Going Through a Diagnosis Together
- Actor Terry Crews, 57, and his wife Rebecca King‑Crews, 60, reveal she’s been living with Parkinson’s disease for 16 years, describing early symptoms like tremors, stiffness, and memory lapses, which is a diagnosis reinforced by her family history with the disease.
- She is preparing to undergo FDA‑approved Focused Ultrasound at Stanford, a treatment that can ease advanced Parkinson’s motor symptoms.
- Terry Crews says they are facing the journey “together,” even shaving her head ahead of the procedure in an emotional Instagram video.
- Rebecca continues to lean deeply on her faith and community, which has helped her through other challenges, including early-stage breast cancer.
- Open about her diagnosis, double mastectomy (removal of the breasts), breast reconstruction, and recovery, Crews has become a source of comfort and strength for other survivors, using her transparency to support women facing fear, treatment, and the emotional weight of cancer.
Rebecca, a breast cancer survivor, recently shared that she has been living with Parkinson’s disease for over a decade. The chronic, incurable neurological disorder causes involuntary movements, stiffness, balance issues, and symptoms that gradually worsen over time, the National Council on Aging explains.
Read More“One morning I woke up with a tremor, and I thought, ‘Hmmm, I know what that means.’” Her family history – both her grandmother and uncle had Parkinson’s – only confirmed her fears.
The couple also revealed that Rebecca is preparing to undergo Focused Ultrasound, a treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for advanced Parkinson’s that can ease motor symptoms, though it isn’t a cure.
“It’s definitely been hard to watch her on those days when I see her so worn out by this,” Terry said. “We’re going through this together.”
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After going public this spring, Rebecca posted a moving video of Terry shaving her head ahead of the procedure.
“Letting go is often the very first step of healing,” she wrote. “Preparing for my procedure at Stanford meant shedding a piece of myself to make room for what God is doing next.”
As she has throughout her life, Rebecca continues to anchor herself in faith.
“I am choosing to trust His plan over my fears,” she said. “Hand in hand, we are walking into this unknown with total faith. God has never failed me yet.”
After the emotional video, Rebecca thanked her army of supporters in a follow-up video message, wearing a cream suit and her left arm moving steadily.
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“To anyone navigating their own health journey, or walking alongside someone they love, I see you, and I’m holding you in my heart,” Rebecca said.
“I feel your strength, and I’m carrying it with me every step of the way.”
Expert Resources for Breast Cancer Patients
Supporting a Spouse During a Health Challenge
A life-altering diagnosis can impact the patient and their loved ones emotionally and physically.
Research published in The Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine studied the impact of a cancer diagnosis or disease on family members. It found, “Most chronic diseases have similar [mental] effects on family members, including psychological and emotional functioning, disruption of leisure activities, effect on interpersonal relationships, and financial resources.”
Feelings of “helplessness, lack of control, guilt, anger, embarrassment” are some common emotions parents, siblings, and other relatives within the household of someone battling a health condition may experience, according to researchers.
Communicating your feelings is something licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin also believes is vital to helping couples dealing with a cancer diagnosis.
She adds that people faced with cancer should “surround [themselves] with individuals who care and support [them]” throughout treatment while also acknowledging their limits on what they can handle.
A Light for Survivors Everywhere
Since publicly sharing her breast cancer journey, Crews has become a beacon for countless women navigating fear, treatment, and the long road of survivorship. Her transparency about surgery, recovery, and the emotional toll of cancer has offered comfort to those who often feel unseen or overwhelmed.
This past Fall, Crews recounted the moment she learned of her breast cancer while celebrating a family milestone.
“I had cancer in my right breast,” she said. “We were celebrating my son getting his first television booking, then the next morning, I got the phone call that my test was positive,” Crews shared with WJZY.
Stage 1 breast cancers are relatively small; they either have not spread to the lymph nodes or only a small area of cancer has spread to the sentinel lymph node. Treatment will likely be surgery, radiation following surgery, chemotherapy, or other therapy.
