Ex-Victoria's Secret model who left career to follow Jesus announces cancer diagnosis
A former Victoria's Secret model who left her modeling career behind and started a Christian ministry is asking for prayers following a diagnosis of stage 4 breast cancer.
Nicole Weider, who gave up her career and launched the women's ministry group Project Inspired, took to Instagram on Sunday to reveal disappointing news about her health.
"Please pray with me over me," she wrote. "I noticed a large lump had grown under my left breast (ignored it for a while) but then today as I felt it was enlarged I knew I needed to see a doctor immediately."
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"I thought it would be nothing maybe just a cyst or a piece of fatty tissue under my armpit," Weider added. "The doctor felt it and looked at it and told me it was serious enough to get a CT scan and have the images determined by a radiologist. I felt very worried the whole time but just kept telling myself to trust in God."
The radiologist discovered that Weider had cancer in her left breast, which spread to her armpit area.
"He told me it was good that I decided to go in, as my breast cancer had already spread. And I now have Stage 2. Because this is a holiday week, many doctor offices are closed so I'm going to a bigger hospital tonight where an oncologist will tell which next steps to do to keep it from spreading and be removed," she said.
Weider posted an update Monday of her elaborating on her diagnosis as she lay in a hospital bed. The post noted that because the cancer spread to more than three places, the oncologist told her she has stage 4 cancer.
"Unfortunately he said when younger people get it it's usually more aggressive since it's less common. I'm staying positive, and always trusting God. Thank you for your prayers I feel them," she continued.
In the video, Weider said doctors found "two mass in my liver" and indicated that the biopsy would help figure out how fast the cancer was spreading.
She asked her followers to pray for her and remained confident that prayers are working.
In an interview with The Christian Post in 2018, Weider discussed why she gave up modeling and how she decided to re-embrace her Christian faith.
"I realized that being a model was truly not what it was cracked up to be," she asserted. "I felt degraded, that I was never 'perfect' enough, and being judged only on my appearance was hurting my self-esteem. I realized I wanted more for my life."
"I rediscovered my faith that I had as a little girl, and it changed my life because I was passionate about using my gifts for God instead of the empty modeling industry."
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
