Comedian Kathy Griffin reveals she has 'stage one' lung cancer
American comedian Kathy Griffin, known for her controversial quips at celebrities, revealed recently that she has lung cancer. Taking to her social media handles, the 60-year-old said she was going to have surgery to remove half of her left lung. Mentioning the doctors diagnosed it in "stage one," she stressed she would be "up and running around as usual in a month or less."
'Yes, I have lung cancer even though I've never smoked'
The star sounded incredulous as she wrote, "Yes, I have lung cancer even though I've never smoked!" In her note, she hoped that "no chemo or radiation" would be required and that she would regain "normal function" of breathing after the surgery. Stating she was fully vaccinated for COVID-19, the veteran stand-up comic went on to advise everyone to go through regular medical check-ups.
Read the full note here
Did she refer to controversial photoshoot from four years back?
A part of her note read, "It's been a helluva four years, trying to get back to work, making you guys laugh and entertaining you, but I'm gonna be just fine (sic)," possibly referring to the severe backlash she received for her 2017 photoshoot. To recall, the comic had posed with a dummy of a bloodied head, resembling ex-US President Donald Trump, inviting criticism.
Two of her siblings had battled cancer in the past
Monday's announcement comes years after Griffin had shaved her head in solidarity with her sister Joyce, who was battling cancer and undergoing chemotherapy in July 2017. Sadly, Joyce passed away that very year in September. Notably, Griffin also lost her brother Gary to cancer in 2014. One among five siblings, Griffin grew up in a Chicago suburb. Her mother passed away last year.
She was grappling with addiction, suicidal thoughts before
In an interview given to ABC last week that was published on Monday, the Emmy and Grammy-winning comedian shared she was diagnosed "only a few weeks ago." She revealed the backlash post-photoshoot led to addiction and even suicidal thoughts. "The irony is...a little over a year ago, all I wanted to do was die. And now, all I wanna do is live," she said.
'In shock, not denial,' her reaction to the diagnosis
Griffin recalled her reaction to the cancer diagnosis. "I was definitely in shock. I'm still a little bit in shock. Not denial, but...once a day, I'll just turn to, like, nobody next to me and go, 'Can you believe this s--t?'"
