfather, so it’s not a blood relation, he scrubbed in himself and was like, ‘I’m not waiting for an oncologist. I’m gonna do the surgery or she’s not gonna make it.’ And he did a surgery that ended up saving my life,” she shared. The procedure addressed a ruptured ovarian cyst that had burst onto a blood vessel, leaking a liter and a half of blood into her abdomen, which coagulated into a mass and cut off vital oxygen supply.
Recovery period and healthy diagnosis
Post-surgery, Kate Mansi required blood transfusions due to massive blood loss. Her stepfather explained the findings: “When I came out of surgery, I had lost so much blood that I needed blood transfusions. And my stepdad told me, ‘You have endometriosis, and this is what that means.’ And that was the first time I had ever even heard that word,” she told People. The endometriotic tissue discovered during the operation marked her official diagnosis.
What her life looks like after diagnosis
Kate Mansi describes endometriosis as not one-size-fits-all, with her symptoms now more stable. “I have been lucky enough to have it be much more stable now,” she noted. She praises her husband, Matt McInnis, married in May 2025, for his balanced support: he takes her endometriosis seriously but does not let it define her. In honor of awareness efforts, Kate Mansi directed a ‘General Hospital ‘ episode airing March 16, 2026, where her character Kristina’s sister Molly faces a flare-up and discusses it candidly with boyfriend Cody.
