Katie Thurston Shares Mom’s Cancer Diagnosis Amid Her Own Battle

by

Katie Thurston’s cancer journey is taking an unexpected turn.

The former star of The Bachelorette, who revealed her own breast cancer diagnosis in February, recently shared that her mother has also been diagnosed with the disease after a routine mammogram.

I recently learned some surprising news about my mom’s health. A few weeks ago, she received a breast cancer diagnosis, but it wasn’t her doctors who initially found it – and that really took me aback. I shared a sweet throwback photo of us on Instagram, and it’s been a tough time processing everything.

Katie, age 35, shared that her mother’s X-rays in December showed no signs of cancer and were likely harmless. Although doctors didn’t suggest any additional tests, Katie strongly insisted they perform more scans.

She explained that she advised the patient to get a breast ultrasound. The ultrasound revealed some concerning areas, so doctors ordered an MRI and took biopsies. Remarkably, just two weeks after a normal mammogram – and because the patient spoke up about her concerns – she received a cancer diagnosis.

Katie flew to Seattle this weekend to support her mom at her first doctor’s appointment and encouraged her followers to be proactive about learning about their own health.

It’s frustrating that we have to fight for our own care, but ultimately, speaking up for ourselves is what will protect our health,” she said. “We’re learning more today, and I think it was because we pushed for answers that we were able to identify this problem so soon.

Okay, so last year Katie got the news – cancer. It was devastating, honestly. Then she shared it had already progressed to stage four, which just broke my heart. But then, amazingly, the treatment started working – her tumors were actually shrinking! It’s been such a rollercoaster, but she’s been so brave sharing everything, and it’s totally changed how she sees things, and honestly, how I see things too. It’s like she’s seeing the world with new eyes, and it’s so inspiring.

Katie shared with TopMob News in October that she’s learned everyone faces hidden challenges. This realization has made her more understanding and patient, especially with strangers. She now tries to remember that someone’s behavior, like driving slowly or seeming grumpy, might be due to personal difficulties, and she focuses on being kinder as a result.

Katie also thanked her husband, Jeff Arcuri, whom she married in March, for his support during a difficult time.

She stressed that going through cancer shouldn’t be done in isolation. Having support from loved ones – friends and family – is crucial. And having a partner by your side throughout the entire journey, she said, has been incredibly meaningful.

For a closer look at Katie’s breast cancer journey, keep reading.

In the summer of 2024, Katie Thurston found a small lump in her breast. Initially, she wasn’t too worried, thinking it might be related to her menstrual cycle or just muscle soreness from exercise. Katie, known from The Bachelorette, had a non-cancerous cyst removed from the same breast when she was 20, so she assumed this new lump was likely the same. However, when the lump didn’t disappear, she decided to see a doctor. She shared on Instagram in February 2025 that the doctor’s visit revealed it wasn’t nothing, as she had hoped.

Katie received a breast ultrasound after her doctor recommended she see a specialist. This was followed by a mammogram and then a biopsy. She shared in a video on Instagram on March 18, 2025, that it wasn’t until after these tests that doctors could confirm whether or not she had cancer, and she remembers the moment she received the news as the worst feeling of her life.

Speaking on Good Morning America on March 19, 2025, Katie, who has no family history of the disease, explained how shocking the diagnosis was for her as a 34-year-old, and how unprepared she felt. She initially revealed her stage 3 diagnosis to her followers on February 15, 2025.

In an Instagram post, Katie described the rollercoaster of emotions she experienced – despair, anger, sadness, and denial – but ultimately found strength and a sense of purpose. She says she cried a lot. She wants to document her experience to help others facing similar challenges.

Katie explained that she had searched for stories from other young women with breast cancer, particularly those dealing with invasive ductal carcinoma, mastectomy, and pregnancy after cancer, and found them incredibly helpful. She hopes to provide the same support to others, and considers this first step of accepting her diagnosis the most difficult, but she is ready to fight.

Katie received a cancer diagnosis just five months after getting engaged to comedian Jeff Arcuri, whom she met on Instagram in spring 2024. She shared with GMA that they had been planning a wedding and starting a family, but now their focus is on her treatment and recovery.

