NBC’s Sara Gore, 50, Celebrates Being Cancer-Free While Navigating Reconstruction & Cherishing ‘Slow Mornings’

Gore—a mother of three who previously shared that her breast cancer diagnosis came as a shock, though she was aware her family history placed her at a higher risk of developing the disease—wrote alongside a photo of herself shared on Instagram, “Hi, friends. Just a little update… I’m doing really well. Let’s get that out of the way.

“Currently cancer free. Hallelujah. I’m still in the reconstruction phase and will be for months. It’s truly a journey. Healing has taken some time, but every week I’ve felt a little more like me again.”

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A post shared by Sara Gore (@sara_gore)

She then expressed her gratitude for the overwhelming support she received during her recovery, acknowledging the kindness of those who sent thoughtful gifts, offered prayers, checked in through messages and calls, and provided encouragement along the way.

Gore continued, “Every thoughtful gesture that came my way. I felt EVERY bit of it. You carried me through some really hard days, and I’ll never forget your kindness.

“I’ll be back on ‘New York Live’ and ‘Open House’ soon, and I honestly can’t wait. Until then, I’m soaking up these last few slow mornings appreciating all the moments that usually move by too fast to notice.”

Gore wrapped up her emotional update by celebrating this new chapter in her life, concluding: “It’s good to be here. I love you all.”

Gore’s news was met with an outpouring of love from fans, who praised her courage, strength, and perseverance throughout her cancer journey.

“You look beautiful Sara! What a blessing that you are cancer free! I…and your many other loyal viewers and friends, look forward to seeing you back on NY Live and Open House! See you soon my friend! Love you,” one supporter commented.

Another wrote, “Continue blessings to you and your beautiful family. You are such joy. Thank you for including us. I had no idea, but I’m so happy you’re going to be OK.”

A third commented, “This is the best news. You made my day. Continued prayers and positive thoughts for your speeding and full recovery. Miss seeing and hearing you every day so glad you are taking it ‘One Day at a Time.'”

Sara Gore’s Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Gore went public with her diagnosis on April 30, and it’s a story that underscores a broader reality for women everywhere: breast cancer risk is not dimensional, deeply personal, and often influenced by factors beyond genetics alone.

Her mother and sister both fought breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), having close family members with breast cancer increases a woman’s likelihood of developing the disease.

“Having a first-degree relative (mother, sister, or daughter) with breast cancer almost doubles a woman’s risk. Having 2 first-degree relatives increases her risk by about 3-fold,” the ACS explains. “Women with a father or brother who has had breast cancer also have a higher risk of breast cancer.”

Risk factors for breast cancer include being female, increasing age, inherited genetic mutations, a family or personal history of breast cancer, race and ethnicity, having dense breast tissue, and beginning menstruation at an earlier age.

If you’re curious as to whether you’re at a heightened risk of getting diagnosed with breast cancer, make sure to speak with your doctor about screening guidelines. Additionally, the National Cancer Institute’s Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool—also known as the Gail Model—helps clinicians estimate a woman’s five-year risk of developing invasive breast cancer.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), which sets the standard of care in oncology, has also formally incorporated Clairity Breast, an FDA-cleared artificial intelligence program, into its 2026 Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis Guidelines. It analyzes subtle patterns in screening mammograms, predicts a woman’s future breast cancer risk, generating a validated five‑year risk score.

RELATED: Critical Questions. Trusted Answers. A New Wave of Cancer Patients Using SurvivorNet’s My Health AI Tools For Support

As for Gore’s diagnosis, she shared an emotional announcement about it on NBC’s New York Live show, saying, “Today I want to share something a little more personal, which is hard for me because, you know what, this show has never been about me. It is about our guests, it’s about this city that we love. It’s about all of you.

“But after being a part of your day for so long and vice versa, for 16 plus years, for some of you, I can’t believe it’s that long. It just felt right to tell you myself. I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, and I’m going to be stepping away for treatment and surgery.”

