Update on Kathy Griffin’s health: lung cancer struggle results in paralysis of the vocal cord
The star of My Life on the D-List received a first lung cancer diagnosis in 2021.
After undergoing vocal chord surgery to treat her lung cancer, Kathy Griffin has made progress toward full recovery.
The 62-year-old comedian originally shared the news of her lung cancer diagnosis on social media in August 2021, writing: “I’ve needed to tell you, guys, something. Cancer affects me. I’m about to undergo surgery to have my left lung’s lower half removed. Yes, despite never smoking, I do have lung cancer.”
“Stage one and limited to my left lung, the physicians are quite positive. After this, hopefully, I won’t need chemotherapy or radiation, and my breathing should return to normal. I should be back to normal in a month or less,” she declared.
She informed her fans that she had been declared cancer-free in December of the same year when making an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Although she stated at the time that the tumor, which she claimed had been there “for ten years,” had been completely removed, she later updated her status on TikTok on Wednesday night, saying she had undergone one more procedure to ensure she was in good health.
As she underwent vocal chord surgery, Kathy kept followers updated along the process. She shared footage of her pre-op appointment first, showing her sitting in the doctor’s office with a gorgeous floral coat and sparkling red shirt, no less.
She first claimed that her doctor is a “kickass female voice surgeon,” and then she posted a video of her having a camera inserted through her nose and down her throat. As she showed close-up images of what her vocal cords looked like, she revealed that her left vocal cord had been paralyzed.
The following clip showed the celebrity shortly after her successful surgery. The left side of her neck has a blue marker mark on the film, and she is still lying in a hospital bed.
“I want to be in my best form for my big Vegas show on June 17, and this is only a part of my recuperation after lung cancer surgery,” she said to the camera.
She proclaimed with joy, “I’m lung cancer free!” Then she continued, “I’m a little scratchy today, but I’ll be in good shape.”
“I so appreciate you guys following along on my journey to get my voice back after lung cancer,” she stated in her TikTok caption. “I’m extremely grateful to Dr. Barbu.”
Fans instantly flooded her post’s comments section with encouraging sentiments, writing: “Long-time admirer here. I wish I could attend your Vegas performance. You’ll absolutely kill it, I know it! You genuinely sound much better. Little steps!”
“This is fantastic! And best of luck with your performance! We also wish you a swift and complete recovery.”
