Judy Blume reveals breast cancer diagnosis

Judy Blume has revealed on her blog that she is battling breast cancer, and underwent a mastectomy in July.

In a post titled ’!@#$% Happens’, Blume, 74, details the difficult time she and her partner, George Cooper, faced after learning the news and had to cancel a trip to Italy to treat the disease. The iconic novelist of young adult fiction said the mastectomy was successful and she did not need subsequent chemotherapy.

The author discloses that this is her second cancer diagnosis. Seventeen years ago, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and had a hysterectomy, catching the illness "just in time."

Blume’s books, including Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret and Blubber, have sold more than 80 million copies and have been translated into 31 languages.