Senior correspondent for CBS News’ 60 Minutes, Norah O’Donnell, is speaking out after she underwent an important medical procedure.
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In an Instagram post earlier this week, O’Donnell announced she recently underwent a colonoscopy, a procedure of the entire large intestine. It is used to screen for colorectal cancer, investigate gastrointestinal symptoms, and identify or remove precancerous growths called polyps.
“Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and cases are rising, even in younger adults,” O’Donnell informed her Instagram followers. “But here’s the hopeful part: it’s also one of the most preventable cancers when caught early.”
She then said that the doctors recommend that everyone start screening at age 45. Patients with a family history of colon cancer are often recommended to screen earlier.
“The prep is actually fine, and the procedure itself is quick, painless, and could quite literally save your life,” the journalist continued. “A colonoscopy can detect cancer early and even prevent it by removing precancerous polyps before they turn dangerous.”
O’Donnell once again encouraged her followers to undergo the procedure, adding, “If you’ve been putting it off, consider this your sign. Schedule it. Do it. Take care of yourself.”
O’Donnell Previously Battled Skin Cancer
The health update comes nearly a decade after O’Donnell was diagnosed with skin cancer.
During a 2017 interview with PEOPLE, O’Donnell said she discovered she had melanoma during a routine skin check. Her dermatologist discovered two spots on her back.
After a biopsy, O’Donnell received the bad news. Melanoma was discovered on her back.
“I was like, ‘Oh, my god,'” O’Donnell recalled. “But [the doctor] said, ‘It’s 100 percent curable. The good news is we caught it early, but as soon as you can I want to see you and we got to take it out with a pretty significant incision. It will be deep and will be stitches.’”
She also noted, “So the really good news is that they caught it early and they treat it very aggressively. They make a big cut to make sure there’s nothing else around it and not becoming invasive.”
O’Donnell had the procedure done weeks later. “It was three layers of stitches — like 20 in all,” the journalist pointed out. “It was a pretty big cut, and the good news is the margins were clear. It’s scary. It’s the first time, medically, that something happens to you that scares you.”
O’Donnell is now cancer-free. She called the experience a “wake-up” for her and is now gets regular skin check-ups and has become a skin care advocate.