Kathy Griffin shares lung cancer diagnosis
"Yes, I have lung cancer even though I've never smoked".
Words: Jamie Tabberer; picture: Wiki
Kathy Griffin has announced she has undergone surgery for lung cancer.
The comedy icon shared the news publicly last night, pointing out she has the disease “even though I’ve never smoked.”
The 60-year-old also said she will have half of her left lung removed and should thus be able to avoid chemotherapy and radiotherapy. According to ABC News, Griffin underwent surgery yesterday.
“The doctors are very optimistic “
Writing on Instagram, the star said: “I’ve got to tell you guys something. I have cancer. I’m about to go into surgery to have half of my left lung removed. Yes, I have lung cancer even though I’ve never smoked!”
Kathy continued: “The doctors are very optimistic as it is stage one and contained to my left lung. Hopefully no chemo or radiation after this and I should have normal function with my breathing.
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“I should be up and running as usual in a month or less. It’s been a helluva 4 years, trying to get back to work, making you guys laugh and entertaining you, but I’m gonna be just fine. Of course, I am fully vaccinated for Covid. The consequences for being unvaccinated would have been even more serious. Please stay up to date on your medical checkups. It’ll save your life.”
“All I wanted to do was die. And now, all I wanna do is live”
Yesterday, in an interview with ABC News, Kathy also opened up about her struggles with pill addiction and her 2020 suicide attempt after her career was derailed by a controversial 2017 photo in which she held a bloodied head resembling then-US President Donald Trump.
She told the outlet: “I thought, ‘Well, I don’t even drink… Big deal, I take a couple pills now and again, who doesn’t?’ Also, my age was a big part of it. I mean, who bottoms out and tries to take their life at 59? It’s almost a joke, right, and by the way, someday, this will all be comedy. Trust me… I was laughing to stay alive. And what I found is I felt like if I can’t make others laugh, then there’s no purpose for me to live.”
She added: “I started thinking about suicide more and more as I got into the pill addiction, and it became almost an obsessive thought. I started really convincing myself it was a good decision. I got my living revocable trust in order. I had all my ducks in a row. I wrote the note – the whole thing.”
After her suicide attempt, Griffin sought treatment and was placed on psychiatric hold at a hospital, and was later released. She also detoxed from pills and, despite never drinking, started attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. She is now a year sober but says she is still in recovery and considers herself an addict.
“The irony is not lost on me that, a little over a year ago, all I wanted to do was die. And now, all I wanna do is live,” she said.