Suzanne Rogers, who has spent more than five decades as a cast member of the soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” has enviable stamina. Last summer, he discovered that he was even stronger than he thought.
For six weeks between June and July, Rogers, 82, underwent treatment for stage II colorectal cancer, he told TV Insider in an interview published Thursday. The actress said she was diagnosed with the disease earlier this year after seeing a doctor about a persistent feeling that something was “not quite right” in her body.
Colorectal cancer is a term for cancer that begins in the colon or rectum. The chances of it occurring increase with age, and experts recommend regular screening for people age 45 and older, continuing until at least age 75.
Rogers suspected her health problems might be serious when her doctor told her he would like to run a series of tests, including a colonoscopy, an MRI and a PET scan. Still, when he confirmed the bad news, the Daytime Emmy winner, who was already performing routine colonoscopies, couldn't believe it.
“I think I was in shock for several days because I take care of myself pretty well,” she told TV Insider. Fortunately, his doctor said, “It's a good thing you caught it early.”
After wrapping “Days” in June, Rogers began daily radiation and chemotherapy treatments. She said the intense regimen made her value weekends “because I didn't have to go see a doctor. I was so tired of seeing doctors.”
Fortunately, the Peacock soap opera was on hiatus at the time, so Rogers had no trouble scheduling her appointments. On top of that, her on-screen daughter Linsey Godfrey, who battled Hodgkin's lymphoma as a teenager, was able to accompany her on treatment visits, making the ordeal less daunting.
“We really felt like a family,” Rogers said, adding that other cast and crew members called her regularly to check on her, and “Days” producers never rushed her recovery.
“Everyone said, 'Don't worry about anything, take care of yourself, get well. That's the most important thing. We're here,'” Rogers said. As the actress returns to the set of “Days” next week, she said she is “feeling great,” though nervous that lingering fatigue could slow her down.
“That's the only anxiety I feel. It's not because of my illness, let's put it that way,” he said. When he returns to the screen, Rogers will still sport his famous red mane, as he did not lose his hair during chemotherapy.
“Days of Our Lives” premiered on NBC in 1965 and is currently airing season 61 on Peacock. In July, the classic daytime drama announced that it had been renewed for a 62nd and 63rd season on the streaming service.
