RICHMOND, Va. -- Award-winning investigative reporter Laura French recently shared the "incredible news" that a cyst removed from her neck was not cancerous.
"I thought long and hard about just wearing a turtleneck for the next month," Laura said Tuesday evening. "But then I left VCU Medical Center today and thought, 'Nope, I'm just going to get out in front of it and tell you why my neck looks like I have rug burn.'"
Laura said that when a large mass began to appear on her neck in January, it turned her family's "world upside down."
"After much testing, and much uncertainty and hearing the words, 'Could be malignant, could be metastasis,'" she said. "Ultimately having to make the decision on whether to have surgery and only really knowing whether or not definitively we were looking at a possible another cancer diagnosis."
Laura said the only way to know for certain if the growth was cancerous was to have surgery.
"I found out today that the cyst that was in my neck was in fact benign," she said.
While Laura was relieved by the news, she admitted that she was not expecting it. That is because Laura was diagnosed with thyroid cancer 20 years ago.
"I just think after the stress we went through and last four months after watching what my family went through... I really did not expect breaking down the way I did. I think as a patient, you can be strong regardless because you know you have to go through it... whether you have cancer or not."
Laura said she learned during her thyroid cancer that she had to be strong for the people around her.
"It's not until you've been through the storm, until you realize what you've been through, and then everything's OK," she said. "And I think that's the emotions that I'm experiencing today."
Laura credited her husband, three sons, family and friends for being "so incredibly supportive" over the past four months.
"I think my sister said it best you are allowed to feel now — and I am feeling. These are happy tears," Laura said. "I'm feeling incredibly relieved today. And I think that's why I got so emotional today."
While Laura admitted that she was at first worried about her surgery scar, she realized that it would match her "survival scar."
"This is just another scar to match the first one. I don't care if it's not perfect... This is me" Laura said. "Here's to all the warriors out there fighting the fight. God bless you."
Laura's investigative work has earned her National and Regional Edward R. Murrow awards. In addition, she has earned an Emmy award and numerous Associated Press awards. Laura is celebrating 10 years with CBS 6 this May.
Click here to leave Laura a note on the WTVR CBS 6 Facebook page.
