As Katie Thurston began her 33rd year, her life was going quite well.
“On January 3, 2024, the former Bachelorette posted on Instagram, “No expensive photoshoot, no posing with dessert, just simply me at 33 today :),” “Happy and healthy.”
She was finding love and doing what she liked, which included stand-up comedy. Within the last year, she met and became engaged to comic Jeff Arcuri.
Together, they started making plans for the future. However, less than six weeks after her 34th birthday, Katie received a stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis, which completely upended her world.
“The worst feeling I’ve ever felt,” she recalled during the Good Morning America program that aired on March 19. “As a 34-year-old woman, you are not prepared. You are just devastated. You are so devastated. It is so shocking.”
When Katie found a lump in her breast last summer, she became worried. She initially believed it might be caused by her menstruation, soreness from exercising, or a benign breast cyst that she had had removed when she was 20. However, months after the lump persisted, the reality star made the decision to have it examined.
In an Instagram video posted on March 18, she stated, “I believe my appointment was February 5.” “I received the official notification that it was, in fact, breast cancer by February 13th.”
She informed GMA, “You are in survival mode.” “Every day you have an appointment, every day you have to show up. You have no choice. You either show up or you die.” I hate to phrase it that way, but you have no choice.
However, Katie said that spots had been found on her liver, indicating that her cancer had progressed to stage 4 less than a week after they were married.
Read everything Katie has shared about her experience, including the reasons she is urging her fans to be checked, as she continues her battle against cancer.
On What Led Katie Thurston to Get Checked
In February 2025, the former Bachelorette said on her Instagram Stories, “I discovered it myself.” “I thought it might have been my period or sore muscles from working out.”
Katie thought this new lump was comparable to a benign cyst that was removed from the same breast when she was 20. However, as it persisted, she made the decision to get it examined.
On How Katie Thurston Learned of Her Breast Cancer Diagnosis
In an Instagram video posted on March 18, 2025, Katie said, “They wanted me to do a biopsy after then getting the mammogram.” “Only then can they confirm if it is breast cancer.” I believe I had an appointment on February 5th, but I received confirmation that it was breast cancer on February 13th.
And she will always remember the first time she received the news.
The reality personality said on Good Morning America on March 19, 2025, that it was “the worst feeling I’ve ever felt,” adding that there is no history of breast cancer in her family. “As a 34-year-old woman, you are not prepared. You are just devastated. You are so devastated. It is so shocking.”
She posted on Instagram, “Over the past two weeks, I experienced a range of emotions.” I shed many tears. “Despair, Anger, Sadness, Denial. And then strength. Purposeful. Ready.”
She also stated that she intended to write about her experience in the hopes of assisting others.
She went on to say, “One thing I did early on was search other stories like mine,” “I plan to be the same for others. This is day one of sharing and is going to be a long one. This first step of accepting my reality was the hardest, but I am ready to fight this.” “Other young women with breast cancer. Invasive ductal carcinoma. Mastectomy. Pregnancy after breast cancer. All of their stories helped.”
The TV personality went on to say on GMA, “We thought we would be planning a wedding.” “Instead of attempting to conceive, we are aware that this year is primarily focused on treatment and recovery.”
In case her fertility was impacted by her cancer treatments, Katie and Jeff made the decision to preserve their embryos.The comedian and the Boy Island star shared their encounter with followers at the end of March after documenting it in the middle of the month.
She posted on her Instagram Stories, “Jeff and I talked about how important my health is and that surrogacy will probably be the best option for us when the time comes.” “A gentle reminder to refrain from passing judgment on celebrities who choose to use surrogacy, as you have no idea what their private lives are like.”
Katie and Jeff, however, told GMA that they are “also OK being a childless couple.”
