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Last month, Bachelorette fans were shocked by the news that Katie Thurston had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Now, Katie is opening up about her battle like never before.
In a new interview with Good Morning America, Katie reveals the devastation she felt upon receiving her diagnosis, and the ways in which her life has been upended by this unexpected twist.
Katie details the moment her life changed
“It was the worst feeling I ever felt,” Thurston said in her first sit-down interview since announcing her diagnosis.
“You’re so devastated. It’s so shocking. As a 34-year-old woman, you’re not prepared.”
Katie explained that she initially “brushed off” the lump that she found on her breast, assuming that it was merely “from working out” or her “time of the month.”
She went on to reveal the exact nature of her treatment:
“Because of the size of my tumor, I have to do chemo first to shrink it down, and then I can have it removed,” she said.
News of her illness came shortly after Katie got engaged to comedian Jeff Arcuri.
“We thought we’d be planning a wedding. We thought we’d be trying for a baby. Instead, this year is just dedicated to treatment and getting better
Katie revealed that she’s harvesting her eggs in hopes of starting a family later on, but noted that she and Jeff are also “okay with being a childless couple.”
The heartbreakingly candid interview comes just weeks after Katie shared her diagnosis in an equally blunt Instagram post.
Katie shares her diagnosis with the world
“I have breast cancer,” she wrote. “Yesterday I saw all the couples post their Valentines Day celebrations. I felt envious if I’m being honest,” the reality star continued.
“Jeff took me to Hawaii and after, we were going to travel the world before planting roots together in NYC finally. But instead, my Vday was spent coordinating a place to live as I have to go back to LA for more testing and treatment.”
Detailing the process of finding out about the disease, Thurston explained to followers that she “had a small lump in my breast around the 10’oclock [sic] spot, adding
“I discovered it myself. Thought maybe it was my period [or] maybe it was muscle soreness from working out. But, eventually, this lump never went away.”
She said that she “experienced a range of emotions” during the period between then and now, when she decided to share it with the world.
“Despair. Anger. Sadness. Denial. And then strength. Purposeful. Ready. I cried a lot. I tried to even make a video instead of this post and couldn’t,” she wrote.
“But one thing I did early on was search [for] other stories like mine. Other young women with breast cancer. Invasive ductal carcinoma. Mastectomy. Pregnancy after breast cancer. All of their stories helped. So I intend to be the same for others.”
Katie concluded today’s interview with words of advice for other women, saying:
“Don’t wait. Be proactive. Get checked out. You could be doing yourself a favor in the future.”
Katie Thurston Opens Up About Battle With Breast Cancer: ‘The Worst Feeling I Ever … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.