In Remission, CNN’s Sara Sidner, 53, Says The Emotional Weight Of Stage 3 Breast Cancer Still Follows Her On & Off the Air

“Cancer made me love my body,” she said, explaining that she had spent years criticizing her appearance until treatment forced her to witness her body’s strength up close. Watching herself endure chemotherapy gave her a deeper appreciation for what her body could withstand.

She has often described her cancer journey as “more of a marathon than a sprint,” a sentiment echoed in reporting from Deadline.

Sidner, an award‑winning journalist known for covering major national and international events, first felt a lump while reporting on civil unrest in the Middle East. She initially tried to dismiss it – telling herself, “Oh no, it’s gone down” – but ultimately recognized the need to get it checked after a mammogram.

As she prepared for a biopsy, her thoughts turned to women in the Middle East living through war while also facing health crises.

“It changed me,” she said. “You think you’ve got problems? There are people with breast cancer right now with missiles coming at them. It shifted my perspective and made me say, first of all, you’ve got this, and you’re going to fight this.”

The biopsy confirmed stage 3 breast cancer, a diagnosis that often involves a larger tumor and lymph node involvement and typically requires chemotherapy.

WATCH: Stage 3 Breast Cancer Explained.

Sidner underwent chemotherapy treatment. SurvivorNet experts explain that the chemo drug paclitaxel (Taxol) is a powerful but side‑effect‑heavy chemotherapy known for causing fatigue, anemia, nausea, infection risk, neuropathy, and hair loss.

“In my many years of treatment, I think I’ve had two patients who did not lose their hair on Taxol,” Dr. Leslie Boyd, a gynecologic oncologist at NYU Langone Health, says.

WATCH: Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects

Sidner recalls feeling surprisingly strong during her first few infusions.

“I actually asked my doctor if this s—t was working. I felt like superwoman,” she said.

She even shared videos of herself doing intense workouts. But by the fourth round, the side effects hit harder.

She had already begun cryotherapy, wearing cold caps during treatment to help preserve her hair.

“Normally, 60% to 80% of your hair goes after your second infusion,” she said, holding up a strand she’d recently lost.

She joked that she had always wanted to try wigs, and even wore one on air before losing her hair, only to learn the hard way that adjusting a wig live on TV isn’t the best idea.

“I went on TV, and I was moving it during the segments live. [laughs]. So, I learned really fast that’s not what you do with a wig,” Sidner said jokingly.

Sidner completed 16 rounds of chemotherapy before undergoing a double mastectomy, the surgical removal of both breasts.

She has spoken openly about the difficult, deeply personal decision between mastectomy and breast‑conserving surgery, emphasizing the importance of honest conversations with doctors about risks and benefits.

When a woman decides to have a mastectomy, several factors go into that decision. Among things to consider is whether to have breast-conserving surgery, such as a lumpectomy, instead. These decisions should be made alongside your doctor by openly and candidly discussing risks vs. benefits of the different procedures.

WATCH: What to consider before a mastectomy.

It usually takes surgeons about two hours to remove the cancer during a double mastectomy.

After surgery, Sidner received 25 rounds of radiation therapy.

“It’s not pretty, but it’s worth it,” she said in an Instagram post, showing the darkened, sunburn‑like skin on her chest.

WATCH: Radiation Is Simply Ionizing Energy

She hoped that sharing the reality of radiation would help others feel less afraid.

Radiation oncologist Dr. Subhakar Mutyala explained to SurvivorNet that radiation is simply ionizing energy that damages cancer cell DNA and is a treatment that patients typically don’t feel as it’s happening.

While the physical toll of cancer treatment was immense, Sidner says the emotional weight of telling her loved ones was just as heavy.

She delayed sharing her diagnosis with her husband and mother because she didn’t want to cause them pain. Her husband of 15 years has been a steady source of support. When the doctor confirmed her diagnosis, he audibly gasped, but then gathered himself and asked her to do one thing: “survive.”

Now in survivorship, Sidner is using her platform to uplift others facing cancer. She says the experience taught her the true meaning of self‑care—hydrating, exercising, allowing herself to feel anger or cry when needed, and giving herself grace.

Looking ahead, Sidner says she plans to “love harder and enjoy more” of what life has to offer.

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.

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.

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?

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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