WATCH: Understanding Early Stage Breast Cancer
Rebecca’s early-stage breast cancer diagnosis emerged following a routine screening. Despite the shock, she leaned into her faith.
“I wasn’t in fear; I was just doing a check-up. But there was something in my heart that was telling me to get a check-up, so I didn’t go in expecting bad news. When I got the biopsy, I heard that small voice say, ‘Rebecca, if they find something, just cut it off.’”
That inner voice proved prophetic. In March 2020, she underwent a double mastectomy to remove the stage 1 tumor, followed by breast reconstruction.
Crews underwent a double mastectomy procedure that involved removing both breasts to get rid of cancer. The procedure may also be a preventative measure for women at a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
“A double mastectomy typically takes about two hours for the cancer part of the operation, the removal of the tissue,” Dr. Elisa Port, Chief of Breast Surgery at Mount Sinai Health System, told SurvivorNet.
This year marks five years cancer-free—a milestone she attributes to early detection.
“I believe my outcome was wonderful because of early detection. It’s easier to save you if they get it early.”
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Throughout her journey, Rebecca’s anchor was her husband, actor Terry Crews.
“When I got my diagnosis, I told him, ‘Hey, I need you to be strong, dude,’ because he was melting like a stick of butter,” she laughs. “I’m just as amazed as the rest of the world because we got married really young. I’m so thankful for my family and my heart.”
Crews’ story reminds survivors that healing reaches far beyond the physical—it touches the spirit, the heart, and the most personal parts of who we are. Even when uncertainty creeps in, hope still has room to grow. Like Crews, survivors aren’t only battling through cancer; they’re discovering their strength, their purpose, and their light all over again.
Understanding Early-Stage Breast Cancer and What Comes Next
Early-stage breast cancer means the tumor is small and hasn’t spread to nearby lymph nodes. According to Dr. Comen, the first step is usually surgery to remove the cancer. This may involve a lumpectomy, where only the tumor and surrounding tissue are removed, often followed by radiation therapy to reduce the risk of recurrence.
However, treatment isn’t one-size-fits-all. Factors like age, tumor size, family history, and personal preference may influence whether radiation is needed or if a patient chooses a more aggressive approach, such as a mastectomy—removal of the entire breast. After surgery, a pathologist examines the tissue under a microscope to help determine the next steps in treatment.
WATCH: Understanding Early Stage Breast Cancer
Diagnostic testing plays a critical role in shaping your care plan. If a mammogram or clinical breast exam reveals something abnormal, your care team may recommend:
- Diagnostic mammogram and breast ultrasound to get a closer look at the breast and nearby lymph nodes
- MRI scans for additional imaging detail
- Biopsy of suspicious areas, including lymph nodes, to confirm cancer
- Tumor marker testing to identify hormone receptors and proteins that influence treatment options
- Additional imaging to check for any signs of metastatic disease
Once all this information is gathered, your cancer is staged—based on tumor size, lymph node involvement, and whether it has spread. Staging helps guide treatment decisions, while hormone receptor and protein marker tests reveal how the cancer behaves and which therapies may be most effective.
Your healthcare team will consider all of these factors—alongside your personal health, values, and goals—to create a treatment plan tailored to you.
Help Coping With a Breast Cancer Diagnosis
If you are facing a breast cancer diagnosis, your emotions are likely to run high, which is completely normal. Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik says emotions are often fluid when coping with a diagnosis.
“The patient or person going through the stressful event should accept that emotions will be fluid. You may feel fine one day and then feel a massive wave of stress the next. It’s also important for those you look to for support, whether that’s a therapist, friends, and family, or both, to understand the fluidity of stress-related emotions,” Dr. Plutchik said.
WATCH: How to cope with complex and changing emotions.
