Candy O’Terry, known as “Candy O” on the Boston radio airwaves for decades, has been diagnosed with cancer, she announced on Wednesday.
O’Terry, “Boston’s beloved radio voice” on Magic 106.7 for 25 years, said her “biggest nightmare” recently came true when she learned she had breast cancer.
Her mother died from breast cancer, and O’Terry ever since has been heavily involved in the fight against women’s cancers — and promoting early detection and treatment.
“I haven’t been able to talk about this health news until now,” O’Terry posted on social media on Wednesday.
“I’ve been meaning to have this conversation for a couple of months now, and I just wasn’t ready to talk about my health situation publicly, but I am now,” she said in a video from her living room. “I had a really great session today with a mental health professional who gave me the courage and the direction to have this conversation with you.”
O’Terry in the video announced that she has Stage 1 breast cancer.
Back in late September, she had an abnormal mammogram.
“Don’t miss your mammogram!” she said as she pointed at the camera. “I never have, and I think it saved my life. That abnormal mammogram led to another mammogram, led to an ultrasound, led to a biopsy on November 7th, and on November 8th at about 9 o’clock in the morning, my husband and I found out that I have invasive breast cancer.
“My biggest nightmare because as all of you know, my mother died of breast cancer,” she added. “So this has been, boy talk about coming full circle. And all the things of my childhood that scared the most out of me is what I’ve been experiencing.”
However, O’Terry emphasized that she’s “very, very lucky” that the Stage 1 breast cancer was caught early.
She also praised “the very best doctors” at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Newton-Wellesley Hospital.
“They’re about to start radiation on me next week,” O’Terry said. “Sixteen treatments of radiation.
“But again, I’m very lucky,” she added. “But what I do need, if you could do it for me, is your prayers. Just for some courage. I’ll keep in touch and give you more details as they happen, but please keep me in your prayers.”