Kayleigh McEnany reveals how Trump's unexpected call after preventative mastectomy helped her recovery
WASHINGTON, DC: Kayleigh McEnany, recovering from anesthesia, received a phone call from Ivanka Trump, offering comfort after her breast-removal surgery in 2018.
"It was within 24 hours of my procedure. I had literally just woken up and was still in bed," mentioned the former White House press secretary to Daily Mail in an interview.
Several days later, while she was recuperating at home, her phone rang once more. On the other end was Donald Trump, the then-president.
Kayleigh McEnany never imagined she would get a call from Donald Trump
The call took Kayleigh McEnany by surprise. In the interview, she said, "I was blown away I was not expecting him to call."
In May 2018, even though she served as the national spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, Kayleigh had little acquaintance with the former president.
However, it was evident that Trump wanted to convey that she was on his mind, as he expressed to her, "You made such a bold decision. Melania and I are proud of you."
The tale of her surgery started in 2009 when Kayleigh, at the age of 20, learned through her mother, Leanne McEnany, that a routine examination had revealed the infamous BRCA2 gene mutation.
This elevated Leanne's risk of developing breast cancer to as much as 84 percent and ovarian cancer to up to 27 percent. Consequently, she chose to undergo a mastectomy to remove all breast tissue and a hysterectomy to reduce her risk factors as much as possible.
Kayleigh McEnany recalls earth-shattering news of testing positive for BRCA2 gene mutation
Kayleigh McEnany was then informed by doctors of a 50 percent likelihood that she also carried the gene. After several months, she underwent testing and, on Christmas Eve, received the same heartbreaking confirmation.
"It was earth-shattering. My doctor told me, 'You've tested positive,'" recalled the Fox News host.
Two years after her surgery, during her 2020 Republican National Convention address, Kayleigh, who was then serving as the White House press secretary, talked about the BRCA gene mutations and cancer-prevention routes.
Kayleigh McEnany spoke about Donald Trump's support at the 2020 Republican National Convention
On the morning of her RNC speech, Kayleigh McEnany received another call from Trump—this time, it was to wish her luck. He told her, "Everyone is excited about your speech. Deliver it emotionally and powerfully. This message is important."
Looking back on that moment, she remarked, "President Trump will never know just how much his call meant."
Kayleigh went on stage and told a nationwide audience of 17.3 million people what had happened to her, and about the support she'd received from the Trump family in the immediate aftermath.
"I was scared," she told the crowd. "The night before I fought back tears, as I prepared to lose a piece of myself. [But] here was the leader of the free world caring about my circumstance."
Kayleigh expressed to the Daily Mail her newfound sense of profound relief, noting that she has never looked back. Exhaling deeply, she remarked, "I don't have to worry anymore. I'm now free from worry. My chances of breast cancer were brought down from 84 percent to virtually 0 percent."
Although she remains at an increased risk for ovarian cancer, she is aware that she can choose to undergo a hysterectomy when the time is appropriate. The mother of two is keen to inspire other women to explore their options with their healthcare providers.
She noted, "We need to be more open with one another – and with our stories about how the threat of breast cancer affects us emotionally, psychologically, and physically."
