As we’ve previously reported, former Bachelorette star Katie Thurston has been battling breast cancer.
News of her diagnosis came just months after news of Katie’s engagement to Jeff Arcuri.
Just days after her wedding, Thurston revealed that her cancer had reached Stage 4 and had spread to her liver.
Katie has been courageously candid throughout her health battle, and over the weekend, she opened up about a surprising new challenge.
Katie Thurston slams Facebook death hoax
Taking to her Instagram Stories, Katie complained of a persistent death hoax that’s been spreading on Facebook.
“I’ve seen this [Facebook] article go around before, but something about tonight really f–king pisses me off,” she told her followers (according to Page Six).
“It was triggering. I tried to report it [but] there’s nothing I can do … I just feel helpless. I’m so mad right now.”
Katie says she realized something was amiss when she started getting texts and phone calls inquiring about her well-being.
“I was getting, like, texts from people I don’t normally hear from,” she said. “Then, I got DMs from people, and everyone’s like, ‘Are you OK?’”
Katie concluded her message by assuring fans that she’s still very much alive.
“[I’m] still here. [Facebook] is just constant clickbait,” she said.
The growing problem of ‘fake news’ on social media
While Katie’s specific experience might be highly unusual, anyone who’s used Facebook in recent months knows that the site’s misinformation problems are only getting worse.
With the rise of AI technologies, it’s easier than ever for bad actors to drum up engagement by tossing out an entirely fictitious “news story.”
Unfortunately, real people are usually the subjects of these stories, and as a result, someone like Katie might have the experience of logging on to Facebook and being confronted with a report claiming they’ve passed away.
“I experienced a range of emotions over the past two weeks. Despair. Anger. Sadness. Denial. And then strength. Purposeful. Ready. I cried a lot. I tried to even make a video instead of this post and couldn’t,” Katie wrote when sharing news of her diagnosis back in February.
“I scheduled appointments for another biopsy, fertility, mental health, surgery, as well as meeting with my team to discuss the overall treatment plan, which will include chemo,” Thurston added.
We wish Katie all the best as she continues on her road to remission.