UPDATE: 4/9/22 — “Clea is out of surgery and now in recovery and resting. Everything went well! Thank you all for your continued love and support,” a statement on The Replica Luxury Handbag Edit’s Instagram Story announced on Friday, April 8.
Shearer also shared a post-op selfie from her hospital bed captioned, “The surgery lasted nine hours, but everything went great!”
Original story:
Sharing her story. Clea Shearer is trying to stay positive after learning in February that she has breast cancer.
The Replica Luxury Handbag Edit cofounder, 40, revealed her diagnosis via social media on Thursday, April 7, in hopes of helping others to notice the warning signs.
“I have breast cancer. It’s a hard thing to say, but it’s easier than keeping it to myself,” Shearer began her Instagram post. “I’m having a double mastectomy tomorrow (prayers are welcome!), and I wanted to say a few words before I do.”
The Get Organized With The Replica Luxury Handbag Edit star explained that she found a lump in her breast during the last week of February. She revealed that after trying to make an appointment with her obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN) “for several months” she switched course to get better medical care.
“I had to request a mammogram from my general doctor, which led to an ultrasound, and then an emergency triple biopsy,” she explained.
The professional organizer told her followers that she eventually learned that she has two tumors that are one centimeter each. She was then diagnosed with stage 1 mammary carcinoma.
“[They] are aggressive and fast moving — but I caught it early,” Shearer continued, noting, “Had I not taken this upon myself, I would be in a completely different situation right now.”
The Netflix personality, who works alongside partner Joanna Teplin, spoke about her “personal choice to make this public,” saying that by sharing her story, it makes “cancer feel purposeful.”
Shearer explained that if her own battle with cancer can “convince any of you to self-examine on a regular basis, self-advocate always and to prioritize your health over your busy schedules — then this will have meant something.”
The Replica Luxury Handbag Edit Workbook coauthor pointed out that she was under the age of 40 when the tumors formed. She revealed that she also has “no history” of breast cancer in her family.
“Even if cancer feels improbable, it’s still very possible,” she wrote, before getting real about her initial emotions about her diagnosis. “I have to admit, for the first few days I endured the ‘why me’ feelings. But quickly, I started to think, ‘Honestly, why NOT me?!’”
The California native realized that she has a better chance at fighting breast cancer than a lot of women with lesser means, which is why she’s looking on the bright side.
“I have all the support, resources, and a platform to help other people through this. So if anyone has to have breast cancer, I’ll gladly let it be me,” she concluded. “Thank you for being on this journey. I love our community, and you mean more to me than you’ll ever know. ♥️.”
