Finding Love Again
- “The Real Housewives of Beverley Hills” star Kyle Richards, who lost her mom to breast cancer more than 20 years ago, has revealed she’s looking for “love” and a committed relationship after splitting from her husband Mauricio Umansky.
- Although Richards didn’t personally battle cancer, it’s important to understand that every cancer battle is different, every person is different and there is no right answer as to when the best time is to start dating, whether it’s after losing a loved one to cancer or the aftermath of a divorce, or a breakup.
- Remember, don’t push yourself if you’re stepping into the dating world. If it happens organically, then just go with it and see how it feels. But, if you don’t feel you are physically and emotionally able to dive in fully, don’t be afraid to table the dating life for a bit or put the brakes on something that doesn’t seem to be the right timing for you.
- It’s also important to understand that after a cancer diagnosis, it’s essential for a couple going through the cancer journey together to communicate and express their feelings. Joining a support group or seeking professional therapy may also be helpful.
The Bravo reality TV star, who split from Umanksy in July 2023, after 27 years of marriage, revealed she wants to date again during a recent episode of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills After Show.
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She continued, “I know, but I don’t know if I’m that person to go out and … I know I’m not that person. To me, it’s about a soul.
“It would just have to be someone shows up in your life serendipitous and you have a soul connection, and that’s it.”
As per BravoTV, Richards and her husband have yet to official file for divorce. It’s also unclear if she has been dating anyone new.
In an earlier conversation with U.S. Weekly, referring to her split from her husband, Richards said, “I knew the day was coming, but when it happens, it’s like, ‘Oh, my God, this is real.’ I was so emotional after he and Alexia both moved out.
“When you’re a married mom of four, the house is chaotic. So it felt so different. Thank God I still have two daughters at home.”
She added, “I don’t know what the future holds right now with Mauricio and me. We love each other. So that part is easy. What’s not easy is figuring out what’s next.
“We’re not divorced; he doesn’t live here, but we’re still figuring things out. On the show, people felt they were owed answers and thought I was withholding stuff — but I’m figuring it out myself.”
Richards, who is has six dogs, admitted sometimes she may feel lonely, but she didn’t describe herself as single. When asked if she considered herself single, she replied in the October 2024 interview, “No, I don’t think of myself like that.”
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Kyle Richards’ Family History of Breast Cancer
In the summer of 2020, Richards revealed on an episode of RHOBH that she had a long family history of breast cancer which she admitted made her nervous for the safety of her sister, Kim Richard.
This reveal occurred when the sisters visited a surgeon’s office to plan Kim’s breast implant removal surgery for the implants shereceived after her lumpectomy.
During the episode, Richards spoke about how her mother, Kathleen, passed away in 2002 after battling breast cancer. That’s why when Kim experienced a breast cancer scare in 2010, the sisters took it very seriously. Richards’ sister’s doctors found a benign tumor in her breast and she had to undergo a lumpectomy to remove the tumor. At this time she received breast implants, over time her breast implants deflated and she chose to remove them.
Richards said, “I don’t like anything to do with doctors and hospitals. My whole body goes numb. I go back to being in the hospital with my mom. The doctor sat us in a room and said, ‘Your mom has breast cancer,’ and it was stage 3 at that point.”
“My mom just wanted to pretend like she was fine, because she was so scared to die. And I can remember thinking, you know I kind of want her to be like, ‘It’s okay, this is life,’ but she wasn’t that person. She would tell me, she would say to me, ‘Kyle, I don’t want to die. I’m terrified and I still have so much to teach you,” she told the cameras.
Her sister thankfully talked to doctors about getting her implants removed and breasts lifted, but she also inquired on whether her family history of breast cancer should be something to worry about. Doctors assured Kim that if they found any abnormalities in the tissue they would address them.
Helpful Information About Breast Cancer Screening
Since Richards has a higher risk of getting breast cancer since her mother battled the disease, it’s important to understand when women should begin screening for this disease.
The medical community has a consensus that women between 45 and 54 have annual mammograms. However, an independent panel of experts called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is saying that women should start getting mammograms every other year at the age of 40, suggesting that this lowered the age for breast cancer screening could save 19% more lives. For women aged 55 and older, the American Cancer Society recommends getting a mammogram every other year. However, women in this age group who want added reassurance can still get annual mammograms.
Women with a strong family history of breast cancer, have dense breasts, have a genetic mutation known to increase the risk of breast cancer, such as a BRCA gene mutation, or a medical history, including chest radiation therapy before age 30, are considered at higher risk for breast cancer.
WATCH: Understanding the BRCA gene mutation
Experiencing menstruation at an early age (before 12) or having dense breasts can also put you into a high-risk category. If you are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer, you should begin screening earlier.
