Socialites, get into this good news: Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, the 38-year-old Jersey Shore star, says she is now cancer-free nearly seven months after being diagnosed with stage one cervical cancer. She shared the update in a People interview that came out today, Sept. 18.
“As of right now, I am cancer-free. They got everything out,” she said.
Her story started with something a lot of us do, which is dodging the doctor. She admitted she skipped her Pap smear for about a year and a half because, in her words, “it’s uncomfortable, it’s not fun.” That was risky. She had known about abnormal Pap results for roughly four years. Her doctor even wanted her screened every six months, which is much more often than usual.
Then came the news. After a cone biopsy, Snooki learned in February that she had stage one cervical cancer, a type called adenocarcinoma.
She said it was “not the worst news just because they caught it so early.” She also told her followers to take care of themselves and get regular checkups.
Next, she had to pick a treatment path. Her oncologist told her she could do chemo, radiation, or a hysterectomy. She chose the hysterectomy. This summer, a PET scan showed the cancer had not spread. Then she had the surgery on July 31. It was not easy emotionally, either. The mother of three said she was sad about losing the option to have more kids.
She is still healing, and she is not rushing it. “I’m trying to listen to my body and give my body grace,” she said. Some days she does too much and ends up tired and sore, but she says she is finally starting to feel like herself again. The fight is not totally over, either. Her doctors told her the cancer could come back, so she will get Pap smears every three months. She is also eating better, working out, and keeping every appointment.
Snooki says she felt isolated at first. “In the beginning, I felt so alone,” she shared. She didn’t know anyone else going through cervical cancer, so now she uses her voice to make a safe space for other women. She is also putting in work outside social media. She will host the 100th event for the nonprofit F Cancer on Sept. 23 at Academy Nightclub in West Hollywood, with Diplo, Dillon Francis, and DJ Pauly D performing. The group says its programs have helped deliver more than 60,000 cancer screenings and 35,000 HPV vaccines.