▁with ▁pro state ▁cancer ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁McK ellen ▁stated ▁on ▁his ▁blog ▁that ▁" There ▁is ▁no ▁cause ▁for ▁alarm . ▁I ▁am ▁exam ined ▁regularly ▁and ▁the ▁cancer ▁is ▁contained . ▁I ' ve ▁not ▁needed ▁any ▁treatment ." ▁ ▁He ▁became ▁an ▁ord ained ▁minister ▁of ▁the ▁Universal ▁Life ▁Church ▁in ▁early ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁pres ide ▁over ▁the ▁marriage ▁of ▁his ▁friend ▁and ▁X - Men ▁co - star ▁Patrick ▁Stewart ▁to ▁the ▁singer ▁Sun ny ▁O z ell . ▁ ▁McK ellen ▁was ▁awarded ▁an ▁honor ary ▁Doctor ate ▁of ▁Let ters ▁by ▁Cambridge ▁University ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁He ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁Fre eman ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁London ▁on ▁Th urs day ▁ 3 0 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁The ▁ceremony ▁took ▁place ▁at ▁Gu ild hall ▁in ▁London . ▁McK ellen ▁was ▁nominated ▁by ▁London ' s ▁Lord ▁Mayor ▁F iona ▁W ool f , ▁who ▁said ▁he ▁was ▁chosen ▁as ▁he ▁was ▁an ▁" exception al ▁actor " ▁and ▁" t ire less ▁campaign er ▁for ▁equality ". ▁He ▁is ▁also ▁an ▁Emer it us ▁Fellow ▁of ▁St ▁Catherine ' s ▁College , ▁Oxford . ▁ ▁L GB T ▁activ ism ▁ ▁L GB T ▁rights ▁campaign ing ▁ ▁While ▁McK ellen ▁had ▁made ▁his ▁sexual ▁orientation ▁known ▁to ▁fellow ▁actors ▁early ▁on ▁in ▁his ▁stage ▁career ,