ESPN host Molly Qerim has opened up about her battle with Endometriosis, as she called her surgeon a ‘miracle’ in an Instagram post.
Qerim, 40, told Bustle in 2018 that she dealt with symptoms such as fatigue, pelvic pain and bloating from the disease, which she was diagnosed with at the age of 26.
The disease is described by the Mayo Clinic as ‘an often-painful condition in which tissue that is similar to the inner lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus,’ and that ‘It often affects the ovaries, fallopian tubes and the tissue lining the pelvis.’
Qerim shared on Instagram that she had a recent surgery related to the disease, and offered a rare public comment on the ‘very private’ issue.
‘March is Endometriosis Awareness Month. I really hesitated on posting this, b/c I’m a very private person…but if I can help even 1 person…it’s worth it. Dr Kanayama, you are an answer to 12 years of prayer. THANK YOU. You are a miracle in my life, and more miracles to come,’ she wrote.
‘And for anyone dealing with a health scare right now, please don’t give up…keep advocating for yourself and know you can be fully restored, regardless of what the medical report says. Better days are ahead.’
Molly Qerim posed for a picture with her surgeon, Dr. Masahide Kanayama, who she called a ‘miracle’
Molly Qerim attends the 11th Annual Blossom Ball (hosted by the Endometriosis Foundation of America) in 2023
Qerim is the host of ESPN’s hit debate show First Take, a role she’s held since 2015
Qerim shared a photo of her with the surgeon, Dr. Masahide Kanayama, and also posted a message from him, in which he said the surgery was ‘super difficult and delicate.’
‘Now my prayer is your smooth recovery he wrote.’
In a 2018 interview with The Blossom, the online magazine of the Endometriosis Foundation of America, First Take host Qerim said that managing her Endometriosis had ‘almost become a second job.’
‘I have to really be diligent about getting my sleep, getting eight hours a night, limiting alcohol and sugar, getting acupuncture once a week. Exercising, meditation. I really implement all of that to keep the inflammation down and keep me feeling like I can be ‘on’ all the time,’ she said.
‘The [on-air] light comes on, and I need to be on. When you’re on morning television, people want to see happy, positive people, and my job is 24/7. So in my offtime, it became more about taking care of myself, than maybe other things I would normally do on the weekends.’
Qerim revealed that she rarely drinks alcohol and tries to avoid processed foods, while also opening up on the process of realizing she had the disease.
‘Describing my symptoms is challenging because I didn’t realize anything was wrong with me,’ she said. But looking back, I definitely suffered pain, and I would say migraines as well, and a lot of fatigue, chronic fatigue. After a full night’s sleep, I would think, ‘Why don’t I have the energy that I should have?’.
Qerim was absent from her usual First Take hosting duties for a week in October, though the reason for the absence has not been confirmed.
