You might remember her from your mornings watching Today. Katie Couric, the beloved former cohost, revealed in a heartfelt newsletter that she was diagnosed with breast cancer on June 21, 2022. The news came after her annual mammogram, a routine check that turned out to be anything but ordinary. Katie shared the intimate details of her diagnosis, painting a vivid picture of the moment she learned her life was about to change.
Katie described the overwhelming wave of emotions that hit her as soon as the diagnosis was confirmed. “I felt sick, and the room started to spin,” she wrote. “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.” The moment was surreal, a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the unpredictability of health challenges that can come our way.
Her Journey to Diagnosis
Katie’s journey to diagnosis began when her gynecologist reminded her that her last mammogram was back in December 2020. Realizing it was time for another screening, Katie promptly scheduled her appointment. After a biopsy of tissue from her breasts, her doctor delivered the news that would change her life. This diagnosis brought back memories of losing her husband, Jay Monahan, to colon cancer in 1998. The emotional weight was palpable, as she recalled the heart-wrenching moments of Jay’s battle and the subsequent losses in her family.
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“The heart-stopping, suspended animation feeling I remember all too well came flooding back: Jay’s colon cancer diagnosis at 41 and the terrifying, gutting nine months that followed,” Katie reflected. “My sister Emily’s pancreatic cancer, which would later claim her life at 54, just as her political career was really taking off. And my mother-in-law Carol’s ovarian cancer, which she fought as she buried her son, a year and nine months before she herself passed away.”
A Family's Strength
Since Jay’s passing, Katie and her daughters, Elinor and Caroline, have been vocal advocates for colon cancer screening. When Katie shared her breast cancer diagnosis with them four days after learning it herself, their reaction was immediate and emotional. “They began to cry,” she wrote. “They’d already lost one parent. The idea of losing another was unfathomable.” The bond between them strengthened during this time, highlighting the importance of family support during life’s toughest moments.
Fighting Back with Courage
Before undergoing a lumpectomy on July 14 to remove the tumor, Katie underwent two pre-op procedures. By early September, she began radiation treatments, marking her final round on September 27. In her newsletter, Katie urged her readers to prioritize their annual screenings. “Please get your annual mammogram,” she pleaded. “I was six months late this time. I shudder to think what might have happened if I had delayed even longer. But just as importantly, please find out if you need additional screening.”
Katie also shared candid photos from her time in the hospital, undergoing treatments, and visiting doctors. On her Instagram page, she posted a heartfelt message about her experience. “Every two minutes, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States,” Katie wrote. “On June 21st, I became one of them. As we approach #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth, 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 need more than just a mammogram.”
