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Image Credit: Lev Radin/Pacific Press/Shutterstock
Jill Martin revealed that was diagnosed with breast cancer and is going in for her first surgery to treat it in a piece for Today on Monday, July 17. The morning show contributor, 47, opened up about her diagnosis and how she wants to help people detect and treat breast cancer sooner. “I had always feared this day would come, but I never really thought it would,” she wrote.
Jill opened up about her grandmother losing her battle with breast cancer and her mom undergoing a double mastectomy to treat it. She also explained that undergoing genetic testing and MRIs to check for cancer are also helpful in detecting conditions that may be missed during a mammogram. She revealed that part of the reason she was sharing her experience, was because she wanted “everyone to check with their doctors to see if genetic testing is appropriate” for them. “By the time I recover from my first surgery, I hope that many of you will know your results and can make proactive decisions with your doctors, families and loved ones. That is the silver lining to this mess for me. It is what is keeping me going and giving me strength,” she wrote.
Jill revealed her cancer diagnosis with a personal essay. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/Shutterstock)
While a cancer diagnosis is hard thing for any family to go through, the Today contributor vowed to fight as hard as she could to beat it. “Different people cope in different ways; for me, I am not hiding under the covers crying. Instead, I want to do everything I can to beat this and protect my family,” she wrote. “Let me be clear: I am heartbroken for so many reasons, but mostly watching my parents watch me go through this. But I trust my father with every morsel of my being, and he told me, ‘We got this, and we will fight this together.’ I am devastated and empowered, all at the same time.”
In addition to sharing her experience, Jill shared different details about cancer treatment and trying to catch a diagnosis early. Three of the main points she made included asking your doctor about genetic testing, knowing that breast cancer may not be detected on a mammogram, and knowing that if you carry a BRCA gene, it may be passed down to your child.
Jill concluded the story by sharing a word of encouragement that Al Roker gave her, and she finished by vowing to beat cancer with her loved ones by her side. “Cancer messed with the wrong family — both my immediate family and, you, my TODAY family. We will crush this together,” she wrote.
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