Ellen Meets Courageous Mother & Daughter Who Fought Cancer Together — And Won.

ellen kim and becky jaeger

If you have to go through cancer treatments, it’s important to have the love and support of someone special by your side.

Kim Jaeger and her mother, Becky, know all about fighting cancer. Becky was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2014, and just a few months later, Kim found out she had breast cancer. It was a terrible, scary time for their family, but they credit Ellen DeGeneres‘ daytime talk show with providing them an invaluable distraction as they sat side by side, undergoing chemo treatments.

Ellen Degeneres
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During the taping of Ellen’s show, she received a phone call from her assistant. Jeannie explained that she had to interrupt because she’d received an incredible letter that she just had to hear.

Dear Ellen,

I love watching your show every day. Today, I’m having a tough time, and wanted to tell you what your show means to me. I am a 30-year-old breast cancer survivor. This week, I found a new lump and just learned I need to get an MRI to figure things out. I am a strong person, but right now, I’m scared. It was just last year that I had to go through multiple surgeries and over five months of chemo. My mom also had stage 4 cancer last year, so it’s been a rough go. I do my very best to stay positive, and today your show keeps me going. I eagerly await 4 o’clock when I know you will bring me smiles and happiness. Thank you for being there for me. You truly are the best.

With hugs and hope,

Kim Jaeger

While Jeannie read Kim’s letter, the camera found the mother and daughter sitting in Ellen’s audience. Kim was visibly shaken, while Becky just looks like she’s in shock!

Ellen Degeneres mother and daughter cancer survivors
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Ellen hangs up the phone with Jeannie and calls the ladies down for an interview, and what happens next is sure to move you to tears.


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First of all, Kim shares that the lump she mentioned in her letter was benign! “I have very happy news to report. I definitely do not have cancer again,” she said happily as her mother cheered next to her.


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Kim and Becky went on to tell Ellen how horrible it had been to go through cancer, but having each other to lean on had helped them both immeasurably. “In a weird way, it was the most helpful and best thing that could have happened to us. It was a terrible, terrible thing to have happen, but my mom was there for me the whole time,” Kim explained.


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The two were able to carpool to chemo, lose their hair together, and most importantly, watch “Ellen” as they had their treatments. Becky described how they’d try to make their daily chemo treatments into a little party, watching “Ellen” for much-needed laughs.

“Laughter is the best medicine,” Becky said, and Ellen naturally agreed.

Ellen Degeneres Becky and Kim cancer survivors
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Due to their grueling cancer regimens, Kim and her fiancé had postponed their long-awaited wedding and planned to get married the following summer. So, of course, Ellen being Ellen, she decided to shower the couple with a few wedding gifts!


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Going by the old tradition of “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue,” Ellen cracked everyone up by bringing out a rumpled old wedding gown, an Ellen garter belt, and a hunky gardener who is “the man who trims my bushes.”


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Most incredibly, Ellen skipped the “something blue” in honor of “something green” – a fat stack of cash! With help from Shutterfly, Ellen gifted Kim and her fiancé $10,000, because “weddings are expensive.”


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It’s so wonderful to see this loving mother and daughter in all their healthy glory. It’s amazing what the love and support of your family can do to get you through the tough times in life. And laughing along to Ellen doesn’t hurt, either!

Watch Ellen’s interview with Becky and Kim below, and don’t forget to share!

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