The holiday season is a time when many feel thankful for what they have. For “Real Housewives of Atlanta” stars NeNe and Gregg Leakes, this year that includes Gregg’s good health.
Gregg, who was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer, announced earlier this year that he has officially been declared cancer-free. However, keeping up with regular screenings to make sure cancer does not return is an important aspect of life for survivors. The day after Christmas, Gregg shared with his 195K Instagram followers that he had been blessed with some more good news about his health.
Read MoreView this post on InstagramWon't HE do it….. Thank You Jesus for Blessing me & Thank you ALL for your Prayers.
Gregg shared a photo of some results from a recent test, with the words, “NO cancer detected … Thank you Jesus,” written across them. He added in the caption that he is grateful to everyone who prayed for him and to God for keeping him healthy. Fans were quick to join in on the celebratory post, sending more prayers and love Gregg’s way.
It’s refreshing to see Gregg sharing good news about his health, especially since Nene has spoken in the past about how her husband’s health struggles presented some real challenges for their marriage.
In a November episode of “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” NeNe said that going through cancer changed both she and Gregg.
“I am definitely not the same Nene I was,” she said. “Before Gregg got diagnosed with cancer, we were already in a tough place. It was probably the worst thing we've been through.”
Nene has also been really candid with fans about how difficult it was for her, at times, to act as Gregg’s caretaker — especially since, as so many survivors can attest to, there are many times when people going through cancer treatment tend to behave in uncharacteristic ways. Nene said that their whole relationship dynamic changed on the day her husband was diagnosed.
"He's changed as a person, his attitude changed," Nene said in an interview with People. "I feel like that day, I lost my husband. Our whole dynamic changed. Sometimes I forget that he's sick and I need to remind myself because he's so on the edge. He's not nice, but he can't help it."
With Gregg’s health back in order, though, things seem to be on the mend for the couple. In the latest RHOA season, Nene said that the marriage was in the process of “healing from the cancer journey.”
Cancer and Relationships
Cancer can be really tough on a marriage. Many survivors have told us that sometimes, dealing with changes to the relationship can be really hard on a spouse or a partner.
Marcia Cross, perhaps best known for her role on “Desperate Housewives,” recently sat down for an interview with SurvivorNet and explained how her diagnosis of anal cancer complicated her marriage.
Cross and her husband, Tom Mahoney, had an unusual situation, as both have faced a cancer diagnosis over the course of their 13-year marriage. The actress emphasized how important it is to consider your partner’s feelings during a health challenge like this. After all, a cancer diagnosis is hard on the whole family.
“Dealing with cancer in a marriage, it's complicated. It takes a lot of patience and love,” Cross told SurvivorNet.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
