Katie Couric, 67, recently shared the news on Instagram that her friend Cherie has been diagnosed with uveal melanoma, a rare eye cancer. The post featured a photo of Couric and Cherie in the hospital, both sporting eye patches.
Couric, a renowned journalist and author, explained that Cherie, the lead singer of Couric’s favorite 80s cover band Rubix Kube, was diagnosed with uveal melanoma in her left eye and underwent surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Couric emphasized the importance of regular eye exams, especially since uveal melanoma affects about 3,000 people in the U.S. annually, mostly fair-skinned individuals with light eyes. She also highlighted Cherie’s participation in a clinical trial, underscoring the need for supporting cancer research.
Uveal melanoma, also known as intraocular or ocular melanoma, is a rare cancer affecting eye tissues. Symptoms include blurred vision, floaters, flashes of light, dark spots on the iris, changes in pupil size or shape, and shifts in the eye's position within the socket.
Couric has a long history of advocating for routine health checkups and cancer awareness. Earlier this year, she discussed her own breast cancer diagnosis from 2022 with Haute Living. She described her diagnosis as shocking and destabilizing, despite advancements in cancer treatment.
Couric’s advocacy is deeply personal. Her first husband, Jay Monahan, passed away from colon cancer in 1998, and her sister Emily died of pancreatic cancer two years later. These experiences led her to co-found Stand Up 2 Cancer, the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance, and the Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health.
Reflecting on her own diagnosis, Couric felt fortunate due to her extensive background in cancer awareness. Her prior knowledge helped alleviate some fear and confusion. She was familiar with the implications of metastasis, having seen it with her husband and sister, and felt relieved that her cancer was localized.
During her husband’s illness, Couric learned the significance of early detection and routine screenings, prompting her to educate the public. She has consistently used her platform to inform others about various health issues, striving to make complex medical information accessible and understandable. Couric views this as part of her mission: to educate and empower people with vital health information.
The Quran - Chapter Al-Qamar : 33 - 40
The people of Lot ˹also˺ rejected the warnings.
We unleashed upon them a storm of stones. As for ˹the believers of˺ Lot’s family, We delivered them before dawn
as a blessing from Us. This is how We reward whoever gives thanks.
He had already warned them of Our ˹crushing˺ blow but they disputed the warnings.
And they even demanded his angel-guests from him, so We blinded their eyes. ˹And they were told,˺ “Taste then My punishment and warnings!”
And indeed, by the early morning they were overwhelmed by an unrelenting torment.
˹Again they were told,˺ “Taste now My punishment and warnings!”
And We have certainly made the Quran easy to remember. So is there anyone who will be mindful?
When Lot called to the Truth, there were a few individuals who responded positively. They accepted the greatness of Truth and, as compared to it, they conceded that they were small. But many did not concur.
Instead of accepting sound arguments in support of Lot’s call, they indulged in false reasoning just in order to reject it. This sort of rejection of the Truth is a major crime. So, while the accepters were spared, the rejecters were seized upon by God.
This is an example which shows that, in this world, the fate of the rejecters of the call for Truth is destruction, while those who accept it earn salvation.