If a stressful event affects how you think and feel, it may be time to seek mental health treatment. This could mean traditional talk therapy, medication, changing lifestyle habits (like exercise and diet), seeking a support group, or many other approaches.
SurvivorNet experts suggest that women who need a little extra help coping with a breast cancer diagnosis.
- Let your family and close friends know, and let them help. So many cancer survivors tell us they want and need support, but are often too preoccupied to make specific requests. Urge those close to you to jump in with whatever practical help they can offer.
- Keep a journal. It can be extremely cathartic to let those feelings loose on paper. Grab a pen and a nice journal and chronicle your thoughts throughout the day.
- Join a cancer support group. Groups in nearly every community offer opportunities to connect with others going through a similar journey. You’ll learn constructive insight from others who can tell you what to expect and how to stay strong on tough days.
Consider seeing a therapist. Ask your doctor to refer you to a therapist so you can discuss your fears and concerns in a safe space. Often, vocalizing your thoughts and feelings rather than internalizing them can provide relief.
The Power of Positivity and Faith
Since beating cancer, her faith in herself and God has been strengthened. Rebecca said during one of her weekly prayer sessions that sometimes adversity is what we need to grow.
“Sometimes dark and difficult times are exactly what we need to help us grow and become stronger. They challenge us to dig deep within ourselves and find the strength to keep going, even when we feel like giving up,” she said in an Instagram post.
WATCH: A Sacred and Blessed Calling
Why Faith Offers Cancer Patients Hope
A study published in “Cancer” includes data that found “69% of cancer patients reported praying for their health” compared to “only 45% of the general U.S. population.”
Cancer psychologist Dr. Andrew Kneier helped co-author “Coping with Cancer: Ten Steps toward Emotional Well-Being.” He also co-authored a column published by Stanford Medicine with Rabbi Jeffery M. Silberman, director of spiritual care at Danbury Hospital in Connecticut.
The two add more context to the impact faith has on cancer patients.
“A person’s faith or spirituality provides a means for coping with illness and reaching a deeper kind of inner healing,” Kneier and Silberman said.
“Coping means different things to different people: it can involve finding answers to the questions that illness raises, it can mean seeking comfort for the fears and pain that illness brings, and it can mean learning how to find a sense of direction at a time of illness. Religious teachings can help a person cope in all of these dimensions,” Kneier and Silberman continued.
WATCH: Three-time cancer survivor shares how her faith helped her during cancer.
New York City Presbyterian Pastor Tom Evans tells SurvivorNet about the importance of finding ways to cope with the complex web of feelings you may be experiencing after a challenging health diagnosis, such as cancer.
“It’s important to reach out in a simple prayer to God, even if you’ve never prayed before, you don’t know what to say, a heartfelt plea, ‘God, help me, be with me,’” Pastor Evans told SurvivorNet.
“You can reach out to God, and you can reach out to people, your friends and family, and say, ‘I can’t do this on my own. I need you.’ “It’s in that willingness to be open and to receive that we can find something deeper that we never would’ve encountered without this hardship,” Evans continued.
When to Screen for Breast Cancer
The medical community has a broad consensus that women should have annual mammograms between the ages of 45 and 54. However, an independent panel of experts called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is saying that women should now start getting mammograms every other year at the age of 40, suggesting that this lowered age for breast cancer screening could save 19% more lives.
The American Cancer Society recommends getting a mammogram every other year for women 55 and older. However, women in this age group who want added reassurance can still get annual mammograms.
WATCH: Mammograms are still the best tool for detecting breast cancer.
Women with a strong family history of breast cancer, a genetic mutation known to increase the risk of breast cancer, such as a BRCA gene mutation, or a medical history, including chest radiation therapy before the age of 30, are considered at higher risk for breast cancer.
Experiencing menstruation at an early age (before 12) or having dense breasts can also put you into a high-risk category. If you are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer, you should begin screening earlier.
