Everything Katie Thurston Has Said About Her Cancer Diagnosis

Everyone knows life can change in an instant, but it's not until it happens that we truly understand how fragile everything is. For Bachelor alum Katie Thurston, that moment came with a cancer diagnosis that rocked her world in 2025. It all started when she found a lump in her breast in 2024. Since she'd previously had a benign cyst removed and felt pain when she touched the new rubbery lump, Thurston thought that it wasn't anything serious. "You think, 'I'm a young woman. Breast cancer doesn't hurt.' I just didn't take it seriously," she recalled in an interview with Health.

But when she eventually spoke to her doctor and had it checked out, the news was devastating. She had Stage 3, triple-positive breast cancer. The diagnosis meant her cancer was spreading aggressively and would require chemotherapy to save her life. However, cancer wasn't the only battle she faced. Knowing how treatment could affect her fertility, Thurston and her then-fiance, Jeff Arcuri, decided to undergo IVF and save her embryos. With Jeff's support, Thurston completed the process and moved from California to New York City, where she would start treatment. Unfortunately, just one day before she was scheduled to begin chemotherapy, everything shifted again. She was re-diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer, which had begun extending to her liver.

Although a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis is typically seen as the "end," Katie Thurston had a different outlook. Her new diagnosis was HER2-negative, which meant a treatment regimen that wouldn't include chemotherapy, but instead required a once-a-month injection and medication. "Chemo is a very heavy thing, and I think everyone can agree if they can bypass it, that's going to be their preference. I felt hopeful. In a weird way, I felt religious," she told Health.

She also added that she didn't view it as a death sentence. "Stage 4 is very much treated now as more like a chronic illness — something we just maintain forever, as opposed to a timer on our life," she explained. However, despite her hopeful attitude, Thurston admitted her journey was only beginning. She could eventually need to undergo a double mastectomy to remove her breasts.

However, even with the challenges ahead, she has remained open about her experience and her mindset as she moves through treatment. In April, the former Bachelorette star opened up about the tragic details of her illness and where she stands now on Emmanuel Acho's show, "Uncomfortable Conversations." "I'm tired often and stopped fighting it. Just sleep when I need it. Allowing myself the physical and mental recovery of everything," she said (via People).

Going through a severe medical issue can leave you feeling like a stranger in your own life and with Katie Thurston's breast cancer diagnosis, this has definitely been the case. To cope, she started the Boobie Broadcast channel to support fellow breast cancer patients and raise awareness about the illness. "To hear from another cancer survivor like, 'I was on that exact regimen 15 years ago' — that gives me the biggest hope at the end of the day," she said on "Uncomfortable Conversations." However, even with such a valuable support network, Thurston admits just how tough the journey can be.

In one Boobie Broadcast post, she shared, "Today I had 'chemo class' — and I sobbed the second it started. [...] Sometimes I think, 'wtf is my life?' But whether I like it or not, this is my life, and I have to make the best of it" (via People). Expectedly, optimism has remained a major theme for Thurston throughout her journey. While speaking with Emmanuel Acho, she explained just how crucial it is to hold on to hope: "I think you have to have a reason to live. I think you have to have something that makes you want to see tomorrow. And I think without hope, you don't have that opportunity."

Thurston also shared a message about keeping hope alive on Boobie Broadcast, writing, "So cancer or not, I am blessed with today. So while I have sad moments or days, I want to do my best to cherish my time, cancer or not."