Maria Menounos, once flaunting washboard abs and immersed in fitness, faced an unexpected turn in her health journey. In eighteen months, she transitioned from her fit self to someone who seemed to have swallowed a basketball.
In a candid revelation to Today, the 45-year-old former E! News correspondent shared her struggle, starting with the intense pain she experienced after consuming a farro salad during a flight a year ago. Describing the sensation as if she were on the verge of bursting from the inside, Menounos initially attributed it to a potential gluten intolerance. Alarmed by persistent symptoms like bloating, diarrhoea, and stomach pain, she underwent an endoscopy, a colonoscopy, and a CT scan in 2022, all yielding normal results.
Undeterred by the lack of clarity, Menounos pressed on in January 2023, opting for a full-body MRI. The revelation was profound—a 3.9-centimeter tumor on her pancreas, marking a stage 2 pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
Her message resonates as a beacon of awareness: “If symptoms persist, so should you.” Menounos underscores the vital role of self-advocacy and persistent pursuit of medical attention, emphasizing, “You must continuously push yourself and act as your champion.”
Beyond sharing her odyssey, Menounos has taken up the cause, featuring in a public service announcement for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) during Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in November.
Pancreatic cancer stands as a formidable adversary, with over 62,000 new diagnoses and an estimated 49,800 deaths in 2022 alone. Stark statistics from the American Cancer Society reveal the grim reality: only 20 percent of patients survive a year after diagnosis, and less than 10 percent reach the five-year mark.
Menounos implores individuals to heed their bodies’ signals, advocating for a proactive approach: “Feel something, say something, do something, and keep doing something until someone tells you what’s happening.”
Her narrative involves a series of tests, culminating in the pivotal full-body MRI in December, confirming the tumour’s presence. Despite the arduous path, Menounos underwent successful surgery in February 2023, involving the removal of the tumour, 17 lymph nodes, and her spleen. The indomitable spirit persisted as she and her husband welcomed their daughter Athena in June via surrogate.
Reflecting on her unexpected journey, Menounos expresses gratitude for what she calls “God’s different plan.” Her resilience and appreciation for unforeseen turns underscore a story of triumph amidst uncertainty.
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