1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:03,800 Speaker 1: This is the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: with iHeartRadio. 3 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 2: It's Almost Famous podcast. It's been we're counting down the 4 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:12,880 Speaker 2: top five most shocking moments that happened in Bachelor Nation 5 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 2: this year twenty twenty five. Now we've made it to 6 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:22,600 Speaker 2: the number one most shocking moment. This moment was shocking 7 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:26,560 Speaker 2: for multiple reasons. One of the reasons is it deals 8 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 2: with the person's health and well being. And two, this 9 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 2: person is so young, so I think this moment was 10 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 2: a wake up call, really was for a lot of 11 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:43,200 Speaker 2: us to take our health seriously. With that, the most 12 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 2: shocking Bachelor Nation moment of twenty twenty five was Katie 13 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 2: Thurston's breast cancer diagnosis Back in March. We talked with 14 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 2: Katie a month after her diagnosis at only thirty four 15 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 2: years old. 16 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 3: Actually, last summer was the first time I felt a 17 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 3: lump in my breast, but I had had a benign 18 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 3: cyst before that was removed and non cancerous. And I'm 19 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:11,959 Speaker 3: only yeah, and I'm only thirty four, so I'm not 20 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 3: thinking breast cancer at all. It doesn't run in my family. 21 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 3: I am overall pretty healthy. There was never an urgency 22 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 3: to get it checked out. And I kind of put 23 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 3: it off, thinking maybe it's PMS, maybe it's from working out, 24 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 3: you know, it's the summertime. And then finally in January, 25 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 3: you know, I was getting ready to move to New 26 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 3: York to be with my fiance Jeff, and was like, well, 27 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 3: I should do some kind of like medical checks before 28 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:38,319 Speaker 3: we leave, and we're going to be traveling for six weeks, 29 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 3: and so I kind of went into the office almost 30 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 3: thinking it was going to be like a like a checkup, 31 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:46,039 Speaker 3: like a Yep, it's just another benign cyst and you 32 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 3: can just move on with your life. And very very 33 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 3: quickly the appointment energy was shifting. I could feel it. 34 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 3: No one was saying anything, but you know, you can 35 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 3: just feel the vibe of the room change. 36 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 2: This was shocking for many reasons, as I already mentioned, 37 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 2: Katie is so young, but it was also one of 38 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 2: those moments where I think everybody that heard it took 39 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:14,559 Speaker 2: a step back. It took a step back to analyze 40 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:17,560 Speaker 2: their life, their health. It also is one of those 41 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:22,360 Speaker 2: moments that helps us all maybe see things a little clearer, 42 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:27,919 Speaker 2: meaning that when we're in the face of something so difficult, 43 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:33,919 Speaker 2: so scary, so big, I think so many of us 44 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 2: sit down and kind of re analyze our own lives. 45 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 2: We see things clear because all of a sudden, so 46 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 2: many other things don't matter. 47 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:48,959 Speaker 3: Now. 48 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 2: To give you a little background here, Katie was the 49 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:58,679 Speaker 2: bachelor at and Fibruar of twenty twenty five is when 50 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 2: she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The doctors initially told 51 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 2: her that after she found a lump in her breast, 52 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 2: that her cancer was stage three. It was stage three 53 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 2: triple positive invasive ductyl carcinoma. This is a common form 54 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 2: of breast cancer where the tumor has estrogen, progesterone and 55 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 2: her two receptors. Later, in March twenty twenty five, she 56 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 2: shared that the cancer had spread metastasized to her liver, 57 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 2: which means it's now classified as stage four metastic breast cancer. 58 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:44,400 Speaker 2: Since that day, Katie has been undergoing treatment, including systemic therapy. 59 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 2: This is medication and chemotherapy mixed together. In October twenty 60 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 2: five public appearance, she reported that her medicine is working, 61 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 2: thank god, and her tumor was still shrinking at the 62 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 2: six months in. This is positive news for Katie and 63 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 2: for all of us. Katie has done an incredible job 64 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 2: at being candid about this diagnosis. She's also shared so 65 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 2: many stories of the toll it's taken on her physically. 66 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 2: But yet Katie, as she always has, has still this 67 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 2: underlying just joy and positivity about her. In an interview 68 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 2: we did with her, she told us that the way 69 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 2: her and her husband communicate is oftentimes by joking, even 70 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 2: if those jokes are like somewhat inappropriate, it helps them 71 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:41,360 Speaker 2: communicate and heal, and I think there's a beauty to that. 72 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 2: Their dance is absolutely wonderful, which brings me to some 73 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 2: big life updates for Katie this year as well. Not 74 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 2: long after we chatted with Katie on our podcast, she 75 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 2: got married in a backyard wedding to comedian Jeff R. 76 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:03,039 Speaker 2: Curry before she started treatment for her stage three breast cancer. 