Former 'Bachelorette' star Katie Thurston reveals her mom has cancer
Former "Bachelorette" star Katie Thurston, who is fighting breast cancer, is revealing that her mother has been diagnosed with breast cancer as well.
Thurston shared the news with fans and followers on Instagram on Monday.
"Life update: my mom has #breastcancer. I flew to Seattle this weekend to be with her at her first appointment," Thurston wrote.
"I want to make sure she is getting proper care and information. I hate that we have to be our biggest advocate but also, it's what will save your life," Thurston continued.
In text overlaid on the photo Thurston shared, she added that her mom's diagnosis came after she initially received "negative" and "probably benign" mammogram results. Thurston said she later encouraged her mom to request further imaging and a breast ultrasound, which helped find "suspicious masses."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer among women in the U.S. About 270,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the country each year, according to the CDC. Breast cancer in men is less common but still possible, with the U.S. seeing diagnosis rates in men in about 1 out of every 100 breast cancer cases.
The CDC notes that the main risk factors for breast cancer include being a woman, age, and changes in BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends all women get regular mammograms, a type of imaging, every two years to screen for breast cancer starting at age 40 until age 74. People with a family history of breast cancer should discuss with their clinician if they should be screened at an earlier age.
Thurston, 35, was herself diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer last year and has been undergoing treatment.
Last October, Thurston opened up to “Good Morning America” about her cancer journey and her advocacy work.
"The medicine is still working. The tumor is still shrinking," Thurston said at the time. "And when you're Stage 4, that's really all you can hope for."
Thurston said then that she wants other women to know that "the biggest thing is be so familiar with your breasts, and bring it to your doctor if something feels off or looks off."
In her Monday update, Thurston reiterated her message for others to advocate for themselves whenever possible.
"Dense breasts need more than a mammogram to screen for cancer and yet somehow my mom had never been referred for further imaging. We are getting more answers today but I believe our own advocacy allowed us to catch this early," Thurston wrote.
