“Your biopsy came back. It’s cancer. You’re going to be fine but we need to make a plan.”
In the days leading up to October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Katie Couric is revealing that she was diagnosed with breast cancer over the summer. The award-winning author and journalist, who lost her husband to colon cancer in 1998, is now sharing her story in hopes that women won’t skip potentially life-saving mammograms.
Couric posted her journey on katiecouric.com, detailing everything from filming her own mammogram procedure to her diagnosis and treatment. Of particular importance, was the message from her doctor: “Your tumor is hormone receptor-positive, Her2neu-negative and highly treatable, particularly if it was detected early.”
Related: Every Breast Cancer Story Needs to Be Told
Every two minutes, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States. On June 21st, I became one of them. As we approach #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth, I’m sharing my story as an important reminder to get screened. https://t.co/PH5NSUponN
— Katie Couric (@katiecouric) September 28, 2022
Couric revealed that while she hadn’t skipped her annual mammogram entirely, in the business of life she had forgotten to schedule it. Thankfully, her doctor prompted her to get in for her appointment six months late, which could have made all the difference for early detection of her breast cancer.
Related: How I Told My Kids I Had Breast Cancer
Once she had a plan with her doctor, they immediately started treatment which involved a lumpectomy, radiation and five years of an aromatase inhibitor.
“Throughout the process, I kept thinking about two things: How lucky I was to have access to such incredible care, since so many people don’t. And how lucky I was to be the beneficiary of such amazing technology. It made me feel grateful and guilty — and angry that there’s a de facto caste system when it comes to healthcare in America,” says Couric.
The American Cancer Society states that about 287,850 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in 2022. In all, a woman has a 13% chance of developing the diseased sometime in her life.
Couric leaves readers with her advice: “Please get your annual mammogram. I was six months late this time. I shudder to think what might have happened if I had put it off longer. But just as importantly, please find out if you need additional screening.”
