Katie Couric has said that writing about her husband Jay Monahan’s cancer diagnosis and death was the hardest part of her memoir, Going There. Monahan died of colorectal cancer in 1998, aged 42. Couric has also described how his death shaped her efforts to raise awareness of colorectal cancer and screening.
What Couric has said about Jay Monahan’s death
In a 2022 first-person account, Couric wrote, “Spreading awareness about colorectal cancer has been my mission since I lost my husband Jay to the disease in 1998.” She has spoken about the loss not only as a private family tragedy, but also as the experience that prompted her to share what she learned about the disease.
Couric’s essay for TIME dates Monahan’s stage IV diagnosis to April 3, 1997. She described the diagnosis as dividing family life into a “before” and an “after.”
Why writing about the loss was difficult
When Couric revisited the story for her memoir, Going There, she wrote: “When it comes down to it, writing about Jay’s diagnosis with cancer and his subsequent death was the hardest part of writing this book.” Her account of the memoir makes clear that telling the story was emotionally demanding; it does not reduce grief to a single lesson or resolution.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →#1 Best Overall
- Super - Inspiration.
- Primary - Motivation.
- Sub - Devotional.
- Imitation Leather - 256 Pages.
- Publisher - Tyndale Momentum (May 18, 2012).
How Monahan’s death shaped Couric’s advocacy
Couric has said that she used her public platform to share what she had learned about colon cancer and screening after Monahan’s death. As part of that awareness effort, she underwent a colonoscopy on the Today show. Her advocacy made screening more visible to viewers, but it should not be read as evidence that screening would necessarily have changed Monahan’s outcome.
The Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health at NewYork-Presbyterian is named in his honor and includes colorectal cancer screening among its areas of focus.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the sources say about the timeline
Couric’s first-person account gives Monahan’s death year as 1998 and his age as 42; a 2004 CNN transcript also has her saying he was 42 when he died. The diagnosis is dated to 1997 in Couric’s TIME essay, which says he was 41 at the time.
A Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center interview likewise places the diagnosis in 1997, but its account says Monahan died nine months later, implying a 1997 death. That differs from Couric’s own stated year and the CNN transcript, so 1998 is the year supported by Couric’s account.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Health & Fitness
- Diseases
- Cancer
- The Cancer Book
- Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen & David Tabatsky
Rank #3
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
