‘Today:’ Jill Martin ‘In Shock’ After Difficult Diagnosis

Talk show Today‘s Jill Martin is “in shock” after receiving a difficult diagnosis.

The NBC morning show contributor recently followed her doctor’s recommendation. After a question about her health and a suggestion from her doctor, Jill dug a little deeper. And what it revealed may have saved her life. Although she’s in shock, she’s hopeful about having caught the health scare early. Read on to find out what Jill was diagnosed with, and how she caught it despite clear tests in the recent past.

Jill’s Doctor Suggests Digging Deeper After Clear Tests

Back in 2022, Jill Martin underwent surgery to remove uterine fibroids. The morning show host had experienced pain for years, but the fibroids were caught during a routine gynecological exam. In a series of follow-up appointments with a doctor after the surgery, Jill stumbled upon a different health condition that changed her life.

Jill told People that her doctor recommended she do some genetic testing. The 47-year-old explained that she spit into a tube, and mailed it off. She says she “Forgot about it” until she received a call three weeks later. She was positive for the BRCA genes. BRCA genes are a pair of genes that indicate a risk for breast cancer. She said she was in shock because she had recently received the all-clear from a mammogram. To be extra safe, Jill scheduled a bilateral mastectomy, which means removing both breasts. The idea is to remove the breasts before they can become cancerous, an option offered to those who are positive for the BRCA genes. Jill explained to the outlet that she thought to herself that summer would be different than she expected. But, she thought “… thank goodness that we caught it.” She added, “I actually felt lucky.”

However, test results from the surgery would show that things were even more dire than the Today contributor thought.

Today‘s Jill Martin Is ‘In Shock’ After Receiving A Difficult Diagnosis

Less than a week after her mastectomy, Jill received stunning news from a preoperative MRI. She had already developed breast cancer.

When she was given the news by the doctors, Jill recalled asking, “Is it treatable?” And the doctors assured her that she would be okay. She explained that she was “in shock” and “devastated” by the news. She added, “You hear the C-word and you think the worst. “But after you hear the word and you absorb it,” the host mused, “you then have to be your own best friend.” Jill also believes that having her public platform is a boon in this hard time. Because if she can save even one life by sharing her story, “this process will have been worth it” for her.

As for the next steps, Jill says that there’s a lot of unknown, and that’s the hard part. The Today host doesn’t want chemotherapy or radiation treatment but will deal with it if it becomes necessary. This fall, Jill will also undergo a hysterectomy. The morning show host talked about all the emotions swirling around in her head. She told the magazine, “I’m allowed to be sad and scared and mad and angry and also grateful and lucky and proactive.” She said she could be all of those things at once.

And while she does occasionally want to lie down and cry, being able to share her story gives her peace. Jill’s immediate priority moving forward is making sure her family is okay. She is working on making sure she has her “ducks in a row, which I do.” And she wants people to know to “go get tested.”

Will you be getting tested thanks to Jill Martin spreading awareness about the BRCA genes? Or have you already gone through this journey? Let us know in the comments. And catch Jill Martin and the rest of her talk show co-hosts every morning on Today from 7 AM to 11 AM EST on NBC.