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Social media users are sharing their prayers and support for CNN anchor Sara Sidner. According to PEOPLE, the 51-year-old recently revealed that she has been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer.
According to the outlet, Sidner shared the update with ‘CNN News Central’ viewers during a live broadcast on Monday, January 8.
“I want to start by doing this and asking you a big favor. Just take a second to recall the names of eight women who you love and know in your life,” she said. “…Statistically, one of them will get or have breast cancer. I am that one in eight in my friend group…”
Sidner explained that she has “never been sick,” doesn’t smoke, rarely drinks alcohol, and breast cancer does not run in her family.
“And yet, here I am with stage three breast cancer. It is hard to say out loud,” the anchor shared while becoming emotional.
The news anchor explained that she is in her second month of chemotherapy treatments. However, she will have to undergo radiation and a double mastectomy to have her breasts removed.
Despite this, the 51-year-old declared that stage three breast cancer “is not a death sentence.” However, she did note that Black women are 41% more likely to pass away from breast cancer.
Watch her sentiments below.
Additionally, Sidner took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share the clip with another message.
“Please for the love of God get your mammograms and do your self exams. I want you to thrive my sisters…” she wrote.
Social media users entered The Shade Room’s comment section to share their support and prayers for the news anchor.
“My mother is a breast cancer survivor! Dr gave her 6 months to live almost 30 years ago. God has the final say! Prayers to her! 💕”
“he’s already started the healing process 🙌 ❤️🩹”
“Very brave for her to share. Hope the Black and Brown women she was speaking to continue to get checked regularly. That 41% is real.”
“Omg may God walk with you and give you strength and comfort we all are standing with you my granny died from cancer f$&@ cancer”
“This is a message to me sisters . Please please PLEASE do your self checks and mammograms. I caught it by accident self exam. And if you happen to be diagnosed with breast cancer just know I am here praying for you . You can survive this. I’m here to tell you cancer treatment is not what it used to be. I want my sisters to thrive not just survive .”
Sidner sat down with PEOPLE for an exclusive interview about her diagnosis, published on Monday. During the conversation, the 51-year-old shared her initial reaction to the news.
“When I got the news, I didn’t tell anybody, not even my mother or husband or sisters or friends. I just needed to process it,” she said. “The first thing I thought of was, ‘You better start writing letters to the people you love because you’re not going to be here.’ So I started writing one to my mom, who was struggling with her own health situation.”
However, Sidner explained that her perspective on the diagnosis shifted from dismay to gratitude.
“I just made a decision. I’m like, ‘No, you’re going to live and you’re going to stop this and you’re going to do every single thing in your arsenal to survive this. Period.’ And I have been so much happier in my life since,” she explained. “…I mean happier than I was before cancer.”
Additionally, she shared why she decided to go public with her diagnosis.
“I don’t put my personal stuff out there that often, but I can do something for someone because I have cancer. I can warn somebody,” she said.
Furthermore, Sidner explained that she is now focused on “living and loving.”
“I’m living and I’m loving living because I know it can be short,” she explained. “I don’t know how this is going to end… [but] we have the ability to feel joy at any point as long as we’re breathing.”
