Katie Thurston’s Journey Through Breast Cancer: From Diagnosis to Treatment
Katie Thurston, who starred in Season 17 of “The Bachelorette” in 2021, has been diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 34.
She shared her diagnosis in a heartfelt Instagram post in February. At that time, she expressed her desire to be transparent about her health, as reading other women’s experiences with breast cancer had provided her comfort during her own journey.
Thurston gained fame as a contestant on Season 25 of “The Bachelor,” featuring Matt James, where her stand against bullying made her a fan favorite, although she was eliminated in Week Six.
Following her time on “The Bachelor,” she led her own season of “The Bachelorette,” which ended with her engagement to Blake Moynes, though the engagement was called off a few months later.
Recently, she married comedian Jeff Arcuri on March 22, just weeks after her breast cancer diagnosis came to light.
Here’s all the information about Thurston’s cancer journey.
Katie Thurston revealed her breast cancer diagnosis in February 2024
The day after Valentine’s Day, Thurston announced her breast cancer diagnosis to her more than 730,000 followers.
“Life update: I have breast cancer,” she shared, explaining that her holiday was consumed with managing logistics related to insurance, appointments, and her treatment, which she noted would involve chemotherapy.
“Over the past two weeks, I’ve felt a swirl of emotions: despair, anger, sadness, denial, and ultimately strength. Purposeful. Ready. I shed many tears; I even tried to record a video but couldn’t,” she mentioned.
In reflecting on her choice to go public with her diagnosis, she mentioned that reading about other young women’s experiences with breast cancer had been supportive for her.
“I want to serve the same purpose for others. This is the first day of sharing, and it’s going to be a long journey. Accepting my reality was the hardest initial step. However, I am ready to face this battle,” she stated.
She expressed gratitude to her then-fiancé, saying, “I can’t imagine going through this without you. Your selfless love is more than I ever hoped to be blessed with. I love you deeply in this lifetime and wherever else we may meet.”
She was unaware of the cancer stage at diagnosis
After making her diagnosis public, Thurston took to her Instagram story to answer questions from her followers throughout the next day.
In this series of posts, she revealed that she was waiting to learn what stage her breast cancer was at and explained that she began the diagnostic process after noticing a small lump in her breast, which she initially attributed to PMS or exercise.
“I went to the doctor hoping it wouldn’t be anything major. I was mistaken,” she admitted in her story.
As reported by E! News, she later clarified that her breast cancer was classified as Stage 3, indicating that it had spread to nearby muscles or lymph nodes, according to the National Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Her breast cancer has metastasized to the liver
In an Instagram update on March 24, she disclosed that doctors found spots on her liver, which suggested the cancer had spread further than she initially thought.
A few days later, on March 28, she confirmed that the liver lesions were indeed breast cancer, leading to her diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer, also known as Stage 4, which is treatable but not curable.
“I know Stage 4 can feel extremely daunting, and it can be. However, since I am triple positive and the liver spots are very small and detected early, I remain hopeful about my prognosis,” she remarked.
She is involved in a clinical trial
In her update from March 24, Thurston also shared details of her participation in a clinical trial called I-SPY, which involves receiving a medication injection aimed at shrinking her tumors.
“Am I crying too much? Am I hyperventilating excessively? Am I not brave enough? I am staying in this as long as they’ll allow,” she said.
In her March 28 update, Thurston disclosed that her treatment plan would include chemotherapy, with the first session scheduled for April 4.
She has also mentioned that she is freezing her eggs to enable future parenthood via IVF, as cancer treatments can often impact fertility.