If you or someone you know has been recently diagnosed with breast cancer, like Gore, SurvivorNet’s My Health Questions was built to offer on-demand explanations of treatment options, clinical trials, side effects, insurance concerns, and more. Users can ask questions conversationally, either by typing or using their voice, and receive answers tailored to their individual profiles. If patients don’t know where to start, we provide prompt questions to get them started.

RELATED: How to Read Your Pathology Report: Cutting Through the Medical Jargon

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A post shared by NBC’s Open House (@openhousetv)

Gore then explained how she was “caught off guard,” adding, “Quite frankly, which makes no sense because I watched my mother and my sister go through this, and I always knew I was high risk, and I always assumed this day would come. But let me tell you, you are never ready.

“You’re just never ready for some reason, even when you catch it early because you’re doing everything right. It is an emotional blow. And I wasn’t ready for that. That actually really surprised me. It really stung. And I know it’s gonna sting for a minute. You know what? It’s stinging right now.”

Gore closed off by reassuring her viewers of their importance, saying she’ll be taking time off to undergo treatment and recover, promising, “I’m going to come back better than ever. And I’m going to see you on the other side of this.”

In another announcement, shared on Open House TV’s Instagram page, Gore insisted she was going to “kick cancer’s a**” and “come back better than ever.”

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How Breast Reconstruction Works

RELATED: Did You Know Most Health Insurers Are Required To Pay For Breast Reconstruction Surgery?

“Breast reconstruction is a restoration of a woman’s form and her sense of self. A lot of breast reconstruction is trying to erase the trauma of the mastectomy surgery, putting cancer behind a patient, saying this is in the rearview mirror, and putting her back on track,” Dr. Andrea Pusic, chief of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Brigham Health, previously told SurvivorNet.

WATCH: Breaking Down Breast Reconstruction Options

Plastic surgeons can reconstruct your breasts with implants or with your own tissue taken from some other place on your body, such as your back, your abdomen, or your inner thigh. Reconstruction that uses your own tissue is called a flap procedure. A flap can produce breasts that look and feel more natural than implants.

Like natural breasts, they can also change as your body changes. For example, they can get bigger or smaller as your weight changes. However, not all women are eligible for this surgery, such as those who smoke, have poorly controlled diabetes, circulation problems, or connective tissue disorders. Luckily, there’s another option.

Breast implant surgery is a significantly more straightforward process than a flap procedure; therefore, the recovery process is much quicker. However, implants won’t look and feel as much like natural breasts. As you age or gain or lose weight, the implants will stay the same, which could make them look less natural over time.

Implants can sometimes leak or burst. In this case, you would have to have them replaced. When choosing implants, women will then need to decide whether they want saline or silicone ones.

The main difference between the two is that saline is a sterile saltwater-filled implant and typically requires less monitoring since it’ll be pronounced if it starts leaking. While silicone implants usually feel better and look more realistic, they require more surveillance during an MRI. Additionally, if the silicone leaks, it doesn’t jeopardize your health, but it will need to be replaced immediately.

WATCH: Regaining your sense of self after reconstruction.

Reconstruct Now or Later?

Immediate reconstruction can produce better-looking results than delayed reconstruction, resulting in fewer surgeries overall. However, it may require a longer initial hospitalization and recovery time. This long surgery may also have a higher risk of complications, such as infections, than two separate surgeries.

It may be worth noting that “Delayed reconstruction has fewer complications than immediate reconstruction,” Dr. Terry Myckatyn, a plastic surgeon specializing in breast reconstruction, tells SurvivorNet.

 

WATCH: Breast Reconstruction: Regaining Your Sense of Self

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, 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 needing 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.

Breast Cancer Symptoms & Self-Exams

Women are encouraged to do regular self-exams to become familiar with how their breasts feel normally, so when something unusual, like a lump, does form, it can be easily detected. A self-exam includes pressing your fingertips along your breast in a circular motion.

