'Days of Our Lives' Star Suzanne Rogers Reveals Stage 2 Colon Cancer Diagnosis: 'I Was in Shock'

Suzanne Rogers, beloved star of Days of Our Lives, shares her emotional battle with stage 2 colon cancer after keeping the diagnosis private.

In a candid interview with TV Insider, the 82-year-old actress recounted how her intuition led her to seek medical advice earlier this summer. Feeling that something “wasn’t quite right,” Rogers made an appointment. Following a series of tests — including a colonoscopy, MRI, PET scan and biopsy — she received the shocking news of her diagnosis.

“[My doctor] said, ‘You have cancer and you have to start treatment,’” Rogers recalled. “It was all a shock. I mean, I think I was in shock for several days because I take pretty good care of myself. But he said, ‘It’s a good thing you caught it in time.’”

Colon cancer is the third most common cancer globally, trailing only lung and breast cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends that individuals aged 45 and up undergo regular screenings for early detection.

Just three days after completing filming for her soap opera, Rogers began her treatment regimen, which involved daily radiation and chemotherapy sessions for six weeks. “It was tough knowing you had to do it five days a week and then you had off Saturday and Sunday. I thoroughly enjoyed my weekends because I didn’t have to go and see a doctor. I was so tired of seeing doctors," she noted.

Throughout her treatment, Rogers was surrounded by support from her Days of Our Lives family, including cancer survivor Linsey Godfrey. “It was scary,” she admitted. “When I had to go see a doctor, one of them would go with me because you get to a point where once they say cancer, you don’t hear anything else.”

One memory stands out for Rogers. “I had to have an infusion, and it takes about an hour and a half, so Linsey sat there with me and held my hand while I was having it,” she shared. “It was a lovely experience on and off the set. We really feel like a family.”

After completing her treatment on July 31, Rogers has gradually regained her strength. “The biggest thing is that I was tired because that’s not like me,” she explained. “I have a lot of energy all the time, so it really kind of shook me thinking, ‘Am I going to get my energy back?’ And it seems like it’s coming back. It’s not 100 percent yet, but I feel better. Today I feel really good, and that’s happening more and more than the other way around, so I’m really happy about that.”

Despite facing doubts from some about the seriousness of her diagnosis — “I guess because I was taking the chemo pills” — Rogers remains unbothered. “I know what I’ve gone through and I’ve come out on the other side, so that’s all I care about," she stated.

As the longest-running actor on an American soap, she eagerly anticipates returning to the set of Days of Our Lives. “I’m feeling really good,” Rogers said. “I start back to work next week, so we’ll see how that goes. Now, I’m feeling anxious like I do any time I get scripts because I want to do my very best and you don’t want to hold up anybody.”

Reflecting on her experience, Rogers observed, “It’s so funny because I used to worry about some silly things. And when you go through this, it kind of takes you a while to say, ‘OK, well, this is what I have, and I will do my very best to fight it and to get through it.’ And that’s what I did. The prayers and the good wishes from my friends and my family helped me stay positive and stay on top of it and beat this.”