Country musician Jillian Cardarelli has revealed she’s been diagnosed with breast cancer, aged just 33, admitting that she now feels ‘fear and sadness’ following the news
Country singer Jillian Cardarelli has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The 33-year-old has announced she was diagnosed with stage two invasive ductal carcinoma on May 21.
The musician, known for hits including Strong, who just weeks ago celebrated her fifth wedding anniversary, has most recently been working on new music and was gearing up to travel to Toronto for the second season of the show Crossroad Springs when she received the devastating diagnosis.
Now, three weeks on from her diagnosis, Jillian says her life has been turned around, and she no longer knows what day it is. In a new interview, she said she had been so focused on work, her schedule, learning scripts and writing music when everything was put on pause.
“And the next thing is doctors, scans, pathology reports and words I’d never even … I feel like I’m learning a new language,” she told People magazine. Currently, due to being in the early stages of her diagnosis, doctors are working on a treatment plan with Jillian.
She told the outlet: “I feel fear and sadness. I’m like, why did this happen? I do not fit the profile of somebody that should get cancer at 33 years old. So yes, there’s a little bit of anger there. But I’m not angry at God. I’m leaning on Him more than ever as opposed to being angry at Him. But yes, I’m angry at the situation.”
But she is hopeful as her doctors have given her a positive prognosis, explaining that they are “confident” the disease can be “eradicated” and she will live a “long, normal, healthy and happy life.”
Prior to her diagnosis, Jillian explained that she knew something wasn’t right. She said that she’s had areas of her breasts which have been diagnosed with dense fibrous tissue since the age of 25. She later explained that she had been examined and undergone an ultrasound examination, but nothing was discovered.
She noticed things were not quite right when her body felt “different”, saying she was noticing that she was “tired” more often. Jillian struggled to get through a photoshoot that required five costume changes and felt the urge to nap between each change.
It was around this time that she discovered a lump in her breast. While she questioned whether it could be dense tissue, she says “something in her gut” told her that it felt different and instantly went to get it checked out. Her treatment is being carried out by the same oncologist her mother was treated by.
Jillian’s mother has battled colon cancer for more than a decade. Although her treatment plan is yet to be drawn up, she understands that surgery is her first option, and then a full plan will be decided after this. Jillian’s husband, Brian Parker, has been supporting her since her diagnosis, explaining that he had been a “rock”.
The singer previously performed at President Donald Trump and Melania’s National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in 2020 and 2025.
If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at Breast Cancer Support.
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