## It All Started with One Phrase In 2012, Mashkova had just become a mother for the second time. After the birth of her daughter Alexandra, the actress returned to work and began filming the series "Living On." It was on the set that Maria's colleague, actress Irina Kupchenko, noticed changes in the young mother's appearance. Kupchenko advised Mashkova to check her thyroid gland. The actress had not previously paid attention to what was happening with her body: two pregnancies almost back-to-back left little time to carefully monitor herself. After the conversation with her colleague, Mashkova looked at herself in the mirror and noticed that her neck indeed looked unusual. > "I discovered it for the first time. I saw that I had some very strange, large, deformed neck," the actress recalled. ## Tests Led to Surgery After that, examinations and numerous tests began. Ultimately, the doctors decided on surgery for the thyroid gland. According to Mashkova, the surgeon performed a complex procedure through a small incision, despite the significant size of the organ. > "They removed a large thyroid through a small incision," the actress said. However, the most serious discovery occurred after examining the removed tissue: doctors diagnosed thyroid cancer. The disease was detected at an early stage, which significantly improved the treatment prognosis. ## Why Mashkova Decided to Share This Now The actress emphasizes that in her case, the disease was discovered not due to her own suspicions, but due to the attentiveness of another person. That is why she now urges people not to postpone medical examinations and to pay attention even to changes that may seem insignificant at first glance. According to Mashkova, thyroid cancer in its early stages is, in most cases, well treatable. Her own story, she says, ended positively. The main takeaway that the actress shared with her followers is simple: one should not wait for pronounced symptoms to take care of their health. ## Mashkova's Life After Moving to the USA Maria Mashkova is the daughter of actor Vladimir Mashkov. Since 2022, she has been living in the USA. In the USA, Mashkova continued her professional activities. She participates in independent theater projects, works with children, and continues to act in films. Among her recent works is a small role in Kirill Serebrennikov's film "Ballad About Edichka." The actress is raising two daughters — Stefania and Alexandra. She has been married to businessman Alexander Slobodyanik Jr. since 2009. Mashkova's story began with a detail that she might have long overlooked. If it weren't for her colleague's attentiveness, the examination could have taken place much later. That is why the actress decided to share her experience years later: changes in appearance, well-being, or the usual state of the body should not always be attributed to fatigue, pregnancy, or stress. Attention to one's health and timely visits to the doctor can be crucial.
