CNN’s Christiane Amanpour diagnosed with ovarian cancer

Christiane Amanpour, a popular international anchor for CNN, has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she told viewers on Monday.

Ms Amanpour said the past four weeks, during which she has not appeared on CNN, has been “a bit of a roller coaster.”

“During that time, like millions of women around the world, I have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer,” she said.

The world-renowned journalist added she has had a “successful major surgery” to remove it and that she is undergoing “several months of chemotherapy,” hoping for the “very best possible long-term prognosis.”

“I’m confident,” she announced from her hometown, London.

Ms Amanpour, 63, said she feels “fortunate to have health insurance through work and incredible doctors who are treating me in a country underpinned by, of course, the brilliant NHS,” referencing the National Health Service in the UK.

She noted that ovarian cancer affects “millions of women around the world” and her decision to share the news of her condition was in the interest of transparency.

“I’m telling you this in the interest of transparency but in truth really mostly as a shoutout to early diagnosis.”

She urged women “to educate themselves on this disease, to get all the regular screenings and scans that you can, to always listen to your bodies.”

“And of course to ensure that your legitimate medical concerns are not dismissed or diminished,” she said.

Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest cancers for women. It is the eighth-most commonly occurring cancer in women and the 18th-most commonly occurring cancer overall according to the World Cancer Research Fund.

The announcement prompted an outpouring of support and encouragement on social media from colleagues at CNN and from countless journalism personalities wishing her a full recovery and commending her public announcement.

After her brief announcement, Ms Amanpour carried on with her programme.

“That’s my news, now let’s get to the news,” she said.