Best-selling author Colleen Hoover is sharing her health journey as she reaches the end of radiation treatment. On Monday, January 12, Hoover, 46, shared a candid update on her Instagram Stories, revealing she had just one day of radiation remaining at Texas Oncology.
“Second to last day of radiation,” she wrote, as reported by Deadline. “I wish I could blame my hair and facial expressions on @Texas.Oncology, but they’ve been great. Hope you never need them, but highly recommend them.”
Hoover didn’t share any more details about the type of cancer she was diagnosed with.
Diagnosis Came After Months of Health Issues
In December, the “It Ends with Us” author revealed on Facebook that she had been diagnosed with cancer. The post, later reposted by Katyinkc, explained that the cancer had been surgically removed and that radiation was recommended as the next step in treatment.
She also shared that chemotherapy was not required.
Hoover said the diagnosis came after months of ongoing health concerns that surfaced while she was working on the upcoming film adaptation of “Reminders of Him.”
“I continued to put off until the movie was finished,” she wrote.
Looking back on the experience, Hoover acknowledged the emotional weight of the moment and why she chose to remain private at first.
“So while it felt huge and scary for a bit, and I had to miss out on the Regretting You premiere, and some other important career and personal moment, I just wasn’t ready to share with anyone until I knew what the outcome would be.”
Genetic Testing Rules Out Common Causes
Months before she publicly confirmed her diagnosis, Hoover let fans know she would be stepping back from several professional commitments due to surgery. In an Instagram post shared on October 17, she explained why she would be absent from upcoming appearances.
“I’m super bummed, but am having an unavoidable surgery and can’t travel for a while,” she wrote.
She added, “I’ll live vicariously through you guys. So sad to miss this movie release and premiere, but so grateful to all the actors and the team who put this together.”
On January 9, Hoover shared more details about her diagnosis, revealing that she had met with a geneticist to understand the cause of her cancer better.
“I got results back today from the geneticist that say my cancer did not come from family genes,” she wrote on Facebook. “It also didn’t come from the two main causes of the cancer, which are HPV and excessive hormones. This means it was more than likely environmental/lifestyle, which is lack of exercise, poor diet, and stress.”
She approached the update with humor, adding, “I’m happy and grateful to be alive, but I hate vegetables. I hate when I have to get off the couch. I hate sweating. I hate when science is right. If you see me at the gym, don’t even tell me good job. If you see me at a restaurant eating grilled chicken and drinking water, I’m probably real mad about it.”
Books & Film Adaptations Move Forward
Hoover’s health updates arrive amid one of the busiest stretches of her career. In October, “Regretting You” became her second novel adapted for the big screen.
Work is also underway on the film version of “Verity,” with Anne Hathaway and Josh Hartnett photographed filming scenes earlier this year. Another adaptation, “Reminders of Him,” is scheduled to release on March 13.
At the same time, Hoover is preparing to release her latest novel, “Woman Down,” which hits bookstores on January 13. The book centers on an author named Petra Rose who retreats from public life after “a viral backlash over her latest film adaptation.”
While the storyline has drawn comparisons to her own experiences, Hoover downplayed the similarities. “There are very few similarities between my life and this book,” she told People.
She also reflected on the balance between creativity and visibility, adding, “Writing can be so rewarding, but being in the public eye can also sometimes make it terrifying. I don’t mind walking away from it every now and then when it’s not working out, but I’ve always come back to it. So far.”
