Rita Wilson has revealed the two heartfelt requests she made to her husband, Tom Hanks, following her breast cancer diagnosis in 2015. The 69-year-old actor and singer, who underwent a bilateral mastectomy and reconstructive surgery, shared her story during an on-stage conversation with Demi Moore in New York to promote her sixth studio album, Sound of a Woman.
Wilson's Requests to Hanks
Wilson recounted telling Hanks: "Okay, if something happens and I go first, I just have two requests. One is that you should be sad for a very, very long time." She continued: "The second one was throw me a party. I want it to be a celebration of life. I want it to be about people telling stories and joy and remembering me in that way."
Inspiration for a Song
This conversation inspired Wilson's 2019 song "Throw Me a Party." She explained: "The song came out of this story. When you get the diagnosis, you don't know what's going to happen, but I hope I'm still here." She added joyfully to the crowd: "I'm here. Yay!"
Reflecting on Her Journey
In March 2025, Wilson marked 10 years cancer-free with an emotional Instagram video. She said: "10 years. And I am so deeply grateful. I'm so thankful to my doctors, my friends, my family. The gratitude is overwhelming. It didn't always feel this way. Anybody going through it knows it's an up-and-down hamster wheel. But then you get to this point." She encouraged others: "I don't talk about it much, but I think it's important to celebrate good news. I am thinking of anybody out there who might be going through some difficulties."
