TV presenter Maria Menounos has revealed she was treated for stage 2 pancreatic cancer.
The 44-year-old host of US programmes including E! News and Access Hollywood was diagnosed in January and underwent successful surgery to remove a 3.9cm tumour.
Speaking to People magazine, Menounos, who was previously treated for a benign brain tumour in 2017, described how starting in June last year she suffered a series of health issues.
She began having severe leg cramps and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, which runs in her family.
Doctors prescribed her insulin and she went on a strict diet while monitoring her glucose levels.
A month later she was back in hospital with “excruciating abdominal pain coupled with diarrhoea”.
A CT scan and further testing showed nothing but on a flight several weeks later the pain became so bad it was like “someone was tearing my insides out”, she said
After a whole body MRI the mass on her pancreas was discovered.
A subsequent biopsy confirmed it was a stage 2 pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour.
She was given a good prognosis and underwent surgery in February to remove the mass alongside part of her pancreas, her spleen, a large fibroid and 17 lymph nodes.
Menounos, who is expecting a baby girl this summer via surrogate with husband Keven Undergaro, told People: “I’m so grateful and so lucky. God granted me a miracle.
“I’m going to appreciate having her in my life so much more than I would have before this journey.”
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.