Tina Knowles, the mother of global music stars Beyoncé and Solange, has opened up for the first time about her private battle with stage 1 breast cancer a diagnosis she received after missing a routine mammogram during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 71-year-old fashion designer and businesswoman shared her story during an emotional interview with Gayle King on CBS Mornings aired Tuesday, April 22.

Knowles revealed that she had postponed rescheduling a mammogram she missed during the pandemic, finally undergoing the screening in 2023 where doctors discovered two tumors in her left breast.

I’ve always tried to take care of myself. I was in disbelief, she told King, recalling the shock of receiving her diagnosis in July 2023.

While one of the tumors turned out to be benign, the other was cancerous. Medical professionals later informed her that if she had maintained her regular screenings, the cancer might have been caught at stage 0 a non-invasive stage where the disease hasn't spread beyond the breast tissue.

Despite the delay, doctors believed the cancer to be slow-growing and not yet spreading. Knowles underwent a lumpectomy in August 2023 and is now cancer-free.

I’m doing great,” she told People Magazine. “Cancer-free and incredibly blessed that God allowed me to find it early.

Knowles shared that she initially hesitated to go public with her story, citing her naturally private disposition. However, she decided to speak out to emphasize the life-saving importance of early detection and regular screenings.

It’s important not to slack on your mammograms, she urged, encouraging women not to let busy schedules prevent them from prioritizing their health.

Knowles also revealed that she underwent a breast reduction during her treatment and later developed a serious post-surgical infection so severe that she nearly cancelled her scheduled appearance at Glamour’s 2024 Women of the Year event in October.

Throughout the ordeal, she was lovingly supported by her daughters Beyoncé and Solange, along with other family members who she described as her "team."

I was nervous, she recalled. And so they started just joking with me.

Solange even played a viral "demure" TikTok video to lift her spirits during a hospital visit.

I started laughing. I got out of my head,” Knowles said, tearing up as she recalled the moment. “Then I said, ‘I’m just so happy that y’all are here.’

That visit reminded her of the comforting song “Walk With Me,” which Beyoncé and Solange used to sing as children. Before her operation, Solange and her cousin Angie Beyincé performed the song for her a moment Knowles described as deeply spiritual.

It’s about God walking with you into something and protecting you, she said.

As she continues her recovery journey, Knowles is using her platform to urge women to prioritize their health and get screened regularly.

We get so busy, so wrapped up in life, she told People Magazine. But you must go get your test. I shudder to think what could’ve happened to me if I hadn’t.