Erin Andrews has opened up for the first time about something very painful and very personal:
She was diagnosed last year with cervical cancer.
The reporter and Dancing with the Stars co-host made this reveal in an interview with Sports Illustrated, confirming that she has undergone successful surgery to remove all traces of the terrible disease.
Andrews explained how she she had this type of cancer in September, a few months after settling her $ 55 million lawsuit against the Nashville Marriott.
The broadcaster had been awarded this large sum as the result of a stranger secretly filming her in the nude while staying in the room next to her in that hotel.
And she says that getting through this embarrassing incident toughened her up for her cancer battle.
“After the trial everyone kept telling me, ‘You’re so strong, for going through all of this, for holding down a job in football, for being the only woman on the crew,’” Andrews told SI’s MMQB website.
“Finally I got to the point where I believed it too. ‘Hey, I have cancer, but dammit, I am strong, and I can do this.”
Andrews was encouraged by her oncologist at the time to go under the knife as soon as possible, but she had a game to help broadcast.
So Andrews did her job and then flew to Los Angeles to deal with the disease.
On October 11, she underwent surgery, 17 days after the diagnosis was made.
But Andrews made it clear that she had a game later that week to go cover and that was not going to let a little thing like cancer get in the way of her professional goals.
“I’m not watching any football games at home this year,” she says she him. “This is our Super Bowl year, and I’m not missing the Super Bowl.”
It’s true: Fox is set to air the Atlanta Falcons versus the New England Patriots on Sunday, February 5.
Two days after her surgery, Andrews was off to Green Bay to cover a Packers game.
She adds that fiance Jarret Stoll, who plays professional hockey, tried to get Andrews to take some time off work, but she didn’t think twice about her decision.
She had an easy response for him.
“You wouldn’t miss a game,” Andrews responded. “You’d play through any injury, do whatever it takes to get back out there. That’s going to be me.”
On November, 1, Andrews underwent a second procedure; she then learned 16 days later that she was all clear. She would not need radiation or chemotherapy.
Looking forward, Andrew thinks this ordeal will help her do her job even better than before.
“In a way, this all has allowed me related to players more,” she says. “I understand what it’s like to be the story.”
An inspiring story at that.
Way to go, Erin Andrews!