Julie Chrisley Opens Up About Double Mastectomy

Six years after Julie Chrisley underwent her double mastectomy, she’s opening up about her cancer journey — and how her husband Todd Chrisley pushed her to get a life-saving mammogram.

“I did it to appease him so he would shut up and leave me alone,” Julie, 45, told The Tennessean in a new interview about Todd encouraging her to get the breast screening.

In 2012, two of the Chrisley Knows Best star’s friends were fighting cancer. “You need to get a mammogram!” Todd told Julie, who was 39 at the time.

Although her family had no history of breast cancer, she went in and got the test. After her appointment, she was told that more images needed to be taken.

Following a biopsy, the doctor delivered news that no one wants to hear: It appeared to be cancer.

“I’m like, oh, I can do this. We’re gonna get through this,” she told the newspaper and added of Todd: “My husband didn’t sleep for three weeks.”

After exploring her options, Julie decided to undergo a double mastectomy, and later a reconstructive surgery.

“From the time I was literally in the sixth grade I had these huge boobs, that everybody was like, oh my gosh, Julie has these great boobs,” she said. “But I had a 6-year-old. I had to do whatever I had to do to be around for my kids.”

Admittedly, Julie was fearful of having to do chemotherapy, but thankfully, doctors found no cancer in her lymph nodes.

After the invasive surgery and her release from the hospital, Todd helped her shower — a vulnerable moment that she believes helped strengthen the couple’s marriage.

“I truly believe that that moment took our relationship to a whole other level because he never flinched,” she said. “He was in the shower with me, he took all of my bandages off, and he never flinched,” she tearfully said.

Weeks after the double mastectomy, Julie got breast implants: “We came in and I came out feeling like a new woman.”

Now, she exercises regularly and gets regular check-ups.

“When you feel better, when you know you’re healthier because of decisions you’re making,” she told the outlet, “it helps you be a better wife, a better mother, a better friend.”

While the cancer battle was a test of faith for the famous family, the couple’s relationship appears to be stronger than ever.

At the end of July, Todd, 49, gave a loving shout-out to his wife of 22 years on Instagram.

“😍😍😍, even at 5 am heading to the airport I look at this woman @juliechrisley and think ‘yea baby’ I might grow old with you and if you are nice let you touch me inappropriately all day everyday for all the days of our lives …” he captioned a smiling photo of Julie.

Chrisley Knows Best returns this fall on USA.