Former Dancing with the Stars co-host Samantha Harris has revealed to People that she’s been diagnosed with breast cancer and will soon undergo a double mastectomy in response to the disease.
The 40-year old says she detected a lump in her right breast last fall during a self-examination and a needle biopsy later confirmed the bad news.
Harris describes the diagnosis as akin to an “elephant sitting on my chest,” adding that she sought opinions from thee specialists and was faced with two options:
- A double mastectomy.
- A second lumpectomy with radiation.
"I was sick of feeling the way that I did in the days after the diagnosis," says Harris of why she chose the first procedure. "I knew I needed to take control."
Such a radical surgery is obviously scary for the mother of two, but she’s secure in knowing it’s the best course of action for defeating the illness.
After deciding on the double mastectomy, “I felt so much calmer,” Harris tells People, which chronicles this story in more detail in its latest issue.
We send Harris our best wishes for a full recovery.