Jillian Cardarelli is trying to navigate life after recently sharing that she has been diagnosed with cancer.
The 33-year-old actress and country singer revealed she was diagnosed with stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma, a form of breast cancer. In an interview with PEOPLE, she opened up about how much her life has changed since receiving the news.
“I don’t even know what day it is anymore,” Cardarelli told the outlet. “I think it’s only been two or three weeks since the diagnosis.”
It was a diagnosis that she didn’t see coming. Cardarelli said she had been going in for routine checkups for nearly a decade, and each time everything had come back clear.
“I’ve had areas in my breasts that have been diagnosed with dense fibrous tissue since I was 25 years old that I’ve been getting looked at by ultrasound a couple of times, but nothing was ever seen,” she said.
However, she started to notice she wasn’t feeling like herself. She was more tired than usual. Shortly after, Cardarelli discovered a lump, which led her to seek further medical attention.
“Something in my gut was like, ‘This feels a little bit different to me,’” she said. “That’s when I went and I got checked out and I found out that it was a malignant tumor.”
Life for the “What’s It Gonna Take” singer changed immediately. Instead of spending her time in the studio and filming her show Crossroads Springs, her schedule became packed with doctor’s visits.
“One minute you’re focused on filming schedules, scripts, music and everything… And the next thing is doctors, scans, pathology reports and words I’d never even [heard before]. I feel like I’m learning a new language,” she admits.
Cardarelli said that when she first got the news, she felt “fear and sadness.” She struggled to understand why something like this was happening to someone young, active, and otherwise healthy.
“I’m like, ‘Why did this happen?’ I do not fit the profile of somebody that should get cancer at 33 years old,” she said. “So yes, there’s a little bit of anger there. But I’m not angry at God. I’m leaning on Him more than ever.”
She also shared that one of the hardest parts of everything is knowing her mother, who has been battling colon cancer for the past 12 years, now has to watch her daughter go through something similar.
“The fact that my mother, who has had stage 4 cancer for the last 12 years, has to now help her daughter navigate this, is very unfair,” Cardarelli says.
Jillian Cardarelli Is Taking Her Battle With Cancer “One Day At A Time”
Cardarelli is still at the very beginning of her journey, and right now she and her doctors are working together to figure out the best treatment plan moving forward.
The good news is that after surgery, her doctors are feeling optimistic about her recovery.
“They are confident this can be eradicated and I will hopefully live a very long, normal and healthy and happy life,” Cardarelli says. “I’m just trying to take things truly one day at a time, sometimes one minute at a time, and somehow stay in the moment as I absorb all this life flipping on its head within the last few weeks.”
She still has a long road ahead of her, but Cardarelli continues to believe that everything happens for a reason.
“I do trust that something good will come from this,” she adds. “My hope is that young women hear my story and understand the importance of knowing their bodies, trusting their instincts and advocating for themselves. If sharing my story encourages even one young woman to advocate for herself, listen to her body, or get checked sooner, then I believe there is purpose in this.”
She’s also thankful to have a fantastic support system during times like this. She talked more about her diagnosis a few days ago in an Instagram post, and says that she still wakes up “grateful for the gift of another day.”
“I’m incredibly thankful for my husband, family, and friends, who have walked alongside me every step of the way. As for my parents, I hit the parent lottery, to say the least. I also feel incredibly blessed to be surrounded by a medical team I trust implicitly.”
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Jillian Cardarelli Has Officially Started Treatment
Cardarelli shared a big moment on her Instagram a few days ago, revealing that she’s now in treatment. The singer shared photos from the hospital. In them, she’s lying in bed. The pictures appear to be of her pre-surgery and post-surgery.
“The first big step is behind me 💪🏼 Now it’s time to heal while we wait for the next step in my treatment plan,” she wrote in the post’s caption.
Cardarelli continued, “Thank you to the incredible team at Dana-Farber for your kindness, compassion, and support throughout such a challenging and stressful process. I’m truly so grateful to be in your care. Thank you to everyone who has prayed for me, checked in, and lifted me up. One day at a time.”
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