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It’s been almost 10 years since Cassandra Thorburn and Today show star Karl Stefanovic announced they were splitting after 21 years of marriage.
The news rocked the Australian entertainment industry at the time – with Cass later talking openly about how hard the break-up hit her, describing “dark days” and feelings of being “discarded”.
Now, a decade on, Cass is facing another great challenge – a shock diagnosis of aggressive breast cancer.
The journalist and author broke the news via a social media post on February 24, sharing a photo of herself sporting a new buzz cut hairstyle.
“Life really is like a box of chocolates and this chapter is giving me praline or truffle vibes,” she wrote.
“All kudos to the Toni and Guy pink scissors program for the kick a*se clipper treatment by their wonderful Mosman team. It will grow back🧡 super grateful.”
Cass’ daughter Willow, 20 – one of three children she shares with Karl – responded to the post with her own message of support.
“Love you Mum, you are so strong and will get through this,” she wrote.
Cass shared more details about her diagnosis in a follow-up video shared to Instagram the following day.
“On my walk this morning I thought about all the reasons why I made that post yesterday,” she shared.
“Most of it is controlling the only part of my treatment and diagnosis that I can. That’s the part about when the hair comes off, and when you tell people.
“For my adult children and myself, I’m not interested in hiding, and that’s because I’m not alone.
“I’m not walking a path that’s not well travelled by many women before me, and I will not be the last.”
Cass went on to explain how breast cancer affects one in seven women in NSW where she lives.
“I read that sitting waiting for my mammogram, not long ago, and I was the one in seven that day.”
Cass went on to give a shoutout to NSW BreastScreen which picked up the triple-negative occult breast cancer – which is a rare, aggressive cancer which often presents as a lump or swelling in the underarm.
“It may have flipped my world in days, but there’s no ‘why me’,” Cass went on.
“There’s no poor me here, just a desire to stop this in its tracks. I don’t need this freeloader.”
After Cass went public with her health battle, an insider shared more details about how the mum is coping, saying she is “owning this journey and is focused on nothing more than getting well”.
Calling her children – Willow, Jackson, 26, and River, 19, the “epicentre of her world”, the source said that by sharing her journey on social media was Cass’ way of “owning” her story “on her terms”.
“She wants transparency and didn’t want people speculating if she has cancer,” the insider told Woman’s Day.
It’s believed Cass’ ex husband Karl found out about her diagnosis the same way as everyone else did – on social media.
“Cass has so moved on from that part of her life – her sole focus now is getting well and being supported by a very close-knit group of family and friends,” the source said.
