Tina Knowles Reveals Breast Cancer Battle in Memoir

Tina Knowles — matriarch of the legendary Destiny’s Child and mother to Beyoncé and Solange — has long been celebrated for her strength and grace. But in her deeply personal new memoir, Matriarch, she reveals a chapter few knew about: her battle with breast cancer.

Knowles, 70, disclosed that she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024 after years of delaying her mammogram. In an excerpt shared by NBC News, she writes, “My doctor told me I had breast cancer. A small tumor in my left breast that was cancerous; the larger tumor in my right breast was benign, but it would also have to go.”

Despite receiving a Stage 1A diagnosis — considered an early and highly treatable stage — Knowles still had to undergo surgery and treatment. Her prognosis was good, but the emotional weight of the diagnosis, particularly when it came to telling her daughters, proved challenging.

“Beyoncé Wouldn’t Be Able to Sleep”

Knowles admitted she feared how Beyoncé would react. “She took it well, staying positive, but I could already feel her mind racing,” Knowles said. True to form, Beyoncé quickly sprang into action, connecting her mother with top specialists and encouraging her to seek second opinions before proceeding with any surgery.

That advice led Knowles to reconsider her treatment team. She described feeling dismissed by her original hospital surgeon but found comfort and agency with a private surgeon who listened, explained her options, and gave her hope.

“That is the lesson I want to share,” Knowles wrote. “Even if I had gone with the hospital surgeon, I could have asked for another oncologist. A lot of people, especially Black people, feel they have to go with the doctor they are given even if we are not treated well. You deserve second opinions, and it’s your opinion that sets the decision.”

Surviving — and Speaking Out

Knowles is now cancer-free, but her story sheds light on a much larger issue: health disparities faced by Black women. According to the American Cancer Society, Black women are about 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women. This disparity is linked to delayed diagnoses, unequal access to quality care, and systemic bias in the healthcare system.

By speaking up, Knowles is using her platform to challenge that status quo. Her memoir is not just a personal story — it’s a call to action.

“My Daughters Are My Ride-or-Dies”

Reflecting on the journey, Knowles expressed deep gratitude for her family. “They are my crew, my tribe, my rocks, my ride-or-dies,” she said of Beyoncé and Solange. “They have been right there by my side at the lowest points in my life… and they cheered me on at the highest points of my life. Making me feel that I can conquer anything.”

Now entering a new chapter as a survivor and advocate, Tina Knowles is continuing to do what she’s always done — inspire strength, self-worth, and sisterhood.