SUZANNE ROGERS DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE II COLORECTAL CANCER — BUT THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES ICON IS CANCER-FREE AND RETURNING TO SALEM!
TL;DR: Days of Our Lives legend Suzanne Rogers has revealed she was diagnosed with Stage II colorectal cancer this past summer. The actress, who has played Maggie Horton for 52 years, underwent six weeks of daily radiation and chemotherapy, completing treatment on July 31. With a positive prognosis and the support of her DAYS family — especially Linsey Godfrey (Sarah Horton) — Rogers is now cancer-free and returning to work. She opens up about her journey, the show’s incredible support, and why she’s sharing her story now.
Suzanne Rogers Knew Something Was Wrong And Doctors Confirmed Her Worst Fears
Suzanne Rogers has faced every imaginable drama as Maggie Horton on Days of Our Lives for the past 52 years, but nothing prepared her for the biggest challenge of her life: a Stage II colorectal cancer diagnosis this past summer.
The beloved DAYS icon is opening up about her health battle, revealing that she knew something “wasn’t quite right” and made an appointment with her doctor. Despite routinely getting colonoscopies, she was sent for another one. When a surgeon reviewed the results, red flags went up immediately.
“He said, ‘I want you to have an MRI and I want you to have a PET scan and I’m going to do a biopsy,’” Rogers shared with TV Insider. “And the minute he said that I knew that it was something more.”
Her fears were confirmed after another procedure. When she woke up, the doctor delivered the news: Stage II colorectal cancer. “He said, ‘You have cancer and you have to start treatment,’” Rogers recalled. “It was all a shock. I mean, I think I was in a shock for several days because I take pretty good care of myself. But he said, ‘It’s a good thing you caught it in time.’”
Suzanne Rogers Wrapped At Days Of Our Lives And Started Treatment Three Days Later
Ready to tackle the battle ahead, Rogers wrapped filming at DAYS on June 13 and began treatment just three days later on June 16. The treatment regimen was intense: radiation and chemotherapy every single day for six weeks, five days a week.
“It was tough knowing you had to do it five days a week and then you had off Saturday and Sunday,” Rogers explained. “I thoroughly enjoyed my weekends because I didn’t have to go to and see a doctor. I was so tired of seeing doctors.”
Fortunately, Days of Our Lives took a six-week summer hiatus that made her absence from set less noticeable. “I was able to keep it under wraps and then the show took that break, so it wasn’t necessary to get into it all then,” she said. “It helped me because it gave me even more time to chill and to get myself healthy.”
Linsey Godfrey And The Days Of Our Lives Family Rallied Around Suzanne Rogers
With no family in the Los Angeles area, Rogers leaned on her good friend Sunie Ostermann and her on-screen daughter Linsey Godfrey (Sarah Horton) for support. “It was scary,” she admitted. “When I had to go see a doctor, one of them would go with me because you get to a point where once they say cancer, you don’t hear anything else.”
Godfrey, a cancer survivor herself, was a steady source of comfort throughout the journey. “I had to have an infusion, and it takes about an hour and a half, so Linsey sat there with me and held my hand while I was having it,” Rogers revealed. “We would go out to lunch or dinner with Paul Telfer [Xander Kiriakis] and Linsey’s daughter, Aleda. I knew I could count on them, so it was a lovely experience on and off the set. We really feel like a family.”
The kindness extended across the entire cast once Godfrey asked if she could tell a few people. Mary Beth Evans (Kayla Johnson), Stephen Nichols (Steve Johnson), Greg Rikaart (Leo Stark), and AnnaLynne McCord (Cat Greene) all reached out with calls and support.
Behind the scenes, executive producer Ken Corday, co-executive producer Noel Maxam, and producer Sara Peterson reassured Rogers that Maggie Horton would be waiting for her when she was ready. “They all said, ‘Don’t worry about a thing, take care of yourself, get yourself well. That’s the most important thing. We are here,’” Rogers shared.
What are YOUR thoughts on Suzanne Rogers’ brave cancer battle? Send your well-wishes and support to [email protected]!
Suzanne Rogers Completed Treatment And Is Returning To Days Of Our Lives
Rogers completed treatment on July 31 and is now making her way back to Salem. “I’m feeling really good,” she said. “I start back to work next week, so we’ll see how that goes.”
While her energy isn’t quite back to 100% yet, she’s feeling stronger every day. “The biggest thing is that I was tired because that’s not like me,” Rogers explained. “I have a lot of energy all the time, so it really kind of shook me thinking, ‘Am I going to get my energy back?’ And it seems like it’s coming back.”
Rogers also addressed potential questions about her appearance, noting she didn’t lose her hair during treatment. “I guess because I was taking the chemo pills,” she disclosed. “I’m sure there’ll be people that are saying, ‘Well, she didn’t really have cancer,’ but you know what? I really don’t care what people say. I know what I’ve gone through and I’ve come out on the other side, so that’s all I care about.”
Since Days of Our Lives films 10 months ahead, there will be a period in 2026 where Maggie isn’t on screen. “At least the audience will know why,” she said, addressing rumors that she had retired or left the show. “None of that is true.”
Now with a positive prognosis, Rogers is focused on gratitude and perspective. “It’s so funny because I used to worry about some silly things,” she reflected. “And when you go through this, it kind of takes you a while to say, ‘OK, well, this is what I have, and I will do my very best to fight it and to get through it.’ And that’s what I did.”
What are YOUR messages of support for Suzanne Rogers? Comment your well-wishes below!
