Kathy Griffin has faced challenges regarding both her career and her health in recent times. During the Trump administration, Griffin got embroiled in multiple controversies.

She received heavy backlash after posting a gory mask of Donald Trump in 2017. Even Anderson Cooper labeled the act as “clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate” on his Twitter. 

In the wake of her bold opposition, her career entered a dark phase. CNN fired Griffin from its annual show New Year’s Eve Live, and her scheduled comedy tour dates were also canceled.

When she was finally rising back from all the adversities, landing a role in Kit Williamson's new TV comedy series in June 2021, things worsened — this time with a health scare.

Kathy Griffin Diagnosed With Lung Cancer

The fan-favorite comedian took to Twitter and Instagram to disclose her lung cancer diagnosis on August 2, 2021. Posting a long message, she revealed she was about to go into surgery that would remove half of her left lung.

Griffin and also mentioned she had never smoked. Then, the twice Emmy-winning comic shared the good news, saying that the doctors were optimistic that her stage one cancer was contained to her left lung. 

She hoped that the surgery would suffice, and she would have normal breathing without chemotherapy or radiation. 

I should be up and running around as usual in a month or less.

The 60-year-old also clarified that she had been fully vaccinated for COVID-19, which made the process easier. At the end of her message, Griffin urged her fans to stay up-to-date with their medical check-ups. 

Kathy Griffin's Addiction and Cancer Recovery

Griffin opened about her addiction to prescription pills and her cancer in an interview with Nightline in the last week of July 2021. The pre-taped conversation, aired on August 3, 2021, featured the veteran actress being candid about her suicidal thoughts. 

In her own words, the Trump scandal bruised her career, inviting death threats and severe criticisms.

The Illinois native felt like she couldn't make people laugh, the very reason that had given value to her existence. With that realization, she found no purpose in living. Slowly, she started using painkillers and didn't even realize when she got addicted to them. 

As the situation deteriorated, Griffin gulped down over 100 pills to end it all. But it couldn't kill her. 

After her suicide attempt, her husband, Randy Bick, helped her get medical attention. She stayed on a psychiatric hold and got help from two clinicians. With time, she overcame her pill addiction and moved on. 

But as soon as she found sobriety, she noticed her body wasn't okay. So she went for a check-up and found that a pre-existing mass in her left lung had unexpectedly grown into cancer. 

Griffin mentioned the irony of how she wanted to die over a year before, and then now, she wanted to live in the present.

Thankfully, she has been recovering well after her surgery on August 2, 2021. A day after the procedure, she updated her followers on her Instagram and Twitter. 

The New York Times best-selling author uploaded a picture of a recovery key chain and informed everyone that the surgery was successful. She thanked her well-wishers for all the support and love. 

Griffin also mentioned her tell-all interview with Nightline and stated how nervous she was to be vocal about her suicidal thoughts and addiction. 

As soon as the update came up, friends and followers poured their love for the veteran comedian in the comment section.