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As an innovative journalist and chief international anchor for CNN, Christiane Amanpour, 63, uses her platform to report the truth and draw attention to global dilemmas. But now, she’s raising awareness for a prevalent, heartbreaking issue that hit her personally: ovarian cancer. 

Finally returning to broadcast after a four-week hiatus, Amanpour announced her diagnosis on Monday evening at the time of her global affairs program for CNN International. “I’ve had successful major surgery to remove it, and I’m now undergoing several months of chemotherapy for the very best possible long-term prognosis, and I’m confident,” she said from her home studio in London. 

According to the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women. For reference, this type of cancer begins in the ovaries and primarily develops in older women. Early detection remains vital, as only about 20% of ovarian cancers are detected at an early stage. When found early, about 94% of patients live past 5 years after their diagnosis. 

For women without symptoms, there’s no conclusive screening test for ovarian cancer. Therefore, regular pelvic examinations performed by a gynecologist remain important for early detection — thus making Amanpour’s call to action so crucial. 

“I’m telling you this in the interest of transparency but, in truth, really mostly as a shout-out to early diagnosis — to urge women to educate themselves on this disease, to get all the regular screenings and scans that you can, to always listen to your bodies, and of course, to ensure that your legitimate medical concerns are not dismissed or diminished,” she told Vogue.