I Was Diagnosed With Skin Cancer

The England-born, L.A.-based author is the Chief News Correspondent for E! 

(All photos courtesy of the author)

Three weeks ago she was diagnosed with skin cancer. I was minutes away from going live on air when I got the call from my doctor. 

I vaguely remember the conversation before hanging up, reapplying my lipstick, and walking to set to talk about Kate Middleton. It didn’t feel real. I was numb, she concludes.

I don’t usually get nervous before filming, but as I waited at the side of the set for my name to be called so I could take my seat next to Giuliana Rancic, I quivered.

I had enough self-awareness to understand I had just been told something significant but hadn’t yet fully processed it.

As I stood there holding my notes, I started to feel scared. It wasn’t the diagnosis, but a fear that the magnitude of the situation diagnosis, but a fear that the magnitude of the situation might sink in right at the moment the camera faced me with its red light glaring.

I was more petrified of screwing up my words and looking stupid in front of a room full of people than this alien thing growing on my face.

Thankfully, the segment went off without a hitch. No one suspected I had just got one of the most frightening calls of my life.