In April 2022, Clea Shearer took to Instagram to reveal she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. "It's a hard thing to say, but it's easier than keeping it to myself," Shearer asserted, confirming she was undergoing a double mastectomy the following day. The reality star found a lump in her breast in February, but was put on a months-long waitlist for a mammogram. After taking matters into her own hands, Shearer acquired one from her local GP, followed by an ultrasound and "an emergency triple biopsy" procedure, to combat a couple of "aggressive and fast moving tumors." Acknowledging how lucky she was to have caught it early, Shearer wrote, "If I can convince any of you to self-examine on a regular basis, self-advocate always, and to prioritize your health over your busy schedules — then this will have meant something." 

In an interview with People, the "Home Edit" star admitted to initially being unsure that she was feeling a lump in her breast. But given her recent birthday (she just turned 40!), the Netflix star acknowledged it was better to be safe than sorry. The whole thing is surreal, since there's no history of breast cancer in her family. Understandably, Shearer worried most about telling her kids — but as she told People, she's thankful to have a great support system around her, including co-star Joanna Teplin. "I'm a fighter. If anyone can crush cancer, it is me," the organizational expert asserted, per People.