Jennifer Griffin: Fox News Reporter’s Battle with Cancer

Jennifer Griffin, the national security correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC), is a prominent American journalist specialising in national security, military affairs and US foreign policy. Throughout her career, the 57 year old has covered major international conflicts such as the Israel-Hamas war, the Ukraine war as well as the recent conflict in the Middle East between US, Israel and Iran.

Griffin has a family history of cancer: both her mother and great-grandmother had breast cancer. Hence, she had been undergoing regular mammograms since she was 30. However, while she was pregnant with her second child, she could not get screened. At the time, she assumed that the changes to her breasts were due to her pregnancy and nursing.

“During my pregnancy with my son Luke and while nursing him, I couldn’t get screened. I thought your breasts were protected from cancer during this time, anyway. By the time the tumor was discovered, it was the size of a grapefruit,” she shared during an interview.

Griffin was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in 2009. Upon receiving her diagnosis, she remained resolute and determined to overcome her cancer.

“The next day, I chose my oncologist. A week later, I started chemo. I didn’t have enough time for self-pity. I’m a mother of three kids, and you don’t have a lot of time to think about yourself. In my line of work, I’ve covered many wars; I worked for 15 years overseas. There was no way I was going to sit down and roll over and not fight it,” she shared.

After discussing with her doctors, Griffin opted to undergo a double mastectomy. Prior to her double mastectomy, Griffin underwent multiple sessions of chemotherapy. While triple negative breast cancers are very susceptible to chemo, they often return aggressively after several years of remission.

After undergoing a double mastectomy, Griffin underwent a few sessions of radiotherapy before she was declared cancer-free in 2010. She also had her breasts reconstructed after having had her double mastectomy done.

Throughout her journey, Griffin remained as positive as she could. She actively blogged about her cancer journey, sharing updates to her friends and family. Her blog eventually became a support system for the people across the country who read it back then.

"I don't recommend secrecy. Tell your friends, tell your children, tell the school right away. Children can handle this information; they take their cue from you," she shared.

Griffin continued her work as a journalist for FNC after she recovered from cancer while adopting a healthier diet and lifestyle. She eliminated processed foods and incorporated healthier options like broccoli and cabbage into her diet. She also completely gave up drinking alcohol and led a more active lifestyle.

Griffin’s first story back at the Pentagon after completing her treatment was an exclusive interview with General David Petraeus in Afghanistan. Since then, she has been heavily involved in reporting about high-profile defense stories such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022. She has also been reporting on the rising tensions between US and Iran in 2026, with the conflict in the Middle East escalating into a military confrontation.