Influencer Grace Helbig revealed that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
The YouTuber, 37, told her more than 2.6 million subscribers Monday that she discovered a tumor in her left breast about a month ago.
“It’s called triple-positive breast cancer and from every doctor or medical professional or person that has any knowledge about cancer, they have said it is super treatable, it is highly beatable,” she said.
Helbig referred to the news as “shocking” and “surreal,” while sharing that she will undergo six rounds of chemotherapy in addition to surgery and hormonal therapy.
“We’re going for cure not remission here, which is exciting, encouraging, helpful, good,” she said.
The content creator added, “I’m doing OK … It was hard a few weeks after I found out.”
The “This Might Get Weird” podcast host claimed that the tumor might have gone undetected if she didn’t point it out during her annual gynecologist appointment.
“I had sort of noticed a weird lump in my left breast, but I really had to talk myself into bringing it up to her in the appointment because I thought I was just a stupid little girl that didn’t know how girl bodies worked,” she said.
“Thank God I listened to that little voice inside of me that finally got the courage to bring it up to her because she also thought it was abnormal.”
While it’s unclear when Helbig will start her treatment, she revealed she had a “little nano-pet looking device” placed into her arm.
once she begins chemo, it will allow her to “just be hooked up to the machine.”
“[It] obviously made this process much more real, which made me much more eager to tell you,” she added.
The former “Grace Helbig Show” host admitted she didn’t know how to properly address this uncertain phase of her life and warned she might use humor throughout the treatment process to help her cope.
“The jokes not lost on me that I’ve spent 15 years not using my boobs to get attention on the internet … and that I’m announcing this during cancer season,” she said.
She added that she was going to move forward with her podcast for as long as she could while “strongly” and “gracefully” fighting the cancer.
Helbig, who rose to fame on YouTube in 2007, received an outpouring of support from fans.
“Grace you are literally one of my favourite people. You’re absolutely going to put this behind you and close that chapter! Sending so much love!” one fan wrote.
“I don’t know what to say other than I love you so much,” another chimed in.
“I didn’t think watching my childhood YouTubers grow up would involve the raw real and stupid health issues some of us have to face when we get older, but we’re here,” a third added.
“Sharing your story is very brave and hard and admirable. Stay brave! You will beat this.”
