It’s important to stay up to date with your annual mammogram. Early detection is key when it comes to breast cancer treatment, so please schedule one ASAP if you haven’t already.
Katie Couric, an American journalist and former “CBS Evening News” and “Today” anchor was diagnosed with breast cancer this summer.
Couric realized she was overdue for a mammogram during her annual pap smear when the doctor reminded her. Although she was only six months late, an annual mammogram is vital.
After she told her gynecologist about her concern, she was able to schedule a mammogram for June 20. Couric said she wanted to film the process, but when they got the results back that showed something was wrong, they stopped filming.
The following day, the doctor contacted Couric to let her know that the unusual tissue was in fact cancer.
In an essay published Wednesday on her Katie Couric Media website, she wrote: “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.”
Immediately, Couric began to think of her family members who died from cancer. Couric’s husband Jay Monahan tragically passed away from stage four cancer at only 42 years old. Unfortunately, other members of her family have also battled different types of cancer throughout their lives. Her sister died from pancreatic cancer at 54 years old. Her parents were also diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and prostate cancer.
Thanks to modern medicine, her breast cancer tumor was “highly treatable” with a combination of medication, surgery, and radiation. On Tuesday, the journalist completed her final radiation session. The very next day, she went public with her diagnosis but said that she was feeling “fine.”
Katie took to Instagram to share some statistics as well as her personal experience with breast cancer.
While Katie is still in the process of recovering, she wanted to remind everyone to read how crucial it is to get an annual mammogram done. Additionally, she recommended that women with “dense breasts” get additional screening.
“I was six months late this time. I shudder to think what might have happened if I had put it off longer,” she wrote.
