It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time for supporting and honoring the one in eight U.S. women grappling with the disease – as well as the many who have lost their lives to it.
Each year, roughly 317,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer, and about 42,000 lose their lives. The famous are not exempt. An example: Katie Couric, celebrated journalist and founder of Katie Couric Media, shared in 2022 that she had been fighting breast cancer, less than 2 months after the death of singer and activist Olivia Newton-John.
Prominent women who have battled the disease, like Couric and John, often use their platforms to spread knowledge and discuss the intricacies of their stories, so that others might be informed and empowered. Below, we’ve gathered quotes from nine high-profile breast cancer survivors – wise words on everything from the value of check-ups and openness, to the power of finding strength in others and caring for oneself.
Actress Christina Applegate. (Credit: Gage Skidmore, Flickr)
"I'm getting used to the new me, my new body."
Longtime actress Christina Applegate offered this bit of insight to Elle magazine while discussing her experience with breast cancer, noting that changes happen both inside and out when one survives such an ordeal – and that both shifts should be honored. It’s one of many interviews she’s given about her numerous health struggles over the years, having also openly talked about the experience of living with multiple sclerosis.
Celebrated journalist Katie Couric. (Credit: Joella Marano, Flickr)
“To reap the benefits of modern medicine, we need to stay on top of our screenings, advocate for ourselves, and make sure everyone has access to the diagnostic tools that could very well save their life.”
In a post about her diagnosis, Couric recounts how even she – a known cancer advocate – was six months late scheduling her annual mammogram. She has also focused attention on the inequities of breast cancer research and treatment for women of color, who have a 40% higher mortality rate. Couric and organizations such as Black Women’s Health Imperative, which has partnered with Mary J. Blige, who lost her aunt to breast cancer, are promoting research and awareness for the disease for Black women in particular.
Journalist and entrepreneur Giuliana Rancic. (Credit: Walt Disney Television, Flickr)
"When I hear women say they got their first mammogram or they do breast checks more regularly because of my story, I am reminded that sharing [it] was absolutely the right decision.”
In a personal essay for E! Online, journalist and entrepreneur Giuliana Rancic shared her journey toward surviving breast cancer, and how opening up has inspired other women to stay alert. She was diagnosed at age 36 – a relatively young age to develop the disease – during a routine mammogram for IVF process treatments. She ultimately had a double mastectomy and had to take medication daily for five years – all while trying to start a family. She recalled not feeling inherently different for a long while, which is why she launched “Fab-U-Wish” – a program that grants wishes to women going through breast cancer, so that they can feel like themselves “if even for a moment.”
Actress Olivia Munn. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)
“It comes at you, and you have no choice but to face it head-on.”
While speaking with People magazine, actress Olivia Munn had those words to say about her experience with an especially aggressive form of breast cancer. “You realize cancer doesn’t care who you are. It doesn’t care if you have a baby or if you don’t have time,” she added. Munn underwent an equally aggressive course of treatment that included surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Though it was hard, “I feel grateful that I was given the opportunity to fight,” she added.
Actress Krysta Rodriguez. (Credit: @krysta_rod on Instagram)
“It's a gift, in a way, to have one sort of goal. And it’s a goal that everyone can get behind.”
Actress Krysta Rodriguez was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 30, even younger than Rancic. She recalls in an interview with Playbill being grateful for her support team – her family – helping her achieve the ultimate goal: Fight cancer and survive. Indeed, solidarity is crucial to Rodriguez, who is considered a “Breast Cancer Warrior” as she continues to research and awareness. She even hosted a benefit concert for ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis in New York City.
Co-Founder of The Home Edit Clea Shearer. (Credit: @cleashearer on Instagram)
“Self-examining is the best thing you can possibly do and it costs nothing. Self-examining is what saved me.”
Clea Shearer, co-founder of organization services company The Home Edit, was diagnosed with breast cancer after she felt an unfamiliar lump in her breast during a self-examination. Because she discovered her cancer by self-exam, she told People magazine she hopes to alert women to always check themselves, in addition to regular screenings. “If I can make my cancer purposeful, [I want to] have people understand that if you feel anything amiss, you have to say something,” she said.
Actress Kathy Bates. (Credit: Gage Skidmore, Flickr)
“I’m doing something real, something truly worthwhile. When I go to sleep at night, I think ‘I did something good today’ and I feel better about everything.”
Oscar-winning actress Kathy Bates shared with PracticalPainManagement.com that while she survived breast cancer after undergoing a double mastectomy in 2012, she then suffered from lymphedema, a common side effect of the surgery. It caused painful swelling in both of her arms, affecting her ability to use them for everyday activities. Since then, she has been a strong advocate for lymphedema awareness, becoming the spokeswoman for Lymphatic Education & Research Network and helping the organization raise thousands of dollars with events such as the California Run/Walk to Fight Lymphedema & Lymphatic Diseases.
Good Morning America Anchor Robin Roberts. (Credit: Anders Krusberg)
“If stories of survival are not comforting, they will be in time. It’s okay to be selfish. Give yourself a break. Those of us who have been through it know that it is about you, and it’s okay.”
Beloved “Good Morning America” anchor Robin Roberts opened up to Cancer Connect about her diagnosis, and subsequent survival, of breast cancer in 2007. She shared her journey openly on GMA to provide awareness and reveal what her time has been like fighting the disease. Years later, in February 2022, Roberts shared that her partner, Amber Laign, was also diagnosed with breast cancer. Roberts’ role as a survivor-turned-caregiver helped her better understand the need for self-preservation and care for all involved.
Actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)
"I'm very happy to be alive."
This simple statement of gratitude, offered by beloved performer Julia Louis-Dreyfus during an interview with Today.com, is born of the grim reality that not everyone survives a cancer diagnosis. “I hate to have to think about it,” the award-winner added of that truth. But since learning about her cancer in 2017, and undergoing treatment that put her career on pause, she has cultivated an appreciation for the preciousness of life.
(This article, first published Oct. 10, 2022, has been updated for 2025. Candice Helfand-Rogers contributed to the writing of this listicle.)