Days Of Our Lives star Suzanne Rogers revealed she is battling cancer.
The 82-year-old actress shared she was diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer in a new interview with TV Insider.
The 70s soap legend said she felt like something ‘wasn’t quite right’ with her body, prompting her to make a doctor’s appointment over the summer.
After a number of tests, which included a colonoscopy, MRI, PET scan and biopsy, her doctor told her she had cancer.
‘[My doctor] said, “You have cancer and you have to start treatment,”‘ Rogers — who is the longest-running actor in an American soap opera — recalled.
‘It was all a shock. I mean, I think I was in shock for several days because I take pretty good care of myself. But he said, “It’s a good thing you caught it in time.”‘
Days Of Our Lives star Suzanne Rogers, 82, revealed she is battling stage 2 colon cancer; She is pictured at the Daytime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles in 2024
‘It was all a shock. I mean, I think I was in shock for several days because I take pretty good care of myself,’ she told TV Insider; Pictured as Maggie Horton in Days Of Our Lives
Colorectal cancer, which starts in the colon or the rectum, is the third most common cancer in the world, after lung and breast cancers.
In the United States, colorectal cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and the fourth leading cause in women, according to American Cancer Society.
Stage 2 colorectal cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes, but may have spread through and beyond the wall of the colon or rectum.
After she wrapped up Days of Our Lives for the summer, the star began treatment three days later.
‘It was radiation every day and chemo every day for six weeks and it was tough,’ Rogers shared.
‘It was tough knowing you had to do it five days a week and then you had off Saturday and Sunday. I thoroughly enjoyed my weekends because I didn’t have to go to and see a doctor. I was so tired of seeing doctors.’
While undergoing treatment, Rogers found crucial support from her Days of Our Lives co-stars, especially from Linsey Godfrey, who is a cancer survivor.
‘It was scary,’ she said, adding, ‘When I had to go see a doctor, one of them would go with me because you get to a point where once they say cancer, you don’t hear anything else.’
The star said that after wrapping up Days of Our Lives for the summer she did ‘radiation every day and chemo every day for six weeks’ adding that it was ‘tough’; Seen in 2017
Rogers said she completed her treatment on July 31 and is ‘feeling really good’ now; Pictured in 2018
The actress also revealed she did not lose her iconic red hair during treatment. ‘I guess because I was taking the chemo pills,’ she explained; Seen in a still
‘I had to have an infusion, and it takes about an hour and a half, so Linsey sat there with me and held my hand while I was having it,’ she recalled.
‘We would go out to lunch or dinner with Paul Telfer and Linsey’s daughter, Aleda. I knew I could count on them, so it was a lovely experience on and off the set. We really feel like a family.’
Rogers said she completed her treatment on July 31 and is ‘feeling really good’ now.
However, it hasn’t been without challenges.
‘The biggest thing is that I was tired because that’s not like me. I have a lot of energy all the time, so it really kind of shook me thinking, “Am I going to get my energy back?” And it seems like it’s coming back. It’s not 100% yet, but I feel better. Today I feel really good, and that’s happening more and more than the other way around, so I’m really happy about that.’
‘I start back to work next week, so we’ll see how that goes,’ Rogers added.
‘Now, I’m feeling anxious like I do any time I get scripts because I want to do my very best and you don’t want to hold up anybody. So that’s the only anxiousness I feel. It’s not because of my illness, let’s put it that way.’
Rogers also revealed she did not lose her iconic red hair during treatment.
‘I guess because I was taking the chemo pills,’ she explained. ‘I’m sure there’ll be people that are saying, “Well, she didn’t really have cancer,” but you know what? I really don’t care what people say. I know what I’ve gone through and I’ve come out on the other side, so that’s all I care about.’
In 1984, the Virginia-born redhead was diagnosed with the rare muscle disease myasthenia gravis, greatly impacting how much she could work, but she’s reportedly in remission now.
Rogers made history as the longest-running actor in any American soap opera for portraying the character Maggie Horton Kiriakis on Days of Our Lives for 52 years – beginning in 1973.
Rogers made history as the longest-running actor in any American soap opera for portraying the character Maggie Horton Kiriakis on Days of Our Lives for 52 years – beginning in 1973
She won her first and only Daytime Emmy Award in 1979 for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series.
Rogers also appeared in episodes of Knight Rider; Little House on the Prairie; Quincy, M.E.; and Love, American Style.
The former Rockette got her start at Radio City Music Hall as well as numerous Broadway productions.
Rogers was married to Another World star Sam Groom between 1980-1982.