77 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 2: Here's a quote from Katie. She says, you would think 78 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 2: it would cause more tribulation or problems between the two 79 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 2: of them, but it's bonded us more than anything else, 80 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:16,039 Speaker 2: which is why we're moving up the wedding a little bit. Obviously, 81 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:19,600 Speaker 2: we were wanting to plan a wedding, she continued, and 82 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 2: there's a lot of emotions that come in with the 83 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:25,839 Speaker 2: chemo and the impact and the health and we don't 84 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 2: know what the next year looks like. We continued here 85 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 2: at the Almost Famous podcast to follow Katie's journey as 86 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 2: she shared with the world on her social media. After 87 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 2: her breast cancer did spread to her liver as I mentioned, 88 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 2: and it changed to stage four. In October, she gave 89 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 2: an update when she got her six month check in. 90 00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:49,719 Speaker 2: She said, October is freaking nuts. It was Breast cancer 91 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 2: Awareness month. Jeff was gone the entire month, which you 92 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:54,920 Speaker 2: mentioned on our show as well, because of his career 93 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:57,840 Speaker 2: sometimes he has to be gone. Then I also had 94 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 2: my six month check in pet scam no spread, she said. 95 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 2: The breast MRI shows that the tumor is still shrinking. 96 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:11,279 Speaker 2: Katie continues, the thing I did not realize. Every month 97 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:13,479 Speaker 2: ish I have to give my blood drawn, and I 98 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 2: hate needles. I hate the time and emotional energy it 99 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 2: takes to go to the hospital here in New York. 100 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 2: It takes so much out of me. I can imagine, 101 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:27,560 Speaker 2: can't you all. I mean, goodness, she's tired, She's going 102 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 2: through all this treatment. There's so many things in front 103 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 2: of her that feel so daunting. Yet once a month 104 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:40,359 Speaker 2: she has to get in her car travel through the 105 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 2: city of New York, go and give blood, which she 106 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:47,040 Speaker 2: mentioned she hates, and deal with the crowds and the people. 107 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:55,720 Speaker 2: Katie is a battler. She has shown nothing but the desire, 108 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 2: the willingness to fight this, and she shared it with 109 00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:02,239 Speaker 2: so many of us, which I think is it doesn't 110 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 2: take away from it being the number one most shocking moment, 111 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 2: But what this does do is it's one of those things. Yes, 112 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 2: this was shocking for her to tell the world that 113 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 2: she has breast cancer and then that it metastasized to 114 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 2: her liver. But in the midst of this, Katie has 115 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 2: still gone out of her way to educate all of us, 116 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 2: which I think is something incredible. It's made so many 117 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 2: others out there I know feel less alone who are 118 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 2: going through something similar to Katie, or so many of 119 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:37,720 Speaker 2: us have felt less alone by watching Katie's stories because 120 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 2: we know somebody going through something similar to Katie's, or 121 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 2: she's made so many of us feel less alone because 122 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 2: we've witnessed somebody who has faced such a difficult diagnosis 123 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 2: and said, hey, yes I have a battle to fight, 124 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 2: but I want to bring you all in to learn 125 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 2: and share with me. Katie is shared through social media 126 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 2: mostly of her cancer experience has been so difficult, especially 127 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 2: on her physically. As I mentioned, Katie said that she 128 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:24,560 Speaker 2: has suffered memory loss has taken an emotional strand on her. 129 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:30,880 Speaker 2: It's definitely this is an exact quote, but it's kind 130 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 2: of consolidated quote that she has. She says, reflecting on 131 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:37,439 Speaker 2: an intense treatment and the disease has affected her quality 132 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 2: of life. She has described adjusting to this new life 133 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:44,440 Speaker 2: with stage four cancer and finding support in the community 134 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:47,720 Speaker 2: of other survivors. One of the reasons why is I 135 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 2: just mentioned Katie has been so so vocal on social 136 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 2: media is because she has gathered this network and this 137 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 2: community of people who are survivors of a similar cancer 138 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 2: or cancer, and they've been able to share with each other. 139 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 3: Had I heard someone my age with their story last 140 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 3: summer when I felt the lump, I think I would 141 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 3: have been more proactive. I'm getting it checked because the 142 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 3: biggest thing I'm learning now is it's actually like an 143 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:18,560 Speaker 3: epidemic right now, and women in their twenties and thirties 144 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 3: and forties who are getting breast cancer, and multiple doctors 145 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:24,719 Speaker 3: that I've seen in different departments are like, we don't 146 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:27,839 Speaker 3: know what's going on, and it's crazy that only until 147 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:30,960 Speaker 3: I was diagnosed am I learning that. But now that 148 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:33,560 Speaker 3: I'm like searching for answers, I'm seeing just how many 149 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 3: women are being impacted. 