Gabourey Sidibe’s Husband Brandon Frankel Reveals Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis

The father of two said he has already undergone surgery to have the cancer removed, but will continue to monitor his diagnosis

NEED TO KNOW

• Gabourey Sidibe’s husband, Brandon Frankel, revealed his cancer diagnosis via social media
• The father of two has already undergone surgery for stage 1 papillary thyroid cancer after catching it early on
• PTC is the most common type of thyroid cancer and is rarely fatal, per the Cleveland Clinic

Gabourey Sidibe’s husband, Brandon Frankel, revealed that he has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer after undergoing surgery to have it removed. 

“Things I never thought I’d have to post: I was diagnosed with Stage I Papillary Thyroid cancer,” the father of two captioned a lengthy Instagram carousel on Friday, Feb. 20. 

His first and second photos in the upload were selfies of him from the hospital bed, posing with his wife, 42. The couple, who married in 2021 and welcomed twins Cooper and Maya in April 2024, smiled in both images.

Frankel said that doctors caught the cancer early, but only because he “pushed for an ultrasound my doctor didn’t think I needed.”

“I refused to ‘wait and see.’ I refused to come back in 6–9 months. I made the calls. I leveraged connections. I chased cancellations. I made a LOT of noise. It worked,” he wrote, letting his supporters know that surgery went well and he was doing well in his recovery. 

Other pictures in his post showed him before and after the surgery, complete with incision marks, bandages and scars.

The pathology results “showed a more aggressive cell type,” Frankel explained, so there’s more monitoring that needs to be done. However, thanks to early detection, he’s grateful to “be around for my family.”

Frankel made it clear that he knew his case was different from the vast majority of people who have been diagnosed with cancer or other health issues.

“Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Early detection didn’t just save my life. Access and advocating for myself did,” he wrote. “I had insurance. I had time. I had people who could help move things faster. Too many don’t.”

“Healthcare shouldn’t reward the loudest, the most connected, or the most financially secure. It shouldn’t require strategy, privilege, and stamina just to feel safe,” Frankel continued.

Before ending his post, he thanked Sidibe, who “carried our family through all of this- holding everything down while I handled appointments, surgery, and recovery.”

“I don’t know how anyone does this without that kind of love and support,” he said of the Precious actress.

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“But luck and means shouldn’t be a healthcare plan. The system is broken. Healthcare should be a basic human right. PLEASE advocate for yourself, and be proactive!” Frankel concluded.

Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common type of thyroid cancer, and though it can grow very slowly, it typically has the best overall prognosis of all thyroid cancer types and is rarely fatal, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

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