jill martin shared insight into what it was like to battle cancer and go through a divorce in the same year.
of today “We are acting with generosity and kindness and doing our best,” the contributor said on Wednesday, Oct. 16’s episode, as he tackles two hugely difficult challenges in a short period of time. “Create space with Hoda Kotb” Podcast.
“Everyone says, ‘How are you doing?’ I’m like, ‘Not great. I had cancer and got divorced within a year,” said Martin, 48, but added that he was “thriving despite the circumstances.”
In July 2023, Martin shared: today She announced that she was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer and will undergo a double mastectomy.
“I’m telling this story right now, without shouting from the rooftops to everyone to check with their doctors to see if genetic testing is right for them, to get through months of surgery and recover physically and mentally.” “I couldn’t even begin,” she wrote. in an essay by today’website. “We hope that by the time many people recover from their first surgery, they will know the results and be able to make positive decisions with their doctors, families, and loved ones.”
Martin’s treatment since diagnosis has included chemotherapy and radiation therapy, reconstructive surgery, and preventive surgery to remove her ovaries and fallopian tubes.
Four months after announcing her diagnosis, she shared a video of herself ringing a hospital bell on Instagram, revealing that she had finished chemotherapy.
Although Martin may be physically in remission, she said candidly: our weekly magazine On October 1, he spoke about the lingering emotional impact of his battle with cancer.
“I’ve spent the past year just trying to save my life,” Martin said. us. “And now I’m dealing with the mental trauma of all of that. And I think a lot of survivors would say, it’s never over. It’s not like, ‘When will it end?’ or “Are you done yet?” It’s never over. This is a battle I will fight for the rest of my life. I think about chemotherapy every day. ”
Martin got married while battling cancer. Eric Brooks They also broke up, and news of their divorce was announced in September.
Brooks filed for divorce in Massachusetts on July 30, according to court documents obtained by . us He listed the date of separation as one day earlier.
Martin addressed the breakup in a podcast interview with Kotb, revealing that there were problems before the marriage ended.
“I had a beautiful love affair, but unfortunately, like some stories, there’s a beginning, a middle, and an end,” she said. “And this time we both put a period in it. So, if everything had been great, we would have been married. So obviously there was a problem.”
Martin said she and her ex-husband “have different things that are important to them, and there is no right or wrong thing.”
The former couple met on a dating app and announced their engagement in 2019. They broke up soon after, but eventually reconciled. By November 2021, Martin and Brooks were engaged again. They married in September 2022.