'I became fearless': 'Today' host Hoda Kotb shares inspiring details on how cancer diagnosis transformed her career
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: NBC’s ‘Today’ beloved host Hoda Kotb recently shared some inspiring new details about her cancer diagnosis and how it played in her career journey.
During a recent episode, the ‘Today with Hoda and Jenna’ segment chatted about a new interview where Julia Louis Dreyfus talked about her beating cancer journey.
The 59-year-old NBC anchor was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 and revealed on ‘Today’ that she found a “fearless” attitude that helped her with her current role on ‘Today 4th Hour.’
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‘Today’ Hoda Kotb shares new details about cancer diagnosis
On Thursday, one of the hosts from the ‘Today with Hoda & Jenna’ show shared an uplifting narrative during a conversation about a recent interview in which Julia Louis-Dreyfus revealed that she has been “living more mindfully” life since successfully overcoming cancer several years ago.
She said, “I feel like anyone who’s ever gone through that cancer trip or journey, I feel like your life does snap into focus. It’s sort of like, ‘Boom!’ And you’re like, ‘Ok, what am I doing right now?’”
Kotb, who has openly acknowledged feeling like her diagnosis was "the end," went on to provide more insight into that sentiment.
Kotb said, “Think about if someone told you today that your life has margins. You know where it started and now you know where it could possibly end.”
“I thought this when I had breast cancer years ago. I remember thinking, ‘There’s a beginning and an end.’ And I hadn’t thought of that,” Kotb added.
After Kotb’s diagnosis, she decided to make changes in her life. She said, “(I remember thinking) So here’s what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna offload the things that aren’t good for me, serving me, working for me.”
Kotb recalled, “I became fearless, like wildly fearless. I was always concerned, I was a pleaser (beforehand). Suddenly, I was like, 'It could be over.'"
Hoda Kotb’s pitch as ‘Today’ co-host
When Hoda Kotb was diagnosed with cancer, at the time ‘Today’ show was adding a new hour, ‘Fourth hour’, where the 59-year-old felt empowered to pitch herself as a co-host.
She remembered making a spontaneous visit to the "head honcho" to carry out that action.
She said, “I remember going up the elevator and I'm like, 'I'm gonna ask for that job.' I would never have dreamt that I was even deserving of that job (before).”
Before long, Kotb discovered that she had secured the position, and she couldn't have been more excited.
She explained, “I thought, Oh my God, if I hadn't gotten sick, I wouldn't have been brave and if I wasn't gonna be brave, I wouldn't be there and I wouldn't be here," she said. "Sometimes it’s like the scariest thing in the world becomes the thing that makes you fearless."
Jenna Bush Hager was deeply moved by Kotb’s story and commended her for maintaining such a positive outlook during a challenging phase of her life.
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