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Actress O'Hara Lived with Mirror-Image Organs
31 Jan
Summary
- Catherine O'Hara had situs inversus totalis, a rare condition.
- Her heart and organs were on the opposite side of her body.
- She learned about the diagnosis during a routine medical test.
Veteran actress Catherine O'Hara, celebrated for her role in Schitt's Creek, passed away at 71 following a brief illness. Prior to her death, O'Hara had shared details about her rare medical condition, situs inversus totalis. This congenital abnormality, also known as cardiac inversus, causes a person's vital internal organs to be positioned as a mirror-image of the usual arrangement.
O'Hara discovered her diagnosis during a routine tuberculosis test. Doctors noted irregularities, leading to further tests, including an EKG and chest X-ray, which confirmed her unique anatomy. She humorously recounted the doctor's excitement at meeting someone with such a rare case, admitting she preferred not to know the specific medical name.
She shared that after learning about her condition, she checked with her siblings, though none had similar medical histories. O'Hara also shared a lighthearted anecdote where her husband joked her head was on backwards after she revealed her heart was on the right side and her organs were flipped.
