Clea Shearer, one half of the Get Organized With The Home Edit duo, has revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
In an Instagram post on Thursday in which she shares an image of herself wearing a robe from Nashville’s Vanderbilt Breast Center, Shearer reflected on the news. “I have breast cancer. It’s a hard thing to say, but it’s easier than keeping it to myself,” she wrote.
Shearer also shared that she’ll be undergoing a double mastectomy this week.
“I found a lump myself the last week of February,” Shearer said. Despite trying to make an appointment with her OB for “several months” and telling them she discovered a lump, Shearer said “they couldn’t accommodate me,” adding, “I had to request a mammogram from my general doctor, which led to an ultrasound, and then an emergency triple biopsy.”
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Shearer learned she has “two tumors, 1 cm each, that are aggressive and fast moving — but I caught it early. Had I not taken this upon myself, I would be in a completely different situation right now.”
Though revealing her diagnosis publicly is a “personal choice,” Shearer said that by sharing the news, it makes the “cancer feel purposeful.” She then encouraged others to “self-examine on a regular basis, self-advocate always, and to prioritize your health over your busy schedules.”
“It’s also important to note that I was under 40 when these tumors formed, and have no history of breast cancer in my family. Even if cancer feels improbable, it’s still very possible,” she noted.
Despite maintaining positive spirits, Shearer admitted that that wasn’t originally the case, recalling having “why me” feelings after being told the news. But after giving it some thought, she began thinking, “‘Honestly, why NOT me?!’ I have all the support, resources, and a platform to help other people through this. So if anyone has to have breast cancer, I’ll gladly let it be me. Thank you for being on this journey. I love our community, and you mean more to me than you’ll ever know. xo, Clea.”
Shearer’s diagnosis comes amid the release of the second season of Netflix’s Get Organized With The Home Edit. Shearer and Joanna Teplin’s company was acquired by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine in February.
