Katie Couric disclosed today in an article on her website that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Since her husband died of colon cancer in 1998, Couric has been a vocal advocate of cancer awareness, and has long advocated for regular, early screenings. Most notably she underwent a colonoscopy on camera and aired it on The Today show in 2000, resulting in a 20% increase of people getting colonoscopies across the country.

She decided to do something similar with her delayed-by-COVID mammogram. Thinking it was a routine screening, she had someone film her during her mammogram. Her journalistic instincts thought people could benefit seeing how it’s done and encourage people to get their checkups as well. However, during a follow-up ultrasound, her doctor asked to stop filming. Unsure about a tumor or just scar tissue, a biopsy was performed. The next day, while at work in an open floorplan office, Couric’s doctor told her she had cancer. Finding out at work and the lack of privacy in the workplace is a challenge many people face. While designed for quick and easy collaboration, people are often left having private, personal conversations within earshot of others, making disclosure no longer a choice, but a reality.

Couric has since been treated with surgery and radiation (the cancer was found early enough where chemotherapy was not needed). She is taking the month of October to cover breast cancer awareness from a 360 and personal view. You can read more about her story, and her upcoming awareness campaign, on her website.