Moving On After a Break Up & Cancer
- “Food Network” star Sandra Lee, 57, is making a “comeback” with her new TV series “Dinner Budget Showdown,” and seems to be living a wonderful life with her fiance, actor Ben Youcef, following her break up from long-time partner, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, and her breast cancer battle.
- Lee previously underwent a double mastectomy (removal of both breasts) in 2015 to treat breast cancer. The TV chef had complications with her surgery and unfortunately had an infection. She finally finished her breast reconstruction in 2020, followed by a preventative hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) in 2022.
- A double mastectomy is a procedure in which both breasts are removed to get rid of cancer. The procedure may also be performed as a preventative measure for women who are at a very high risk of developing breast cancer.
The new show, which debuted on May 3, is Lee’s first TV show since her beloved TV series “Sandra’s Money Saving Meals” on The Food Network concluded in 2012.
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Although it hasn’t been an easy time since her 2015 breast cancer diagnosis and her break-up from her long-time partner Cuomo, Lee is now living it up with her younger fiancé, actor Ben Youcef, and looking back on how much she’s grown over the years.
She told Closer Weekly, “It’s been a journey. The breakup [with Cuomo] was startling for everybody. The cancer diagnosis was the biggest thing, [along with] the challenge of getting so sick when I was going through the treatment.
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“When I went to the [2015] Emmys, I didn’t realize how emaciated I was until I saw the looks on other people’s faces. Then I saw the pictures, and I went, ‘Wow. My body’s been through it.’ I’m so grateful to it for carrying me through those hard times. I had a pretty intense nine years.”
As for her main support system through those arduous times, Lee added, “My sister was a huge support. But I have to say, I’ve built more of a relationship with myself and relied on myself.
“I’ll say, ‘OK, Sandy, good job.’ Or, ‘Good morning, Sandy. How are you doing? I know you’re tired, but don’t be a slacker today.’ I motivate myself or I give myself a break.”
Lee now focuses on eating more vegetables and smoothies, focusing on sleep, and taking time off when needed.
And as to what keeps her motivated, she truly believes “no is not an option,” adding, “There’s nothing we can’t do. I came from welfare and food stamps. Now, I’ve got two Emmys.
“Anything is possible. You just have to do it.”
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Lee has certainly come a long way since the 2018 premiere of her HBO documentary “RX: Early Detection – A Cancer Journey With Sandra Lee.”
Although Lee had former New York Governor Cuomo’s utmost support during her breast cancer treatment, with him even wearing scrubs while accompanying before her surgery, the couple ultimately broke up after 14 years.
At the time of the HBO premiere, Zach Fink News reached out to Lee and Cuomo for comment, and received the couple’s only recorded statement, in which they said, “Over the recent past, we have realized that our lives have gone in different directions and our romantic relationship has turned into a deep friendship.
“We will always be family and are fully supportive of each other and dedicated to the girls. Our personal lives remain personal, and there will be no further comment.”
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Lee has since moved on and has taken on a new relationship with 44-year-old Algerian actor Ben Youcef, who she recently took to Elton John’s Oscars party.
They began dating in 2021 after reportedly meeting at a restaurant in Santa Monica, California, and the couple got engaged in August of the same year.
It’s unclear when Lee and Youcef will officially tie the knot, but a source recently told Page Six the two are “definitely in the midst of planning their wedding” and “looking at places in New York and the Hamptons.”
“They’re soulmates and head over heels in love,” another source said after their engagement.
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Sandra’s Breast Cancer and Mastectomy
Lee was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer in 2015. Her ex, Cuomo, was the first person she called, along with her mother. Luckily it was early stage DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ), which is noninvasive. This means it had not spread outside the milk duct of the breast.
The TV personality chose to have a bilateral mastectomy to remove the breast tissue in both breasts. Sandra’s grandmother had stomach cancer, and she witnessed her recurrence and didn’t want to face the same fate or be plagued with worry.
