- Katie Couric is a famous journalist and TV presenter.
- She found out she has breast cancer in June 2022, but waited three months to announce the diagnosis.
- Katie underwent a lumpectomy and radiation to treat her cancer.
Katie Couric, 66, learned in the summer of 2022 that she has breast cancer. But the famous journalist waited several months until she revealed her diagnosis to the world, which prompted everybody to rally around her. Katie has purposely been extremely open with her fans throughout her health journey so that she can help others.
“I made it my mission to try to increase cancer awareness,” she told Entertainment Tonight in December 2022. “So, this is just another step towards that goal.” Keep reading to learn more about Katie’s cancer battle and how she’s doing today.
Katie Couric Diagnosed With Breast Cancer
Katie found out her breast cancer diagnosis on June 21, 2022, after having a mammogram and biopsy. She learned the news of her health on the day of her 8th wedding anniversary with John Molner. Ironically, Katie’s first husband, Jay Monahan, died from colon cancer in 1998 at just 42. Her sister, Emily Couric, died of pancreatic cancer at 54, and her mother-in-law, Carol, died of ovarian cancer.
In an essay on Katie Couric Media, the journalist said she “felt sick” when she was told she has cancer. She revealed that she waited four days to tell her daughters Carrie, 27, and Ellie, 31, about her health. “I FaceTimed each of them. I tried to be as reassuring as Dr. Newman,” she wrote in her essay. “Their faces froze in disbelief. Then shock. Then they began to cry. ‘Don’t worry,’ I told Carrie then Ellie, ‘I’m going to be fine,’ trying to convince myself as well as them. They’d already lost one parent. The idea of losing another was unfathomable.”
Katie was told by her doctor that her “tumor is hormone receptor-positive, Her2neu-negative and highly treatable, particularly if it was detected early.” She underwent a lumpectomy on July 14 and started radiation on September 7. The tumor that was extracted from Katie’s breast was “roughly the size of an olive,” she revealed in her essay.
What Is Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells in the breast divide out of control and are able to invade other tissues, according to the Center for Disease Control. Breast cancer can spread outside the breast through blood vessels and lymph vessels. Typically, most breast cancer patients undergo surgery and receive additional treatment such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy or radiation.
In Katie’s case, her Oncotype, the likelihood of her cancer returning, was 19, so chemotherapy wasn’t required for her treatment. She got a lumpectomy and did radiation but didn’t need hormone therapy.
How Long Has Katie Been Sick?
As mentioned before, Katie was diagnosed with cancer in June 2022. She wasn’t feeling sick before she found out she has cancer; she merely scheduled a mammogram with her doctor when she got the bad news. She went on get surgery and completed 15 rounds of radiation in September 2022. Katie told NBC in October 2022 that she was “not too tired” from the radiation.
How Is Katie Couric Doing Today?
Katie gave a positive update on her health at the 45th annual Kennedy Center Honors in December 2022. “I’m doing great. I’m feeling great,” she told ET. “I’m really lucky. Like one in three women, I was diagnosed with cancer. But, you know, I was very fortunate because early detection is everything and it was detected early. So, it’s not only treatable, it’s curable. And that’s why everyone needs to get screened.”
The former TODAY Show co-host also implored other people to get check ups as frequently as possible. “I wanted to make sure people knew that they have to get their mammograms. And if they have dense breasts, they should talk to their medical provider about getting ultrasounds,” she explained. “I think we all need to be advocates for our own health and support cancer research,” Katie also said. “So one day, you know, we’ll see the end of cancer. Maybe not in my lifetime, but hopefully in my daughters’ lifetime.”
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