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“Days of Our Lives” icon Suzanne Rogers has announced that she was diagnosed with Stage 2 colorectal cancer and recently underwent treatment. Rogers, who has portrayed Salem staple Maggie Horton for 52 years, opened up about her cancer diagnosis during an interview with TV Insider published Oct. 30, revealing that her health struggles are the reason for her absence from the show. The 82-year-old actor told the entertainment outlet that she decided to make an appointment with her doctor after feeling that something “wasn’t quite right” despite getting routine colonoscopies. She had another and the surgeon suggested that she return for an MRI, PET scan and biopsy after seeing her results. “And the minute he said that I knew that it was something more,” she recalled. She learned after another procedure that she had Stage 2 colorectal cancer. Her doctor informed her, “‘You have cancer and you have to start treatment,’” she said. Rogers added, “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.’” She underwent treatment this summer after “Days of Our Lives” finished filming in June. “It was radiation every day and chemo every day for six weeks and it was tough,” Rogers said. “It was tough knowing you had to do it five days a week and then you had off Saturday and Sunday. I thoroughly enjoyed my weekends because I didn’t have to go to and see a doctor. I was so tired of seeing doctors.” Although she initially didn’t disclose her diagnosis, she later turned to co-star Linsey Godfrey, who plays her on-screen daughter Sarah Horton, for support. She revealed Godfrey held her hand during one of her infusions, and that other co-stars, like Paul Telfer, Mary Beth Evans, Stephen Nichols, Greg Rikaart and AnnaLynne McCord, were there for her, too. Producers also told her to prioritize her health and that she could resume portraying Rogers when she improved. Her treatment ended on July 31. “I’m feeling really good,” she told TV Insider. “I start back to work next week, so we’ll see how that goes.” She continued, “Now, I’m feeling anxious like I do any time I get scripts because I want to do my very best and you don’t want to hold up anybody. So that’s the only anxiousness I feel. It’s not because of my illness, let’s put it that way.” Rogers said that her recent health struggles have changed her perspective on life. “It’s so funny because I used to worry about some silly things,” she shared. “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. The prayers and the good wishes from my friends and my family helped me stay positive and stay on top of it and beat this.” Her “Days of Our Lives” family posted a message on Instagram about Rogers’ diagnosis Oct 30 and told viewers they can expect to see Maggie on their televisions again soon. The show wrote, “We are delighted that Suzanne has come through this challenge with her trademark grace and strength. Fans will be glad to know that ‘Maggie’ will remain a constant presence in Salem.” The post said Rogers’ absence on the show in 2026 with me “minimal.” According to TV Insider, “Days of Our Lives” films 10 months in advance. “Days of Our Lives” had previously commented on Rogers taking a hiatus from the show in July. The soap shared a statement with Soap Opera Digest at the time that addressed rumors Rogers was leaving, writing that the speculation, “could not be further from the truth, Maggie and Suzanne are integral to the show’s history, present storylines, and now, on the heels of our pick-up, the future! Neither are going anywhere.” Rogers has played Maggie on the beloved soap opera since 1973, totaling 3205 episodes according to IMDb. NBCUniversal confirmed that “Days of Our Lives” has been renewed for seasons 62 and 63 on Peacock. Colorectal cancer develops in either the colon or the rectum, and about 3.9 percent of men and women will be diagnosed with the disease at some point in their life, the National Cancer Institute reports. Since 2018, the American Cancer Society has been recommending that patients start screening for colorectal cancer starting at the age of 45.
