Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi opens up about cervical cancer diagnosis
Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi is sharing a deeply personal health journey and urging others to prioritize their health.
In an interview with ABC News' Lara Spencer that aired on "Good Morning America" Thursday, Polizzi discussed her decision to reveal her diagnosis with stage one cervical cancer, after first sharing the news with her followers on TikTok.
"Yeah, so, I don't know, it took me a while... I feel I need to share it, because nobody talks about this, so [I] have to," Polizzi said.
The reality star, who rose to fame on "Jersey Shore," said the diagnosis left her overwhelmed and fearful, especially as a mother of three.
"I was terrified. I was hysterically crying in my car," she shared of her reaction when she first learned of the diagnosis. "Like, what am I gonna do? I have three kids. I gotta do my will. I haven't done my will yet. I'm like thinking about all these things."
According to the American Cancer Society, more than 13,000 new cases of cervical cancer are expected to be diagnosed this year in the United States.
The disease is most commonly found in women between the ages of 35 and 64 and is often caused by human papillomavirus, or HPV, which can be prevented with a vaccine.
Polizzi, who said she is unvaccinated, believes earlier care may have made a difference, telling Spencer, "I just kept putting it off."
Following a biopsy, her doctor ordered a PET scan, which Polizzi said showed the cancer had not spread.
Still, Polizzi said the process came with unexpected and frightening moments, including learning more about how the cancer could affect her body.
"I have the cervical cancer where it can travel to my lymph nodes. So I have to monitor, like, be aware of this my whole life," she said.
In addition to already undergoing radiation, Polizzi said doctors have recommended she undergo a hysterectomy to reduce the risk of the cancer returning.
"They're already yelling at me to schedule the hysterectomy, which I didn't," Polizzi said. "I'm not gonna lie. I'm scared."
While she said she is done having children, Polizzi said the procedure still represents a loss.
"I hated it when [the doctor] first said, 'We have to do this, or it's gonna escalate to stage two," she said. "I know I'm done with kids ... just knowing that you can't and knowing that, you know, you're losing that, I don't know, it made me feel like I'm not a mom."
Polizzi said the diagnosis has also impacted her children, who have struggled to understand what she is going through.
"They keep asking, 'Are you dying? Like, are you dying today?' And I'm like, 'no, I'm not dying, I am just sick and I need to figure it out and then mommy will be fine,'" she said. "So my little one thinks I'm dying. But my oldest ones, I feel like they know what's going on."
She said sharing her experience online helped her find support from others going through similar situations.
"I didn't have anyone to talk to because no one has it that I know. And cancer's scary, and you're like, I'm dying immediately," she said. "I realized, like, I'm not dying. Everything's fine. This is the best-case scenario. And you're not alone."
As she focuses on her health, Polizzi said she is also looking ahead and remains close with her "Jersey Shore" castmates.
"Yeah, we're still very close. I consider them my brothers and sisters. We talk every single day, and they're my best friends," she said.
Polizzi also said she believes "Jersey Shore" as a show will continue in some format.
"I feel like us as a cast, we always said we'll continue filming until we're in a nursing home," she said. "Like we love filming, we love being together, we love making a show."
She continued, "It's not over for us. We don't know where we're going yet, but we had a great relationship with MTV. It's bittersweet, but I feel like we still got more."
Reflecting on the impact of "Jersey Shore," she said, "It's shaped who I am today. I'm so glad that it happened because I can't picture my life as anything else."
When asked by Spencer what she would tell her younger self, Polizzi replied, "Keep shining girl, live your life, but also stay on your doctor's appointments. Keep going to your doctor appointments."
