Former Bachelorette star Katie Thurston is sharing an emotional and unfiltered update about her ongoing battle with stage 4 breast cancer. In a raw and heartfelt video posted on National Cancer Survivors Day (June 1), the 34-year-old revealed that she’s losing her memory and experiencing alarming hair loss as her treatment continues.
“I’m losing my memory,” she said in the Instagram video, describing a moment when she couldn’t remember where she had just traveled from while going through customs. “It’s not ideal,” she admitted. “My hair is coming out in unnatural clumps. But I’m just trying to be honest about everything.”
Thurston, who married comedian Jeff Arcuri in March after a whirlwind romance, also opened up about the emotional toll of her diagnosis. She was first diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in early 2025, which later metastasized to her liver. “Technically, treatment is forever,” she explained. Despite the tough prognosis, she remains hopeful about medical advancements and continues to explore new treatment options like histotripsy, a non-invasive liver therapy she’s undergoing at NYU.
She also revealed that hormone therapy drugs like Zoladex failed, leading to unexpected complications, including the return of her menstrual cycle. Thurston said she’s now switching to Lupron, and if it doesn’t work, she may need to undergo surgery to remove her ovaries — a devastating but necessary decision in her fight against hormone-dependent cancer.
Beyond physical side effects, Thurston reflected on the mental and emotional battles cancer patients face. “Sometimes I feel like, ‘Stop feeling bad for yourself.’ And other times, I think, ‘You’re allowed to feel bad for yourself. Cancer sucks,’” she said. “But every day I’m alive, I’m a survivor.”
Katie also continues to advocate for early detection and medical vigilance. She first discovered a lump during the summer of 2024, initially assuming it was workout soreness. But follow-ups and biopsies confirmed a far more serious reality. Now, she’s documenting her journey to help others. “Don’t wait,” she said in a recent Good Morning America interview. “Be proactive. Get checked out. You could be doing yourself a favor in the future.”
As she navigates her diagnosis, fertility challenges, and a newlywed life, Katie remains honest and inspiring in her message: “This is my truth, unedited. Cancer or not, I’m choosing to live while I can — fully, honestly, and with strength.”