From the murder of George Floyd to conflict in the Middle East, CNN’s Sara Sidner has reported on some of the world’s most important stories as co-anchor on CNN News Central. But on Monday night, she shared one of the most difficult stories of her career – the news of her Stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis.
“I have never been sick a day in 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,” she said during an emotional on-air announcement on January 8.
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The American Cancer Society’s research has shown that inadequate (or non existent) healthcare coverage means more Black women are diagnosed with advanced-stage cancer, which is often more expensive and more difficult to treat.
Sidner hopes her news will encourage more women to get regular screenings that could potentially be life-saving.
“To all my sisters, Black and white and brown out there, please, for the love of God, get your mammograms every single year. Do your self-exams. Try to catch it before I did,” she said.
And in the meantime, she says her experience has given her a new appreciation for life.
“I am learning that no matter the hell we all go through in this life, I am still madly in love with mine. Just being alive feels different now. I am happier because I don’t stress about the foolish little things that used to annoy me,” said Sidner. 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.”
Amen.
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