‘Days of Our Lives’ star Suzanne Rogers reveals colon cancer diagnosis

Legendary “Days of Our Lives” star Suzanne Rogers opens up about her colon cancer diagnosis.

The 82-year-old actress, who has starred on the long-running soap for more than 50 years, revealed her health in a new interview published this week.

Rogers said that after alerting his doctor that something was “wrong” earlier this summer, he was asked to undergo appropriate testing to determine the cause of his concern.

“He said, ‘I want you to have an MRI, I want you to have a PET scan, and I’ll do a biopsy,'” she told TV Insider. “And as soon as he said that, I knew it was something more.”

After numerous procedures, the Daytime Emmy winner was finally diagnosed with stage II colorectal cancer — which she says came as a shock.

“I think I was in shock for several days because I take care of myself pretty well,” she shared. “But [my doctor] said: “It’s a good thing you caught it in time.” »

Rogers waited until filming on “Days of Our Lives” finished in June, then immediately began treatment, including radiation and chemotherapy on the majority of days the soap opera was on summer hiatus.

“It was difficult knowing that you had to do it five days a week and then you had Saturday and Sunday off,” she said. “I really enjoyed my weekends because I didn’t have to go see a doctor. I was so tired of seeing doctors.”

Having no family in the Los Angeles area, Rogers said she turned to her co-stars for support, particularly Linsey Godfrey, who plays her on-screen daughter and is a cancer survivor herself.

“I had to get an IV, and it takes about an hour and a half, so Linsey sat there with me and held my hand while I took it,” Rogers said. “We really feel like family.”

At the end of July, the “Knight Rider” alum finished her treatment. She is now looking forward to returning to the character of Maggie Horton – the role she has played since 1973, making her the longest-serving actress in American drama history.

“I’m going back to work next week, so we’ll see how that goes,” she told TV Insider of her return to the NBC/Peacock series. “I feel anxious like every time I get a script because I want to do my best and you don’t want to hold anyone back. So that’s the only anxiety I feel. It’s not because of my illness.”