Jenna Fischer shared her breast cancer journey with an emotional interview on Today with Hoda Kotb. On October 8, the The Office star announced she had been diagnosed with Stage 1 Triple Positive Breast Cancer but celebrated finishing chemotherapy and being cancer-free.
Fischer, 50, revealed she discovered her diagnosis while hiking. “I checked the portal on the hike and saw words like ‘invasive’ and ‘malignant,'” she recalled, expressing disbelief at the news. As a mother of two—Weston, 13, and Harper, 10—she was mindful of how her diagnosis would impact her children. “I wanted them to know that any sickness I showed was due to treatment, not cancer,” she said.
She praised her husband, Lee Kirk, for his support. “He was absolutely incredible,” Fischer noted. Their mornings together involved making school lunches and drop-offs, while she could only manage to sit at the table with a cup of coffee.
Fischer also discussed her decision not to shave her head during treatment. “When they told me I had to have chemo, I thought, ‘I don’t want to lose my hair,’” she said. Although she lost her hair, she did not have a dramatic shaving moment, choosing instead to keep some hair for comfort.
Adjusting to her hair loss, Fischer wore wigs and hats, which her family affectionately called “Wigats.” Now, she feels ready to embrace her natural shorter hair.
On Instagram, Fischer thanked Today and Kotb for sharing her story and encouraged others to prioritize breast cancer awareness. “Get your mammogram and follow-up tests,” she urged. “Ninety-nine percent of women who receive an early breast cancer diagnosis survive it.”
Fischer first announced her diagnosis in an October 8 post, detailing her treatment, which included 12 rounds of chemotherapy and three weeks of radiation. She celebrated her cancer-free status by ringing a bell with her family in their backyard.
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