Breast density is determined through mammograms. However, women with dense breasts are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer because dense breast tissue can mask potential cancer during screening. 3D mammograms, breast ultrasound, breast MRI, and molecular breast imaging are options for women with dense breasts for a more precise screening. It is important to ask your doctor about your breast density and cancer risk.
Family History & Breast Cancer Risk
Although breast cancer can happen to anyone, certain factors can increase a person’s risk of getting the disease. The known risk factors for breast cancer include:
- Older age
- Having a gene mutation such as the BRCA1 or BRCA2
- Added exposure to estrogen
- Having children after the age of 30
- Exposure to radiation early in life
- Family history of the disease
RELATED: Is Genetic Testing Right for You?
Different types of genetic testing can help people with a family history of cancer better ascertain their cancer risks. Your doctor will discuss your family history of cancer with you in the context of your type of tumor and your age at diagnosis. Hereditary genetic testing is usually done with a blood or saliva test.
About ten percent of breast cancers are hereditary, says Dr. Ophira Ginsburg, Director of the High-Risk Cancer Program at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center.
“We encourage only those with a family history to get [genetic testing],” Dr. Ginsburg previously told SurvivorNet. “I would say that if you have anyone in your family diagnosed with a rare cancer. Or if you have a strong family history of one or two kinds of cancer, particularly breast and ovarian, but also colon, rectal, uterine, and ovarian cancer, that goes together in another cancer syndrome called the Lynch Syndrome.
How Genetic Testing Can Help
- Considering Genetic Testing? Talk to Family if You Can
- Genetic Testing Can Empower You With Important Information
- Getting Genetic Testing for Your Kids — a Tough, but Crucial Call
- Digital Guide: Dr. Jessica Tao Explains Next-Generation Sequencing for Breast Cancer
- Genetic Testing For Breast Cancer Can Be Life-Saving For Some: For Others, It Only Causes Confusion and Stress
- Should I Get Genetic Testing to Assess My Risk for Breast Cancer?
The second test involves the genetic sequencing of your tumor if you’ve been diagnosed with cancer by this point. These genetic changes can be inherited, but most arise during a person’s lifetime. This process usually involves examining a biopsy or surgical specimen of your tumor. This testing can lead to decisions on drugs that might work against your cancer.
“Digital mammography, it turns out, significantly improves the quality of the mammogram… It’s 3D or tomosynthesis mammography,” Dr. Lehman explains.
“This allows us to find more cancers and significantly reduce our false-positive rate. With digital mammography 3D tomosynthesis, we’re taking thin slices through that breast tissue, like slices of a loaf of bread. We can look at each slice independently rather than trying to see through the entire thickness of the entire loaf of bread. So those thin slices help us find things that were hidden in all the multiple layers,” Dr. Lehman adds.
Additional testing can be considered for dense breasts, depending on a woman’s personal history, preferences, and her physician’s guidance.
Understanding Genetic Testing
Genetic testing for cancer is usually done in a doctor’s office (either your primary care doctor or an OB-GYN), but a few tests are available for people to purchase commercially.
“It started out with a very narrow field of women and men who were recommended to have it based on certain risk factors, family history of breast cancer, or other cancers, and also ethnic backgrounds,” Dr. Elisa Port, a surgical oncologist at Mount Sinai, told SurvivorNet
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommends testing only select patients with risk factors for hereditary breast cancer. These include but are not limited to patients who were younger than 45 years old when they were diagnosed with breast cancer, those with a strong family history of this cancer, and those with Ashkenazi Jewish heritage.
Who Should Receive Genetic Testing?
The American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS) recommends offering genetic testing for all patients diagnosed with breast cancer.
The Power of Love
Love is all around us. We don’t have to have a significant other to give or feel love from others. The history of love in our own family can also be something fulfilling for us, giving us stories that we can cherish.
SurvivorNet spoke with a family who shared a story of their parents’ love during World War II, and an amazing keepsake the family has from that time. A lovebox.
SurvivorNetTV Presents Lovebox A Love Story for the Ages
Tips for Dealing With Cancer in Your Relationship
Although Richards didn’t personally battle cancer, her journey to find love reminds us how cancer can place a huge strain on any relationship. The state of your relationship with your significant other before a cancer diagnosis can influence how you both endure the cancer journey.
Psychologist Susan McDaniel said in an earlier interview with SurvivorNet that cancer can either strengthen healthy relationships or widen the divide for couples already facing conflict.
The importance of self-care and the things that bring you joy
So when you’re faced with a diagnosis or treatment, it can help to lean on the bond you’ve built with your partner.
For healthy couples confronted with cancer, “They recognize how they feel about each other, the petty stuff drifts away. There’s a certain kind of intimacy in having to face something really serious,” Dr. McDaniel said.
“For couples where there’s already significant difficulties that haven’t been resolved, and if the illness hits at some of that, then it’s really hard,” Dr. McDaniel added.
Dating After Cancer; Getting Intimate with the New You
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