Regular Self-Exams Are Helpful In Between Mammograms
A self-breast exam is an easy way to monitor your breasts for abnormalities. It involves feeling the breast for swelling, bulging, or changes in the shape of the breast or nipple.
WATCH: How to perform a self-exam.
Checking for signs of redness, rashes, or discharge is also part of this exam. If anything is found that is concerning, you should contact your doctor. It’s important to note that self-exams should be done with regular mammograms.
RELATED: When Should I Get a Mammogram?
False Positives & the Dreaded ‘Callback’
If you went in for your mammogram and received a call from the doctor’s office to say more images, including MRI or ultrasound, may be required if the initial pictures aren’t clear, while worrisome, this scenario could mean a number of things. For instance, dense breasts, which we discuss elsewhere in this section, can make it hard to distinguish between fatty tissue and a tumor.
Here is how the numbers on screenings break down, according to Dr. Lehman: Of the approximately 10 percent of women who get called back, the vast majority will be absolutely fine after more imaging. Only 20 percent of those will need a biopsy, and in the end, just five percent of that group will be found to have cancer.
Here are some tips to help ensure you get the most accurate test possible:
- Go to a large and experienced center that has a good record and reputation.
- Don’t wear deodorant on the day of your mammography. It can contribute to inaccuracies.
- Keep in mind that certain factors, like dense breasts, tattoos, and breast implants, may also result in errors.
Learning More About Genetic Testing
Genetic testing for cancer is typically conducted in a medical setting, such as a primary care office or an OB-GYN clinic. However, some tests are now available for direct purchase, allowing individuals to explore their genetic risk independently.
Initially, genetic testing was recommended for a limited group of individuals based on specific risk factors, including a strong family history of breast cancer, personal cancer history, or certain ethnic backgrounds.
WATCH: Helping you understand genetic testing.
“It started out with a very narrow field of women and men who were recommended to have it based on certain risk factors, family history of breast cancer, or other cancers, and also ethnic backgrounds,” explains Dr. Port.
Guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) suggest that genetic testing should be prioritized for patients at higher risk for hereditary breast cancer. This includes individuals diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 45, those with a strong familial history of the disease, and individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.
Meanwhile, the American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS) takes a broader approach, recommending genetic testing for all patients diagnosed with breast cancer.
These evolving recommendations reflect a growing emphasis on personalized medicine, ensuring that individuals at risk receive appropriate screening and guidance to manage their health proactively.
What If You Have the BRCA Gene Mutation?
Discovering a genetic mutation can be unsettling, but there are several options available to manage cancer risk effectively. These include enhanced screenings for early detection, prophylactic (risk-reducing) surgery to remove high-risk tissue, and chemoprevention—the use of medications designed to lower the chances of developing cancer.
Interestingly, for individuals diagnosed with ovarian cancer, carrying a BRCA mutation may provide a treatment advantage when paired with a class of drugs known as PARP inhibitors. Approved by the FDA starting in 2014, these targeted therapies have transformed the landscape of ovarian cancer treatment.
WATCH: Understanding the BRCA Gene Mutation
PARP inhibitors function by blocking the protein PARP, which normally repairs damaged DNA. By preventing this repair process, the inhibitors selectively destroy cancerous cells while sparing healthy ones, making them a powerful treatment tool.
“The PARP inhibitor prevents the repair of the [damaged] single-strand DNA break, and your BRCA mutation prevents the repair of the double-strand DNA break,” explains Dr. Rebecca Arend, Associate Scientist at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, in an interview with SurvivorNet.
This combination of genetic insight and advanced medical therapies highlights how precision medicine continues to evolve, offering more effective, tailored approaches to cancer prevention and treatment.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
If you have a breast cancer screening coming up or have recently had one, you may have questions you want answered. SurvivorNet suggests the following questions to kickstart your conversation with your doctor.
- Do I have dense breasts?
- Do I need to undergo additional or more sensitive screening?
- How is my risk level being assessed?
- Will insurance cover additional screening if needed?
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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