Credited from: SCMP
Tatiana Schlossberg, the granddaughter of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, has disclosed in a profoundly personal essay that she has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and may have less than a year to live. The 35-year-old journalist shared this heartbreaking news in The New Yorker, revealing her battle with acute myeloid leukemia, a diagnosis made following the birth of her second child in May 2024, when doctors noticed abnormal white blood cell levels, according to India Times, CBS News, and ABC News.
In her essay titled "A Battle with My Blood," Schlossberg expressed her shock at the diagnosis, stating, “I did not—could not—believe that they were talking about me," after she believed she was in good health prior to her diagnosis. She described the challenge of coming to terms with her condition as an active young mother of two, reflecting on the potential impact her absence will have on her children, according to BBC, South China Morning Post, and India Times.
Schlossberg's treatment journey has included chemotherapy and two stem cell transplants, with doctors ultimately advising her that they could keep her "alive for a year, maybe." This news, compounded by her family's history of loss and tragedy, adds to the emotional weight of her situation. The essay also delves into her criticism of her cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s cuts to funding for cancer research, which she expressed concerns could affect many patients, according to India Times, CBS News, BBC, and South China Morning Post.
Throughout her ordeal, Schlossberg has expressed deep gratitude for the support from her close family, emphasizing their presence in her life during her struggles. “They have held my hand unflinchingly while I have suffered,” she said, showcasing the family's collective burden of dealing with loss and grief, which has been a recurring theme in the Kennedy legacy as noted in her reflections on family history amidst her fight against cancer, according to ABC News and India Times.