150 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 2: I always say I kind of have a saying in life, 151 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:39,240 Speaker 2: I don't want to learn from anybody who hasn't been there. 152 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 2: Does that make sense again? I don't want to learn 153 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 2: from somebody who hasn't been there, but I do learn 154 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 2: a ton from those who have been there. When you 155 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 2: get to hear somebody like Katie speak about this emotional toll, 156 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:55,960 Speaker 2: this physical toll, speak about the treatments as she gets 157 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:59,560 Speaker 2: educated on the treatments, speak about what has had to 158 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 2: change and her lifestyle, what she's learned along the way. 159 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 2: I'm listening because I know she's been through it, and 160 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:08,560 Speaker 2: so there's a lot that I can gain from Katie, 161 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:11,240 Speaker 2: and we can all gain from Katie in terms of 162 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:14,840 Speaker 2: life advice. This is better than any book we could 163 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:17,839 Speaker 2: pick up at the store on seven ways to make 164 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:20,520 Speaker 2: your life better or make your life make more sense 165 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:23,080 Speaker 2: because Katie is in the midst of one of the 166 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:25,960 Speaker 2: hardest seasons of life. One of the things that so 167 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 2: many of us dread or are scared of or try 168 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 2: to protect ourselves from. She's in the midst of it, 169 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 2: and as a result, I'm learning from her, and I 170 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:40,119 Speaker 2: think so many of us are because of how incredible 171 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:42,960 Speaker 2: she's been to so many other survivors, and also a 172 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 2: group of us who maybe don't have that direct connection 173 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 2: to this disease, this terrible disease, we are still watching 174 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 2: and learning along the way. There's also a side of 175 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:56,679 Speaker 2: this too, where so many of us are fans of Katie. 176 00:10:57,240 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 2: We want to follow her story with her so that 177 00:10:59,880 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 2: we can be up to date on how she's progressing 178 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:07,160 Speaker 2: and how she's healing. We're rooting for her from the side. 179 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 2: On top of everything else, as I mentioned, Katie has 180 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:15,240 Speaker 2: gone through on social media, She's done interviews, She's been 181 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 2: so open about all this. She also has emphasized the 182 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:24,200 Speaker 2: trust in medical advancements and encourages so many of you 183 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 2: listening to check yourself. She teaches all of us on 184 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 2: how to check ourselves for cancer similar to hers, like 185 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 2: breast cancer. But as you've heard if you've listened to 186 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:41,760 Speaker 2: the podcast, of course, the terrible world of online rumors 187 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:44,440 Speaker 2: and hoaxes have also happened to Katie. So in the 188 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:47,960 Speaker 2: midst of all this, she's physically tired, she's emotionally tired, 189 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:52,280 Speaker 2: she's mentally tired. She's had to also combat the rumors 190 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:56,320 Speaker 2: that she somehow passed away, and she's had to address 191 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 2: this and deny this. People are taking advantage of this 192 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:03,719 Speaker 2: terror situation, which I hate, and I think so many 193 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 2: of us do. I hate this new trend of online 194 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 2: rumors and hoaxes coming out there on different subjects that 195 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 2: are so personal and intimate to each and every human being. 196 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 2: So Katie's had to battle that. But the update right 197 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 2: now is that she is alive. She is battling, she 198 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:30,200 Speaker 2: is fighting, she is managing this disease. We know and 199 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:34,440 Speaker 2: so much care for Katie that Yes, this is a 200 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:38,679 Speaker 2: shocking moment of twenty twenty five. It's a memorable moment 201 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 2: of twenty twenty five, but it's a learning moment for 202 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 2: us in twenty twenty five. I think this is definitely 203 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:48,640 Speaker 2: the most shocking moment in twenty twenty five when it 204 00:12:48,640 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 2: comes to Bachelor Nation, because it was one of those 205 00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 2: moments where all of a sudden, we all took a 206 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:56,960 Speaker 2: deep breath. It wasn't a breakup, it wasn't a dating rumor. 207 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:02,120 Speaker 2: It wasn't some online I know few that somebody was having. 208 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 2: Know this is a real life, real human experience, and 209 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 2: goodness gracious, Katie, you have handled it well. You have 210 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 2: done so much for the community around you. We at 211 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 2: the Almost Famous podcast me personally the listeners are all 212 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 2: rooting for you as you continue on in this battle. 213 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 2: But this was the most shocking moment of twenty twenty five. 214 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 2: Katie Thurston publicly tells all of us that she was 215 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 2: diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, which soon turned into 216 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:47,360 Speaker 2: stage for cancer. Katie, We're rooting for you. 217 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:52,559 Speaker 1: Follow the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast on iHeartRadio, 218 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 1: or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.