“I Shudder to Think”: Beyonce's mum Tina Knowles Opens Up About Secret Battle With Breast Cancer

In a deeply personal revelation, Tina Knowles beloved mother to Beyoncé and Solange has shared her quiet battle with breast cancer, turning her private pain into a public plea for awareness and action. 

The 71-year-old fashion icon and businesswoman sat down with Gayle King on CBS Mornings on Tuesday, April 22 and disclosed that she was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer in July 2023 news that shook her to the core. The diagnosis came after she missed a routine mammogram during the COVID-19 pandemic, a decision that unknowingly delayed detection. 

“I’ve always been good about my health,” Knowles confessed. “But I just never rescheduled that appointment. I was in disbelief when I finally heard the word ‘cancer.’” 

Doctors found two tumors in her left breast—one benign, the other malignant. She underwent a lumpectomy in August 2023 and, thankfully, is now cancer-free. But the message she’s sending is loud and clear: Don’t delay your screenings. 

“Had I gone in earlier, they said it might’ve been caught at stage 0,” Knowles shared. “I’m lucky. But this could’ve gone very differently.” 

Beyond the medical ordeal, there was emotional weight. She developed a serious infection post-surgery—so bad she almost missed Glamour’s 2024 Women of the Year event. But through it all, her daughters Beyoncé and Solange were by her side, turning sterile hospital rooms into safe havens of laughter and love. 

“I was scared. I started overthinking. Then Solange plays this hilarious TikTok video and I just lost it—I was laughing so hard. I needed that,” she said, her voice cracking. 

One particularly moving moment came before her operation, when Solange and niece Angie Beyincé sang the powerful hymn “Walk With Me” as she was being wheeled in. “It reminded me that I wasn’t alone,” she said. “God was walking in with me.” 

Knowles also revealed she had a breast reduction during treatment—one of many decisions she had to navigate on her journey to healing. 

Now, with renewed strength and a mission, Tina Knowles is urging women everywhere not to put their health on hold. 

“As women, we’re always caring for others, running around, doing everything. But if you don’t take care of you, how can you care for anyone else?” she said. “Go get that test. Don’t wait.” 

Tina Knowles may be known for raising queens—but this time, she’s the one wearing the crown of resilience, reminding us all of the power of early detection, the strength of family, and the beauty of faith.