In her newly released memoir, “Matriarch: A Memoir,” Tina Knowles reveals a personal journey through her past breast cancer diagnosis, shedding light on the emotional challenges she faced and the unwavering support from her daughter, Beyoncé. The book was released on Earth Day, April 22, 2022, and immediately landed on the best-seller lists. It’s the Oprah Winfrey Book Club’s most recent pick.
Tina Knowles says she first found out about her diagnosis on a very overdue mammogram visit. But after years of deferral, the diagnosis delivered a jolt. It was wonderful news, but now, she had to figure out how to best tell her daughter. She hesitated to tell Beyoncé at night, knowing that it would weigh heavily on her mind and disrupt her sleep. Instead, Knowles decided to hold off and announce the diagnosis the following day.
Once informed, Beyoncé responded with remarkable positivity. “She took it well, staying positive, and I could already feel her mind racing,” Knowles recounted. Beyoncé recognized the urgency of the moment. She was quickly put in touch with one of the nation’s leading breast surgery specialists to arrange a private consultation for her mother.
Tina Knowles had a breast reduction as part of her treatment. Her medical team comprised a hospital-based surgeon as well as a surgeons-in-oncology medical oncologist. She told NIH that her first encounter with the oncologist was so disconcerting, it was causing her to feel “depressed and confused” after exchanges with him. This discouraging experience prompted Knowles to realize that it could be worthwhile to ask for a second opinion on what her treatment options might entail.
“I made my decision: I wasn’t going with the hospital surgeon who talked down to me,” she wrote. As a result, she chose the private surgeon who promised her the most “energy” – and future hope. Tina Knowles brought attention to an important cause. Too many, particularly in the Black community, are forced to take bad care simply because it’s the only thing offered to them. On a personal level, she’s tenacious about the fact that everyone should feel empowered to get second opinions and fight for their health.
After her surgery, Tina Knowles shared the good news about being cancer-free on Instagram. While recovering, she lived in Beyoncé’s house, where family members, led by Tina Knowles, provided support as she healed. She expressed gratitude for her daughters, who she referred to as “my crew, my tribe, my rocks, my ride-or-dies.”
“They have been right there by my side at the lowest points in my life… and they cheered me on at the highest points of my life,” Knowles shared. Her recovery went so incredibly well that she even made it to Glamour’s 2024 Women of the Year event in October. At that event, she was given a special award for her outstanding work and perseverance.
Beyond inspiring others with her personal health journey, Tina Knowles’ memoir has been celebrated for its quality. Oprah Winfrey praised “Matriarch: A Memoir” in a press release on its release date. “Getting the seal of approval from Oprah, and knowing that she read it and loved it, made it all OK,” Knowles remarked.
I’m talking about to be chosen by Oprah! I mean, come on, it’s Oprah!! She is the queen of all things but most certainly the queen of books, she added. “Being told that my book would be a pick for her book club, I thought I had died and gone to Heaven.”
Through “Matriarch: A Memoir,” Tina Knowles not only shares her experiences with breast cancer but highlights the vital role of family support and advocacy in navigating health challenges. Her story is as much a personal narrative as it is an empowerment manifesto for others going through the same ordeal.