To protect their future fertility, Katie and Jeff underwent IVF, retrieving 17 eggs. Unfortunately, only 6 were fertilized, and after testing, they were able to freeze 2 viable embryos. Katie openly shared this process on Instagram, explaining the realities of IVF.

They’ve also discussed using a surrogate in the future, and Katie asked for understanding and compassion for celebrities who choose this path, as people often don’t know the full story behind their decisions. Despite their desire for a family, Katie and Jeff are also content with the possibility of remaining a childless couple.

Katie and Jeff decided to get married on March 22, 2025, in New York, after Katie moved across the country to be with Jeff following a long-distance relationship. They had a small, intimate ceremony in their apartment’s backyard, including their parents, their officiant, and their new dog, Charlie.

Katie shared with Us Weekly that the decision came about because of the emotions surrounding her chemotherapy treatment. Jeff wanted to reassure her of his love and commitment, telling her he wanted to marry her right away. He wanted to demonstrate that he would be there for her, no matter what.

While they plan to have a larger wedding celebration later, Katie explained that Jeff’s gesture was a powerful way of showing his unwavering support. Jeff also wanted to have the legal rights that come with being a husband, allowing him to be fully present with Katie during her hospital stays. He wanted to be able to say, ‘My wife is in there,’ and feel the strength that title provides.

Just days after getting married, Katie received some difficult news: a scan revealed cancer had spread to her liver, now classified as stage 4. In a video posted on March 28, 2025, she acknowledged that a stage 4 diagnosis can be frightening, but expressed optimism about her prognosis. She explained that because her cancer is triple-positive and the spots on her liver were small and found early, she feels hopeful for a positive outcome.

After learning she had stage 4 cancer, Katie shared details about her treatment plan. Initially, she was told the cancer in her liver had spread from her breast cancer, meaning the breast cancer would be the primary focus. She was scheduled to begin six rounds of chemotherapy.

However, just before starting treatment, Katie received unexpected news. She explained on Instagram that recent tests showed her cancer was HER2 negative, despite earlier tests indicating it was HER2 positive. This meant a change in plans, as she was about to take medication to prepare for chemo. Instead, she needed to meet with her doctor to understand the discrepancy in results and how it would affect her treatment.

As a result, Katie said it appeared chemotherapy was no longer an option. While she acknowledged this should be good news, she also expressed frustration with the multiple changes to her diagnosis over the past two months. She believes getting thorough testing and a second opinion has been crucial in understanding her cancer early on.

I’ve been following Katie’s journey, and honestly, it’s just… incredible. She’s battling cancer, and she’s so real about it. She posted on her channel the other day – March 31st, 2025 – and she admitted she has moments where she just thinks, ‘What is even happening?!’ But she’s determined to make the most of things, even when it’s hard. She said it’s easy to say ‘live like you’re dying,’ but actually doing it when you’re facing this is a whole different story. It really hit me when she pointed out we’re all getting closer to the end, cancer or not – it’s just life. But she’s so grateful for today, and she wants to cherish every moment, with or without this awful disease. And she’s been so amazing in spreading awareness! She was on Good Morning America and just begged everyone – please don’t wait, get checked! It could save your life, and honestly, hearing her say it just makes it even more important. She’s a total inspiration.

Nearly two months in treatment, Katie shared another new reality. 

In an Instagram post from June 1, 2025, she revealed she’s been having memory problems. She described a recent experience at customs where an officer asked her where she was traveling from, and she realized she couldn’t recall.

She mentioned having a minor disagreement with her husband, though she couldn’t recall the specifics.

She remembered telling Jeff, “This has happened before.” He asked when, and she replied that she didn’t know exactly, but she was certain it had.

You know, looking back, we can even find humor in some of it. But let’s be real, cancer is just awful. There are days I tell myself to toughen up and not dwell on it, and then there are other days where I give myself permission to just feel everything, because honestly, it completely stinks.

Read More

2026-01-19 21:18