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In February last year, Katie Thurston revealed that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Shortly thereafter, Thurston revealed that her cancer had reached stage 4 and had spread to multiple other organs, including her liver.
Now she’s sharing a heartbreaking update about her treatment — and she’s doing it with honesty, strength, and a clear message about what she’s facing.
The former reality TV star underwent a double mastectomy, a development she confirmed in a deeply personal update.
Thurston explained that the surgery was a necessary step as part of her treatment, and spoke candidly about the physical and emotional weight of the decision.
“Today is surgery day! Thank you all for your support leading up to this,” she wrote on Instagram this week (via the people).
“I still can’t believe I’m in this moment. The surgery takes 3 hours. I’m looking forward to waking up on the other side of this!”
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Thurston continued to document her journey and connect with followers, offering a candid look at what she’s going through in real time.
“My cancer candle is burning bright, but I collapsed to the floor breathing heavily and crying. The same way I did when I first got the call, it was cancer. Sometimes I’m fine and sometimes I’m like…damn…I can’t wait until you’re done with surgery,” she wrote this week.
“I don’t like these little reminders. But in the fourth stage, they will always whisper in the background, and some days even louder with their grip on my neck,” she added.
“I pick myself up and the pieces of my broken heart, and I keep moving forward. I’m losing parts of my body and my soul. Grateful for my friends, my family, my community, and Jeff. [dog] Charlie. You. Thank you for being here during the most difficult chapter of my life.”
The former Bachelorette noted the procedure marked a major turning point in her cancer journey — one that comes with uncertainty and determination as she navigates what lies ahead.
“This beautiful girl just had a double mastectomy,” Katie’s husband, Jeff Arcuri, wrote on his Instagram Stories. “She’s in great hands and in good spirits. I’ll update everyone as soon as I can!”
Arcuri later wrote that the surgery was “wonderful.”
Throughout her updates, Katie made it clear that her focus remains on doing everything possible to prolong her life and maintain hope, even in the face of a troubling diagnosis.
Currently, she is recovering from surgery and continuing treatment, taking things one step at a time when faced with a diagnosis that has already reshaped her life in profound ways.
