Hoda Kotb Reflects On Cancer Battle And Shares Lessons She Learned From Her Journey

Popular broadcaster Hoda Kotb is reminiscing about getting diagnosed with breast cancer.

The talk show host opened up in an interview about the mental agony she went through after learning she had the ailment. Kotb admitted that the diagnosis made her think she would die, adding that the news came as a huge shock.

Going in for a mastectomy and treatment plan ultimately saved Kotb. However, the tv personality shared that she wished she had done a screening earlier and urged other women to do so for preventive measures. She now intends to keep living fearlessly and continue advocating for breast cancer awareness.

Read on to learn more.

In an interview with E! News, Kotb recalled the moment when she got a call from her doctor informing her that she had deadly breast cancer. The news was so shocking that she blacked out from the rest of the conversation.

"I think I just blacked out for the rest of it," the broadcast journalist revealed on the publication's "What I Wish I Knew" series, "But it hit me like a hammer. I was shocked. We've done a million stories on people who said, 'I didn't think it would be me,' and that's how I felt."

The said call happened in 2007, and at the time, Kotb was living a healthy life and was still only a prime age of 43 years. She also had no family history of such a condition which further made the news take a heavy toll on her mental health.

On how she felt about the diagnosis, the tv personality shared that she thought that was the end of the road for her.

She added, "I was just scared I was gonna die."

Almost two decades have passed since she got the news that changed her life. Shortly after the diagnosis, Kotb went in for a mastectomy, followed by a treatment plan that made the cancer go into remission.

After more treatment, she was declared cancer free and has yet to have a reoccurrence of the ailment. Now in hindsight, the 58 years old confessed that she wished she had gone in for screening far earlier.

She continued per E!, "In hindsight, I wish that I had gone earlier to get checked. But in that moment, I wasn't thinking about that. I was just thinking about living."

Kotb has since become an advocate for breast cancer awareness and has shared the story of her journey to inspire others who are facing a similar ordeal.

Most importantly, she urged her followers to get examined for breast cancer and to always put their own needs first. She reminded them not to be afraid of receiving a challenging diagnosis because many methods and technological advancements can treat the condition.

Though her health challenge prevented her from having children of her own, the former Deadline correspondent chose the path of adoption, growing her family to include two daughters, Haley Joy and Hope Catherine.

"God put them in my life at the perfect time," Kotb remarked as she reflected on her relationship with her children and how she finds it difficult to envision her life without them. The television star also claimed that her life has improved since overcoming cancer.

"My best years of my life were all post-cancer," she said. "All the best years happened after that. That was not the end by any stretch. That was the beginning."

Kotb shared that her optimistic spirit is one value she plans on imbibing in her children as they grow.

She said, "I want my kids to know resilience is something that we are about," she said. "We look on the sunny side of the street. We look for what's right, not for what's wrong."

The mother of two now hopes to continue living fear-free and try out new things for the rest of her years.

Kotb added, "I feel like the world is out there for me and the best years are ahead for me," she said. "The gift of being fearless is amazing because it lets you live. If you're afraid, you're not living. If you're afraid, you're sheltered. If you're afraid, you're staying inside. If you're afraid, you're not meeting somebody. But once you're fearless, you get the whole world."