Born July 1, 1967 in British Columbia, Canada, Pamela Anderson was featured in her local newspaper upon birth, and the attention hasn't stopped since. Pamela Denise Anderson became a star when she posed for Playboy in 1991. She was a huge success and enjoyed the award of Playmate of the Year. From there, the 5'7", 107 lb. bombshell went on to star in the television show Baywatch.

Baywatch soon became the most watched television show in the world, and Pamela Anderson and the wonders of silicon were at least two reasons why the show was so popular. Pamela Anderson has since been engulfed in controversy, after her turbulent wedding to Tommy Lee; the birth of a son, Brandon; and then the release of the stolen sex video of Tommy and Pamela. The video was distributed all over and pictures widely posted on the Internet. Pamela sued Penthouse to stop the tape's release but was unsuccessful. Eventually she signed a deal to distribute the film over the Internet. It has since grown to be the best selling adult film, ever.

Pamela Anderson later tried to divorce Tommy - but was once again unsuccessful. The two stars got back together and had another kid. Things finally fell apart over allegations that Tommy had beaten Pamela. They split up, with Pamela and Tommy engaging in a bitter battle over custody of their two children. She returned to using the name Pamela Anderson, and started over again with a new series, the action-packed eye candy of 'V.I.P.'

Just when it seemed as if Pamela's fortunes had taken a turn for the better -- except for that splashy relationship with flaccid rock-rapper Kid Rock -- she again was again hit with some bad news. In March, 2002, Pamela went public with the information that she had gotten hepatitis C.

She had been undergoing outpatient treatment for the disease, which she says she got by sharing tattoo needles with Tommy Lee. He never told her that he had the condition, Anderson's spokesperson claims.

About 3.9 million Americans have hepatitis C, which is spread through blood-to-blood contact, most commonly through sharing needles for intravenous drug use or through unprotected sex, according to the Centers for Disease Control. In some patients, it can cause severe liver damage.

It causes inflammation of the liver, which can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure. About 8,000 to 10,000 people in the United States die each year from complications due to hepatitis C infection. Current treatments work by boosting the immune system rather than attacking the virus, and aren't successful in many patients.

It seems as if Pamela Anderson may have the fight of her life on her hands. We -- and her many fans worldwide -- wish her success in her courageous battle against hepatitis.