For some women, that means going to their doctor and walking through what a self-breast exam looks like, so they know what normal breast tissue feels like, so if they do feel something abnormal, whether it’s a lump or discharge from the nipple, they know what to ask and what to look for.

Below are common symptoms to look out for:

• New lump in the breast or underarm (armpit)
• Any change in the size or shape of the breast
• Swelling on all or part of the breast
• Skin dimpling or peeling
• Breast or nipple pain
• Nipple turning inward
• Redness or scaliness of the breast or nipple skin
• Nipple discharge (not associated with breastfeeding)
• Building the Courage to Share

Gore chose to bravely share her diagnosis publicly with her news viewers with the hopes of inspiring others. Some people battling a disease or cancer are open to sharing their experiences as much as they can, while others prefer to keep it to themselves or close loved ones. SurvivorNet experts say both approaches, and everything in between, are valid.

“Patients who have just been diagnosed with cancer sometimes wonder how they are going to handle the diagnosis of the cancer in social situations,” Dr. Plutchick explains.

Plutchik says patients consider questions like “How much information should they share and with whom should they share the information?”

She further explains, “There is no one right way to handle this diagnosis. People should do what feels right to them.”

WATCH: Sharing your diagnosis.

A cancer journey can last months to years, which means cancer warriors may be experiencing a lot of uncertainty until they fully understand where their health stands. This uncertainty can influence when a cancer patient is ready to share their diagnosis, Dr. Plutchik further explained.

Dr. Plutchik stresses that those close to a person going through cancer should be respectful of their wishes when it comes to disclosing their diagnosis and seeking support.

Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines

The medical community has a consensus that women between 45 and 54 have annual mammograms. However, an independent panel of experts called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is saying that women should start getting mammograms every other year at the age of 40, suggesting that this lowered the age for breast cancer screening could save 19% more lives.

WATCH: Screening for Breast Cancer

For women aged 55 and older, the American Cancer Society recommends getting a mammogram every other year. However, women in this age group who want added reassurance can still get annual mammograms.

Women who have a strong family history of breast cancer, have dense breasts, have 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 age 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 for developing breast cancer, you should begin screening earlier.

Breast density is determined through mammograms. However, women with dense breasts are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer because dense breast tissue can mask potential cancer during screening. 3D mammograms, breast ultrasound, breast MRI, and molecular breast imaging are options for women with dense breasts for a more precise screening. It is important to ask your doctor about your breast density and cancer risk.

Larry Norton, Senior Vice President in the Office of the Hospital President at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Founding Scientific Director of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, previously told SurvivorNet, “We do know that breast density, which is not how lumpy a breast field, but they look on a mammogram, is a risk factor for breast cancer.

“And people with breast density should be getting additional screening like sonograms at Memorial Sloan Kettering. We use contrast enhanced mammography. We also use MRI of the breast.”

RELATED: Dramatically Better Treatments and Cure: Legendary Breast Oncologist Dr. Larry Norton On What Really Matters To His Patients

Although breast cancer can happen to anyone, certain factors can increase a person’s risk of getting the disease. The known risk factors for breast cancer include:

• Older age
• Having a gene mutation such as the BRCA1 or BRCA2
• Added exposure to estrogen
• Having children after the age of 30
• Exposure to radiation early in life
• Family history of the disease

About ten percent of breast cancers are hereditary, says Dr. Ophira Ginsburg, Director of the High-Risk Cancer Program at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center.

“We encourage only those who have a family history to really get [genetic testing],” Dr. Ginsburg previously told SurvivorNet.

“I would say that if you have anyone in your family who was diagnosed with a very rare cancer. Or if you have a strong family history of one or two kinds of cancer, particularly breast and ovarian, but also colon, rectal, uterine, and ovarian cancer, that goes together in another cancer syndrome called the Lynch Syndrome,” Dr. Ginsburg adds.

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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