'Chronicles of Narnia' 's Georgie Henley Reveals Her Arm Was Nearly Amputated Due to Flesh-Eating Bacteria

Former child star Georgie Henley is sharing a nearly decade-long secret about her health.

On Tuesday, the 27-year-old actress — who portrayed Lucy in The Chronicles of Narnia films — revealed on Instagram that she almost had her arm amputated after contracting necrotizing fasciitis, a rare flesh-eating bacteria that can be deadly in about one in five patients.

"When I was eighteen years old and in my sixth week of university, I contracted necrotising fasciitis, a rare and punishing infection that nearly claimed my life and wrought havoc throughout my body," she wrote. "In order to prevent the amputation of my left hand and arm I received grueling invasive surgery, and later extensive reconstructive surgery which resulted in a series of skin grafts and scars."

Henley explained that it's taken years of healing both physically and mentally, and she's now able to share her story with others. Alongside a photo of her arm, she reflected on years of hiding her scars at work.

"For the last nine years I have been open about my scars in my personal life, but have hidden them entirely in any professional context: wearing bandages or coverings, makeup on set and stage, long sleeves whenever I might be photographed, trousers so I could put my hand in a pocket," Henley said.

"The industry I am part of often focuses on a very narrow idea of what is deemed aesthetic 'perfection', and I worried that my scars would prevent me from getting work," she continued. "The truth is there is no such thing as 'perfection' but I have still lived with the shame of feeling different, exacerbated by the expectations that came with beginning my career at a young age."

"But my scars are not something to be ashamed of," Henley said. "They are a map of the pain my body has endured, and most importantly a reminder of my survival. They do not affect my capacity as an actor, and I'm proud to be a person who has visible scars in this industry. "

Henley then thanked the "exceptional care" she received from hospital staff and the support she received from friends and family throughout "the hardest of times." She also gave a shout out to those who allowed her to continue working as an actress during the past several years and "never saw my scars as a problem and respected who I was as a person and actor."

"Thank you lastly to every person who is reading this and has supported me and my work, it truly means more than you can know," Henley ended. "I'm sure I will talk more about my experiences in the future but today I am simply happy to feel, for the first time in a very long time, finally free."

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Necrotizing fasciitis — commonly known as flesh-eating disease — quickly kills the body's soft tissue found around muscles, nerves, fat, and blood vessels and it can turn lethal in a short period of time, according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. Since 2010, about 700 to 1,150 Americans are diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis each year, though the CDC notes this may be an underestimate.

The infection can be successfully treated with antibiotics and surgery to remove infected tissue if it's caught early, which is important to a patient's survival. According to the agency, up to 1 in 5 people with necrotizing fasciitis die from the infection.

However, chances of contracting necrotizing fasciitis are rare, especially if you're healthy and have a strong immune system, the CDC says.