News anchor announces cancer diagnosis live on TV with tearful message

News anchor announces cancer diagnosis live on TV with tearful message

News Hour
CNN anchor Sara Sidner has announced she has been diagnosed with cancer (Picture: CNN)

CNN news anchor Sara Sidner has announced her cancer diagnosis live on TV.

The broadcaster, 51, revealed she had been diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in an incredibly powerful statement live on air.

Speaking on Monday’s CNN News Central, she began with a shaking voice to ask viewers to picture eight women that they love.

‘Statistically, one of them will get or have breast cancer. I am that one in eight in my friend group.’

She said: ‘I have never been sick a day of my life. I don’t smoke, I rarely drink. Breast cancer does not run in my family, and yet, here I am with stage 3 breast cancer. It is hard to say out loud.’

The journalist went on to say she had undergone chemotherapy, would be undergoing radiation therapy and a double mastectomy, but was staying positive as stage three breast cancer is ‘not a death sentence anymore for most women.’

She noted, however, that Black women are ‘41% more likely to die than your white counterparts,’ a statistic from the American Cancer Society.

She pleaded for all women to ‘get your mammograms … do your self-exams, try to catch it before I did.’

Sara became tearful as she declared she was grateful for cancer ‘choosing me’ as it made her realise that ‘I am still madly in love with this life.’

‘Just being alive feels really different for me now,’ she said.

Sara said the diagnosis has helped her realise she is ‘madly in love with this life’ (Picture: CNN)

‘I am happier because I don’t stress about the foolish little things that used to annoy me. Now, every single day I breathe another breath, I celebrate that I am still here with you, and that I can still love and cry and hope.

‘And that, my dear friends, is enough.’

The celebrated journalist was named co-anchor of the show last year (Picture: Getty Images North America)

Sara shared the powerful clip to her personal Instagram account, where she was flooded with support.

Musician Kelly Rowland said she was ‘sending you love and praying your strength through … YOU GOT THIS, and you got cheerleaders supporting you!!!’

Wanda Sykes said ‘you got this sis. Prayers up!’ while Don Lemon joked ‘cancer just f’d around and found out it messed with the wrong lady.’

Florida native Sidner is a celebrated journalist who has previously received three Regional Emmy Awards and multiple Associated Press awards.

She has worked with CNN for over a decade, and in January 2023 was named co-anchor of CNN News Central alongside John Berman and Kate Bolduan.


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