Real reason why Sofia Vergara kept her cancer diagnosis private left fans surprised: "I didn't want..."
It seems like Sofia Vergara likes to keep some parts of her personal life just to herself! In the past, the 'Modern Family' alum kept one thing a secret from her fans for many years. In 2000, when Vergara got diagnosed with thyroid cancer, she decided to hide the news from the media, and at that time, she only told her close friends and family members about her diagnosis while undergoing treatment. Vergara didn't reveal the news of her diagnosis publicly until 2011, and there was a specific reason behind it. During an interview with Health Magazine in 2011, Vergara disclosed the reason behind keeping her experience private and shared, "I didn't want publicity because of that."
While having a conversation with the magazine, Vergara also stated that her cancer diagnosis changed her entire outlook on life. At that point, Vergara further explained, "Having cancer is not fun. You don't want to deal with anything else while you're going through it. When you go through something like this, it's hard, but you learn a lot from it. Your priorities change. You don't sweat the small stuff."
During a 2021 Stand Up To Cancer event, the Colombian actress candidly spoke about her thyroid cancer diagnosis in detail. "At 28 years old, during a routine doctor's visit, my doctor felt a lump in my neck. They did a lot of tests and finally told me I had thyroid cancer. When you're young and you hear that word 'cancer,' your mind goes to so many places, but I tried not to panic, and I decided to get educated. I read every book and found out everything I could about it. I was fortunate to have caught it early and to have the support of my doctors and, most importantly, my family. I learned a lot during that time, not just about thyroid cancer, but I also learned that in times of crisis, we're better together," Vergara said, as per People.
In February 2022, the 'America's Got Talent' judge took to her Instagram page and shed light on her battle with cancer. "At 28, 'Cancer' was not a word I expected to hear. It was just a routine checkup. But the doctors found a lump in my throat, and that word became part of my story. I spent countless hours in radiation treatments and, eventually, in surgery. Today, I get to call myself a cancer survivor," Vergara started by writing.
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At that time, Vergara posted a picture of herself posing behind a camera while wearing a black strapless top and a pair of hoop earrings. In the snap shared, Vergara's throat scar was pretty visible. It turns out that the photograph was taken on a special day. Vergara continued, "This was my first acting class after diagnosis and treatment, and seeing the scar on my throat reminds me of how blessed I felt that day—and every day since. I'm lucky and grateful to be in a position to share my story and say: early prevention is so important!! Schedule your annual check-up for this year if you haven't already 😘."