The comedian lost her siblings to cancer in recent years. Her brother died in 2014, following a stage 4 esophageal cancer diagnosis. Her sister Joyce died at age 65 in 2017, after undergoing chemotherapy.
Barely a day after comedian Kathy Griffin revealed she has been diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer, a representative for the star commented that she has had a successful surgery and is now in recovery, according to PEOPLE.
Griffin's representative Alex Spieller told USA TODAY that her "surgery went well and as planned. She’s in recovery now and resting."
A while before her surgery, when she announced her diagnosis via social media, the Emmy Award winner urged her fans to stay "up to date" on their medical checkups. The-60-year-old shared that she is scheduled to undergo surgery to remove a part of her lung, according to PEOPLE.
"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!" Griffin wrote on Twitter and Instagram. "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 a normal function with my breathing. I should be up and running around 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," she continued, adding, "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. XXOO, KG."
Griffin will open up about the diagnosis in an interview with co-anchor Juju Chang airing on ABC News' Nightline. In a clip from the sit-down, she says she is "still a little bit in shock" after she found out she had cancer just a few weeks ago.
"Really just days ago — like, I think two weeks ago — I was diagnosed with cancer. As a friend of mine had said, 'How many kicks in the nuts can you take?' My nuts are pretty strong, but it's a challenge," she says. "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---? Is this a bitch or what?'"
The star has lost a few close people to cancer, in recent years. Her older brother Gary—who was 63 years old—died in 2014, following a stage 4 esophageal cancer diagnosis. Her sister Joyce died at age 65 in 2017, after undergoing chemotherapy. At the time Griffin shaved off all her hair to show her support for her sister. Then, in January 2019, she revealed her mom Maggie had been diagnosed with Dementia. A year later, in March 2020, she died.
Here's hoping Griffin has a speedy recovery!
References:
https://people.com/health/kathy-griffin-reveals-lung-cancer-diagnosis-to-undergo-surgery/
https://twitter.com/kathygriffin/status/1422169088793579520
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Neilson Barnard
