“Today” star Jill Martin is still dealing with health issues stemming from her cancer battle.
The 49-year-old journalist revealed that she has to undergo emergency surgery due to complications from treatment for breast cancer.
“Just when you think the fight is over, life reminds you that healing isn’t always linear,” Martin told “Today” on Friday.
“It’s preventative and proactive — an emergency only in the sense that if we don’t act now, it could turn into something much bigger,” Martin added. “It’s important to say this clearly: my cancer is not back.”
Dr. Elisa Port, chief of breast surgery for the Mount Sinai Health System, who treated Martin, explained to “Today” that Martin’s treatment caused a breakdown in her skin.
“When a person has a mastectomy, obviously the goal is to get all the breast cancer out,” said Port. “But there’s another goal, especially in a BRCA mutation carrier like Jill … to get all the breast tissue out. And when you do that, the skin left behind can be very thin. … It’s just a lot for the skin to tolerate.”
Port also said that if they don’t perform surgery immediately on Martin, she could suffer a sudden opening of the wound which could lead to an infection.
Martin will be in the hospital for at least three nights and then spend a few weeks recovering at home.
“I feel worn out and grateful all at once,” she shared. “Sometimes it feels like it never really ends. And still — I’m grateful. Grateful for early action, for great doctors, and for the chance to keep moving forward.”
Martin announced her breast cancer diagnosis in July 2023 during an episode of the NBC show. The journalist revealed she would undergo a double mastectomy.
She went on to have 16 lymph nodes removed and underwent four months of chemotherapy, reconstructive surgery, three weeks of radiation, and a preventative procedure to remove her ovaries and fallopian tubes.
In Oct. 2024, Martin told Us Weekly, “I’ve spent the last year just trying to save my life. And now, I’m dealing with the mental trauma of it all.”
“And I think a lot of survivors will tell you, it’s never over. It’s not like, ‘When are you done?’ or ‘Is it over?’ It’s never over,” she added. “This is a fight I will fight my entire life. I think about chemotherapy every single day.”
Martin also explained to the outlet that it’s her “mission in life” to raise awareness for the disease and to encourage others to get tested for breast cancer.
