Tina Knowles is known as the matriarch of Destiny’s Child, but few knew that she herself is a “Survivor.”
Within the pages of her memoir Matriarch, Knowles revealed her breast cancer diagnosis in 2024. The grandmother of four described how she found out after putting off a mammogram appointment for years.
“My doctor told me I had breast cancer,” wrote Knowles, as reported by NBC News. “A small tumor in my left breast that was cancerous; the larger tumor in my right breast was benign, but it would also have to go.”
Although early in her illness, Knowles still needed to undergo surgery to remove the tumors and eliminate the cancer.
“[The doctor] said I was Stage 1A, assuring me my prognosis was good. The next step was to talk to an oncologist and a breast surgeon. ‘We feel like we got this super early,’ she said. ‘You’re going to be fine,’” recalled Knowles.
At Knowles’ age, having turned 71 in January, the rates for a 5-year breast cancer survival typically decline. However, survival rates vary, with multiple factors such as one’s age, breast cancer type, stage, and even race considered. For Stage 1A, meaning the cancer sits localized in the breast, the relative survival rate for women 50 and older is 99%, according to WebMD.
However, informing her daughters, Beyoncé and Solange, would be its own issue. Knowles shared how she worried about telling the former, stating Beyoncé “wouldn’t be able to sleep” when she found out.
While the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer received the news well, her mother believes her mind immediately raced to create a plan.
“She took it well, staying positive, and I could already feel her mind racing, focusing on this as a task to tackle with precision,” described Knowles on Beyoncé’s reaction.
Beyoncé also had her mother meet with one of the top breast surgery specialists in the country to discuss treatment. Despite this, she emphasized how she wanted her mother to get a second opinion before undergoing any procedures.
Her daughter’s advice and the differing experiences speaking with the private doctor and one she originally met at the hospital made Knowles remember her own agency in her medical journey.
“I made my decision: I wasn’t going with the hospital surgeon who talked down to me, I went with the private surgeon, the woman who gave me options and hope. She recommended a different oncologist at the hospital, one who she thought would be a better fit for me,” added Knowles.
“That is the lesson I want to share: Even if I had gone with the hospital surgeon, I could have asked for another oncologist,” Knowles continued. “A lot of people, especially Black people, feel they have to go with the doctor they are given even if we are not treated well. You deserve second opinions, and it’s your opinion that sets the decision.”
Knowles later underwent treatment, and today she lives cancer-free. However, she drives home a prevalent issue about Black people’s experience with the healthcare system. According to the American Breast Cancer Society, Black women are roughly 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than their white counterparts. This mortality gap stems from access, health, and systemic factors preventing Black women from receiving and benefiting from the medical care needed.
Thankfully for the Knowles family, their matriarch received her treatment well and can continue being a pillar of support to the superstar clan. Now, Knowles is embarking on a new era for herself. However, she still thanks her children for their support of her journey.
“They are my crew, my tribe, my rocks, my ride-or-dies,” Knowles recalls saying of her daughters during her speech. “They have been right there by my side at the lowest points in my life… and they cheered me on at the highest points of my life. Making me feel that I can conquer anything.”
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