Suzanne Rogers, the 82-year-old actor better known as Maggie Horton on Days of Our Lives, has shared an uplifting update on her health journey after revealing her diagnosis with stage two colorectal cancer this past summer. Despite the challenging journey that included cancer removal and radiation treatment, she remains optimistic and grateful.
"My summer was tough, with cancer removed and radiation treatments, but I didn't lose my hair," she shared with People in an interview published Monday. "I guess I got it early, and the specific chemo they gave me—pills and radiation—didn't affect my hair growth, which was a blessing."
Rogers is now in remission and is slowly but surely regaining her energy. "I'm at about 70% right now. I'm basically letting things happen. I'm not making anything happen," she explained.
Her diagnosis has also shifted her perspective on life. "I don't worry about the small things anymore. It's not worth it. I was rushing here and then I stopped and thought, 'Wait a minute, you're not going anywhere.'"
During an October interview with TV Insider, Rogers recalled noticing something "wasn't quite right" this summer, prompting her to book a doctor's appointment and undergo a colonoscopy. Following an MRI, PET scan, and biopsy, she learned that she had stage two colorectal cancer. "He said, 'You have cancer and you have to start treatment,'" Rogers recalled. "It was a shock. I was in shock for several days because I take good care of myself. But he said, 'It's a good thing you caught it in time.'"
Rogers began treatment in June, just a few days after wrapping scenes on Days of Our Lives. The treatment included "radiation every day and chemo every day for six weeks," which fortunately coincided with the show's six-week break. The show's producers made sure to keep in touch, reminding her that her job would be waiting for her when she returned.
Now that she has completed treatment on July 31st, Rogers is preparing for her return to set. With Days of Our Lives currently 10 months ahead in production, there will be a brief period in 2026 where her character will not be on-screen. New episodes of the longest-running soap opera will continue to stream on Peacock every morning.