Plus, with the mastectomy she didn’t have to do radiation or chemotherapy. (It is important to note that the cookbook guru also tested negative for BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations that increase your risk of breast cancer.)
“The doctor who did the biopsy said I had medium-aggressive DCIS. ‘The concern with yours is that it’s in 3 different places. It’s at 10 o’clock, it’s at noon, and it’s at 2, and none of them are connected, so we’re going to keep an eye on you, but you’re going to have to make a decision as to what we should do,’” Lee explained.
She also explained feeling “betrayal” by her own body.
“It takes away a form of innocence that you didn’t even know you had,” she said in 2018 on Good Morning America. “That innocence, when it’s gone, is really startling, and that is what still brings the tears after the fact.”
“For the most part I’m really resilient, but there are times even now that I get really overwhelmed with what happened,” she added.
When Should You Consider a Mastectomy?
Lee previously shared in an Instagram post that she meant to have her hysterectomy after her mastectomy years ago, but she “had repeatedly put it off and then Covid hit.” It was probably for the best, since she was already going through enough when she had her breasts removed.
The TV chef had complications with her surgery and unfortunately had an infection. She finally finished her breast reconstruction in 2020 and set an intention to get as healthy as possible and take control of her physical and emotional well-being, which she undeniably has.
What to Expect from a Mastectomy
A double mastectomy is a procedure in which both breasts are removed to get rid of cancer. The procedure may also be performed as a preventative measure for women who are at a very high risk of developing breast cancer.
The procedure typically only takes a few hours, but may take longer depending on what type of reconstruction a woman has opted to get. Some women decide to have their breasts reconstructed and have implants put in right after the mastectomy, while others don’t have reconstruction at all.
An Overview of Breast Cancer Treatment
“A double mastectomy typically takes about two hours for the cancer part of the operation, the removing of the tissue,” Dr. Elisa Port, a surgical oncologist at Mount Sinai, told SurvivorNet.
“The real length, the total length of the surgery, can often depend on what type of reconstruction [a patient] has.”
Dr. Port notes that these days, most women do opt to have some sort of reconstruction. The length of these surgeries can vary a great deal. When implants are used, the procedure can take two to three hours (so the total surgery time would be around five hours). There is also the option to take one’s own tissue (usually from the belly area) and transfer it into the breast area — but this is a much longer procedure.
“When you take tissue from another part of the body and transfer it to fill in the empty space where the breasts are, this is a very long operation,” Dr. Port says.
“It can take anywhere from six to 12 hours because it’s really like having a tummy tuck and then transferring the tissue and grafting the tissue, connecting the vessels, so those tissues have blood flow to live in.”
Understanding Surgery Risks
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, mastectomies may be accompanied with some of the following complications:
- Temporary breast swelling
- Breast soreness
- Hardness due to scar tissue that can form at the incision site
- Wound infection or bleeding
- Swelling (lymphedema) of the arm, if lymph nodes were removed
- Pain in the breast that has been removed (phantom breast pain)
Johns Hopkins Medicine explains that a clear fluid called seroma is likely found in the breast following a mastectomy, but advises that this can be drained by the surgeon and treated with compression or an injection if needed. Scars are also expected following the surgery, and feelings of loss of sexual identity or depression is also a possible side effect.
Is a Preventative Mastectomy Right for Me?
“It’s rare that breast reconstruction surgery causes complications. But problems may happen as you are healing. These problems may interfere with radiation or chemotherapy treatment,” according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
“There may be other risks depending on your specific medical condition. Be sure to discuss any concerns with your doctor before the surgery.”
Johns Hopkins Medicine also advises anyone having trouble amid their recovery should inform their doctor if experiencing one or more of the following:
- Fever or chills
- Redness, swelling, or drainage from the incision site
- More pain around the incision area
- Swelling, numbness or tingling in the area of the affected arm
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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