#Eagle-eyed viewer spots local news reporter’s cancer on air

Victoria Price, a local broadcast news reporter, revealed her cancer diagnosis yesterday, thanking an eagle-eyed viewer for saving her life by pointing out a concerning lump on her neck.

“Turns out, I have cancer,” writes Price, an investigative reporter for WFLA News Channel 8 in Tampa, Florida, in her tweet.

She shared four screenshots, including the e-mail from a viewer who noticed something off in Price’s appearance: “Hi, just saw your news report. What concerned me is the lump on your neck,” read the e-mail. “Please have your thyroid checked. Reminds me of my neck. Mine turned out to be cancer. Take care of yourself.”

The as-yet-unidentified viewer was right.

“I’ll finally be undergoing surgery this Monday to remove the tumor, my thyroid, and a couple of the nearby lymph nodes,” announced Price, adding that since the coronavirus pandemic hit, her work has ramped up significantly. “My own health was the farthest thing from my mind.”

“The tumor is in the middle of my thyroid, pushing the glands up and out, hence the subtle protrusion,” added Price alongside a snap of her on-air, looking glam and healthy to the untrained eye.

Luckily, chemotherapy “isn’t in the cards,” according to the reporter and her doctor is confident in her treatment plan. “Doctor says it’s spreading, but not too much, and we’re hopeful this will be my first and last procedure.”

Fans and followers shared well wishes, and their own experiences with thyroid cancer in the comments.

“I went through the same surgery 15 years ago,” wrote one Twitter user. “Welcome to the club, and I hope everything goes well,” said another survivor.

Price went on to say that she’s grateful for the viewer’s help, adding that the thought of never receiving the e-mail is both “scary and humbling.”