Sports broadcaster Mel McLaughlin has revealed that she has been diagnosed with stage 2 lung cancer. Tragically, this was the same diagnosis that led to the death of her sister, Tara, in 2015. She was only 39.
This comes after McLaughlin has been absent from her role as a sports broadcaster. The 46-year-old revealed her diagnosis during a segment on Australia's Channel 7, as reported by People.
"I was diagnosed with lung cancer in December. So that led to surgery. I had half my lung cut out. It's just very traumatic... very triggering. It's a lot of emotions." It must be especially traumatic for McLaughlin, as her sister Tara tragically died from lung cancer in 2015 after receiving the same diagnosis.
In an especially tragic turn of events, McLaughlin went for surgery to remove half of her lung along with the tumor. But, she was being treated in the same hospital where she watched her sister suffer. She said, "I cried, and then I laughed, because it's like, is this a joke?"
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The Cancer Was Diagnosed Early
She revealed that she thought she was lucky, because her cancer was caught at an earlier stage than her sister's. She also said she felt like Tara has been a guardian angel for her, "I think that was my big sister. Maybe I got lucky... I definitely think she's with me. That's what they do, big sisters."
McLaughlin also revealed the effect the diagnosis had on her. "You don't want to worry anyone. In our family, lung cancer meant death. We had one example and we lost her." The whole ordeal must be extremely traumatic for her.
She aims to raise awareness about lung cancer and its stigmas. "The reason that I wanted to [speak now]... it's awareness. It's the biggest cancer killer in the country. It's got a terrible stigma."
Many people assume that those diagnosed with lung cancer must be smokers. However, this definitely isn't the case. It can sometimes be hereditary. Take the two sisters for example - neither of them smoked. She said, "Smoker, non-smoker - no one deserves lung cancer."
We hope she gets through this okay. It's just as she says - no one deserves cancer.
