CNN Anchor Christiane Amanpour Reveals Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis

Christiane Amanpour, chief international anchor for CNN, announced yesterday on air that she received a diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

“I’ve had successful major surgery to remove it, and I’m now undergoing several months of chemotherapy for the very best possible long-term prognosis, and I’m confident,” Amanpour said in her announcement.

Amanpour, 63, is known for her coverage of international conflicts, though she has been off the air due to her diagnosis for the past four weeks. She will be anchoring Mondays through Wednesdays on CNN while undergoing months of chemotherapy, in addition to three weeks of off-air time starting at the end of June, according to a story on CNN.

“I’m telling you this in the interest of transparency, but in truth, really mostly as a shout-out to early diagnosis, to urge women to educate themselves on this disease to get all the regular screenings and scans that you can, to always listen to your bodies and, of course, to ensure that your legitimate medical concerns are not dismissed or diminished,” Amanpour said.

CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker issued a statement on Amanpour’s announcement. He wrote, “I want to applaud Christiane Amanpour for her candor, bravery and always working towards the greater good. As a cancer survivor, I, too, encourage people to listen to their bodies and get all early cancer screenings available to them. From our CNN family, we wish Christiane the very best for a full and speedy recovery.”

Right after her announcement on CNN, she was met by an outpouring of support online from her CNN colleagues including Chief White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins: “Always in awe of (Christiane Amanpour), but especially today,” she wrote on Twitter. “Wishing her the best as she undergoes chemo. After letting viewers know she’s been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she says, ‘So that’s my news. Now let’s get to the news.’”

Bianna Golodryga, CNN’s senior global affairs analysis who took Amanpour’s place in her recent absence, also tweeted about the news, writing, “(Christiane,) you’re not only one of the best journalists in the business, you’re also one of the toughest. Wishing you a speedy and healthy recovery in the weeks ahead. No doubt you’ll end up on top. It’s been a privilege helping you and your extraordinary team.”