Beyoncé's mother, Tina Knowles, revealed that she was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer last July after missing her scheduled mammogram.
The revelation is part of her new memoir, Matriarch, released on Tuesday (April 22).
Late last year, she underwent surgery to remove the tumor. “I’m doing great,” the mom of two said. “Cancer-free and incredibly blessed that God allowed me to find it early."
Highlights
- Tina Knowles revealed her stage 1 breast cancer diagnosis after missing a mammogram.
- Her memoir Matriarch includes her cancer journey to inspire women to prioritize their health.
- Without family history of breast cancer, Tina stressed the importance of testing and early detection.
Tina shared that she was not found to have breast cancer genes and that her family does not have a history of the disease.
Image credits: Monica Schipper / Getty
Speaking with People magazine, the 71-year-old businesswoman said she wanted to share her cancer journey to remind other women to prioritize their health and never miss their screenings.
"I struggled with whether I would share that journey [in the book] because I'm very private. But I decided to share it because I think it's a lot of lessons in it for other women.
"And I think as women, sometimes we get so busy and we get so wrapped up and running around, but you must go get your test.
“Because if I had not gotten my test early, I mean, I shudder to think what could have happened to me."
Beyoncé's mother said she had missed her scheduled mammogram and then forgot to get tested
Image credits: Amy Sussman / Getty
Tina continued: "I forgot that I didn't go to get my test two years before I thought I had. Because Covid came and they called me and canceled me and they said, 'We'll call you when we start testing again.' And I just thought I had done it. So you cannot play around with that."
Her superstar daughter “took it well” and stayed positive after the diagnosis.
“I could already feel her mind racing, focusing on this as a task to tackle with precision,” Tina writes in her book.
Her family was not found to have breast cancer genes and does not have a history of the disease
Image credits: CBS Mornings
Her youngest daughter, Solange, and bonus daughters Kelly Rowland and her niece Angie Beyince also stood closely by Tina’s side after the difficult news. “My girls became my team,” she said.
Tina is now “healthier” and has gained a deeper appreciation for life following her health ordeal.
"I want to give people hope. What scares me now is not making the best of every day that I have left in this life.
"I didn't know that there was a stage 0. I could have caught this at stage 0 if I had not missed my mammogram."
Image credits: CBS Mornings
The American Cancer Society recommends annual mammograms for women over the age of 45. Women 55 and older can switch to a mammogram every other year, or they can choose to continue yearly mammograms, the organization notes.
Women who are at high risk for breast cancer—such as those with a known BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation—should have both a breast MRI and a mammogram every year, starting at age 30.
Clinical breast exams (physical exams performed by a healthcare professional) are not recommended for breast cancer screening in average-risk women at any age.
The mom of two, 71, underwent surgery to remove the tumor and is now "doing great"
Beyoncé and Solange's father, record executive Mathew Knowles, was successfully treated for stage 1 male breast cancer in 2019.
Matthew said he possesses the BRCA2 gene mutation, which increases the risk of developing several cancers, including breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancer.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the BRCA gene test uses a sample of blood or saliva to detect DNA changes in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.
Individuals with a personal history of breast, ovarian, pancreatic, or prostate cancer—or those with a blood relative who has had any of these cancers or has been found to carry a BRCA gene mutation—should consider genetic testing.
Tina's memoir, Matriarch, an Oprah’s book club pick, is a chronicle of “family love and heartbreak, of loss and perseverance, and of the kind of creativity, audacity, and will it takes for a girl from Galveston to change the world,” its synopsis reads.
“It’s one brilliant woman’s intimate and revealing story, and a multigenerational family saga that carries within it the story of America—and the wisdom that women pass on to one another, mothers to daughters, across generations.”
"Never miss a mammogram," one Facebook user commented after learning of Tina's health ordeal
