Katie Couric Reveals Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Katie Couric - Youtube

Two hours ago, Katie Couric took to Instagram to reveal to her 1.5M followers that she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She penned in her post: “Every two minutes, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States. On June 21st, I became one of them.” 

The journalist, author, and TV personality explained that because Breast Cancer Awareness Month was fast approaching she wanted to share her story with the world. So, she shared a photo of herself rocking a robe and a facemask as she opened up about her breast cancer diagnosis.

She continued:  “I wanted to share my personal story with you all and encourage you to get screened and understand that you may fall into a category of women who needs more than a mammogram.”

Katie Couric proceeded to encourage her 1.5M followers to head over to her website to read her personal story about her breast cancer diagnosis.

Katie Couric Youtube

Katie Couric shares her breast cancer diagnosis

As fans of Katie Couric know, she’s been a huge advocate for the importance of getting preventive cancer screenings ever since her first husband Jay Monahan passed away from colon cancer back in 1998.

In her essay on her website, Katie revealed she was getting her annual pap smear when her doctor informed her she was long overdue for a mammogram. Katie recalls firing back at the doctor because she didn’t think she was due for a mammogram. She recalled telling her doctor she had just had one. Her doctor, however, checked over the chart and noted it had been two years since her last one.

So, being such a huge advocate, Katie Couric was floored she overlooked this preventative screening for so long. She, however, wasted no time getting a screening. This particular screening ended up being when Katie was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Katie Couric - Instagram
Katie Couric – Instagram

Katie penned as she recalled her appointment: “I wasn’t super stoked about having a needle penetrate my breast to extract several tissue samples, but I was grateful she was being so thorough. I left with gauze in my bra and the promise she would be in touch.”

The TV personality revealed her voicemail was full, so her doctor texted her and urged her to call back as soon as possible. When she called back, she received a message from her doctor that she didn’t want to hear. It was cancer. Katie recalled her doctor being quick to reassure her. Her doctor said she would be fine, but it was necessary to make a plan.

I felt sick and the room started to spin. I was in the middle of an open office, so I walked to a corner and spoke quietly, my mouth unable to keep up with the questions swirling in my head.”

She questioned what this diagnosis meant

Hearing that she had cancer in her breast caused so many questions to race through Katie Couric’s mind. She wondered if she would need a mastectomy. She wondered if chemo would be needed. Moreover, she wanted what her future would look like. Suddenly, the doctor telling her she needed a plan made a lot of sense.

Katie Couric recalled feeling terror in her gut as her mind raced back to when her first husband Jay was diagnosed with colon cancer that killed him. Her sister Emily died of pancreatic cancer. And, her mother-in-law is currently fighting ovarian cancer after losing her son to cancer. Would she suffer the same fate?

The TV personality made sure to clarify there were more positive cancer stories in her family too. For example, her mother was diagnosed with mantle cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma 10 years ago and is still alive. Her father was diagnosed with prostate cancer which was treated using radioactive seeds. And, her current husband, John, had a coconut-sized tumor removed from his liver a few months before they got married.

Katie couric youtube

While Katie Couric considered herself to be a bit of an expert with colon and pancreatic cancers, breast cancer was new territory. It was something no one in her family had suffered from. So, she didn’t know what to expect. And, she had a lot of questions.

Ultimately, Katie and her doctor decided breast conservation surgery (a lumpectomy) was the right plan of action. She concluded her post by explaining she shared her story because even has a self-proclaimed “screen queen” she managed to forget a very important screening that could have cost her her life.

Did you read Katie Couric’s essay on her website? Let us know what you thought about it in the comments down below.

Allie Johnson

One Comment

  1. Heyeee Katie C, ❤️

    I Just read ur VERY SAD BREAST cancer AWARENESS! PRAYERS ARE POWERFUL & ” NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE 4 JEHOVAH GOD 2 UNDUE,” 👍

    Will be sending ABUNDANT PRAYERS 4 YOU! TC ❤️, I’m 🌞 Shine

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