Katie Couricis takingher own breast cancer diagnosisand turning it into a reason to help others.
“One of the reasons I wanted to be public about my diagnosis is I know that I have the capability to influence public health in this country and to educate and inform people and arm them with the knowledge they need to live longer lives,” Couric, 65, tells PEOPLE exclusively.
Bobbie
Couric opened up about her health battle inan essay,but she kept the June diagnosis private until September. It wasn’t until she had a lumpectomy to remove the cancerous tissue and finished radiation that she was ready to go public, because she finally had the information she needed to help others.
“When I shared what was going on, I did what I always do,” the mother of two explains. “I did a lot of reporting and tried to find out important information not only for myself, but for other women and men. I did it when I was ready and I thought that was a good time to do it, and so that’s really why I waited.”
Now that Couric is officially cancer-free, she’s glad she can pay it forward to some of the3.8 millionwomen dealing with the disease, including this special group of new mothers who were worried about feeding their babies.
“I think they were just a remarkable group of women,” Couric, who surprised the group with the news of the $25,000 worth of formula to The Breasties on behalf of Bobbie on Zoom, shares. “Having children is stressful enough and is a big adjustment and very hard on your body as it is, but [even more difficult] in their situations dealing with cancer diagnoses.”
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“All of the new mothers we sponsored at least had mastectomies,” Bobbie CEO Laura Modi, who’s helped 177 women to date in her third year of the program, tells PEOPLE. “We did have two people who had a surrogate and we also sponsored them.”
Currently, there is no public health policy that considers the physical capabilities of mothers when assessing coverage for formula or donor milk. This greatly effects mothers who cannot breastfeed due to breast cancer treatment, so Couric and Modi also are launching apublic petitionfighting for legislative changes that would create insurance equality and cover formula or donor milk for all parents who have undergone a mastectomy.
“Being selected as a part of the Bobbie Breasties program is one of those ‘worst club, best members’ moments, where I can’t believe I’m fortunate enough to have this level of support amidst such a challenging experience,” Berenice Lopez Leal, who is soon to be a new mom, tells PEOPLE.
Today, Couric is thankful to be in good health. She has to take five years worth of aromatase inhibitors, a drug used to prevent breast cancer from coming back. But “I’m feeling great,” she says.
“And really grateful because as I’ve often said, I’m the lucky recipient of everything modern medicine has to offer. I was diagnosed early when my breast cancer is not only treatable, it’s curable, and having experienced my husband’s colon cancer, my sister’s pancreatic cancer, and many other friends who I’ve lost to cancer, the fact that strides have been made and that my situation, my prognosis is so good. Honestly, that’s beyond fortunate.”
source: people.com
