Giuliana Rancic has early-stage breast cancer.  Earlier today, the spunky E! News television host/editor and reality star revealed her diagnosis during an emotional interview with Ann Curry on NBC’s Today Show.

The 37-year-old and husband Bill Rancic, have been very public about their struggle to conceive.   Their reality show, Giuliana & Bill, chronicles the couple’s journey including several failed in-vitro fertilization (IVF) attempts, one resulting in a devastating miscarriage at eight weeks.

Last season’s show ended with the couple agreeing to try IVF for the third time.  But luckily, one of  her doctors insisted “G” get a mammogram prior to beginning treatments.  Rancic told the Today Show that the doctor wanted to rule out the small risk of breast cancer prior to the procedure because pregnancy and hormones could accelerate the cancer.  

Rancic said she wasn’t planning on getting her first mammogram until she hit 40, a few years down the road.  Although she went “kicking and screaming,” that mammogram probably saved her life.  While the mammogram did reveal a tumor, the cancer was detected early and prognosis is good. It certainly highlights the need for self-checks and personal breast cancer screening.

The outpouring for the couple has been tremendous.  After the Today Show interview, Bill tweeted:

Thank you for all ur love & support today. G is reading all your messages. She will win this fight, I PROMISE, & be back better than ever!

The couple decided to postpone their attempt to get pregnant until her breast cancer treatment, which includes surgery this week and 6 1/2 weeks of radiation, is complete. Rancic said she shared her story so soon after the diagnosis to encourage others to make an appointment.  Despite the strides in breast cancer research, her message serves as an important reminder for all of us - October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.   She also said she was not going to give up and the “baby will have saved my life.”

Bill and Giuliana Rancic

Like a script from a movie, the couple first met when the former Giuliana DePandi interviewed Rancic, the first winner of Donald Trump’s reality series, The Apprentice. During the on-air interview, she asked the handsome Rancic if he had a girlfriend.  After the interview was over, he asked her out!  He popped the question in 2006 and the couple married in 2007 in Capri, Italy, and the rest, as they say, is Hollywood history.

The Italian-born Rancic moved to the United States when she was young.  She went on to receive her Master’s degree in journalism from the American University in Washington, D.C.   She first joined E! as a correspondent in 2002.   The entertainment journalist currently co-stars with American Idol host Ryan Seacrest.   She also co-stars with funny lady Joan Rivers on E! Fashion Police.   She has also written several books.   Entrepreneur and best-selling author Bill Rancic, was raised in Chicago.  ”G” splits her time between L.A. and Chicago.

Despite the trappings of fame and fortune, this down-to-earth couple seems extremely happy.  Our thoughts and prayers are with them both.

Image courtesy of Chrisa Hickey