“Saturday Night Live” alum Cheri Oteri opened up about undergoing breast cancer surgery and the meaningful support she received from former first lady Jill Biden during her diagnosis.
During a recent episode of the “Dear Chelsea” podcast, the comedian recalled meeting Biden at the Milken Institute dinner in April following her diagnosis with Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS), a type of early cancer.
“I’m sitting there, quiet, and I’m like, this is so serendipitous,” she told host Chelsea Handler about the event that discussed women’s health issues and research.
“And I’m listening to all these women, and then at the end, Jill came up to me. And we were saying goodbye, and I told her that I was just diagnosed, and she said, ‘When is your surgery?’ And I said, ‘The 26th,’” Oteri, 63, recalled.
“And she said, ‘All right, you’re gonna get tired of me.’ And she says, ‘I’m going through this with you.’ This woman, like, before my surgery, after my surgery, she just, she goes, ‘I am with you on this.’ I was blown away.”
The “Scary Movie” star also described Biden, 75, as “a woman with a huge heart.”
“Through everything, she’s like checking on me, and just a beautiful human being,” Oteri said. “So, I never felt so supported by my friends, my girlfriends.”
The actress also gave an update on her condition, sharing that she feels “great” and “everything looks normal, fine” after she underwent a second lumpectomy a few days before appearing on the podcast.
The Mayo Clinic defines a lumpectomy as a “surgery to remove a portion of tissue from a breast. It’s most often used to treat breast cancer.”
Oteri shared that she “caught” the cancer early and urged listeners to get their mammograms done.
Additionally, the “Southland Tales” star advocated that women also “get a second opinion,” explaining that her first doctor suggested unnecessary “aggressive” treatment.
In April, Oteri gave fans a look inside the Milken Institute dinner, alongside a group photo with Biden.
Another photo showed her posing on a police motorcycle while surrounded by officers.
“My incredible dinner with Dr. Jill Biden and the powerful team at the @milkeninstitute,” Oteri captioned the photo.
“We discussed women’s health issues, opportunities and obstacles as well as advancing research. It was so inspiring!” Oteri added. “I even got to play with Dr. Biden’s security
.”
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