Former reality TV star Cynthia Bailey is feeling hopeful as her mother recovers from having breast cancer surgery. Earlier this month, the alum from “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” revealed that her mother, Barbara Ford Morris, has breast cancer.
On Monday, Aug. 22, the reality star shared photos on Instagram of her mother in a hospital bed before heading into surgery at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.
“Thank you for all the love, phone calls, texts, and prayers everyone. My mother @barbarafmorris is a little anxious & nervous but otherwise in good spirits mentally and emotionally,” she captioned the photos on Instagram.
“Her blood pressure was too high to operate when they prepped her but thankfully they were able to get it down before the surgery. Now we pray and wait.”
She added, “CONTINUE to pray with me & my family for a successful surgery & a speedy recovery.”
Hours later, Bailey returned to update her followers on the status of her mother’s health.
“Successful surgery. Thank God,” she wrote on her Instagram story. “Thank you for the prayers everyone! @barbarafmorris.”
The next day, she posted a photo of her mom and shared that she was recovering at the model’s home. “woke up this morning feeling blessed, happy and grateful to share with all you that my mother @barbarafmorris surgery was successful yesterday,” Bailey wrote.
“we did have some issues with her blood pressure being too high at the beginning & at the end of the surgery but by the grace of God her doctor & her amazing team at #emoryhospital were able to get everything under control.”
She concluded her post by encouraging women to get a mammogram.
“My mom is here with me at Lake Bailey resting and recovering. She took care of me my whole life and now it’s my turn to take care of her. You only get one mother, cherish them. Reminder!!! ladies please make sure you get your yearly mammogram. That is how we found the cancer. Early detection is key.”
Bailey first shared the news about her mother’s diagnosis with her followers in a post on Aug. 12. The actress shared family photos featuring Barbara Morris and her sister, Malorie, revealing that her diagnosis was detected early “by the grace of God.”
“Just recently my beautiful mother @barbarafmorris was diagnosed with breast cancer,” Bailey wrote. “She didn’t feel anything but it showed up on her most recent mammogram. We took her to her first doctor’s appointment yesterday to confirm what stage and her treatment options. By the grace of God, we caught it early & it is only stage one.”
The 55-year-old went on optimistically sharing that her mother would need surgery and chemotherapy to fight breast cancer. She also expressed that she was hesitant about sharing the news with others.
“Initially I only shared this information with close friends & family but after getting the great news yesterday that my mom is going to be ok, I felt inclined to share it with all of you,” she continued, thanking everyone for their prayers and well-wishes.
Since Bailey joined “RHOA” during season three in 2010, Morris regularly has made appearances on the Bravo series. Fans remember Bailey’s first on-screen wedding to Peter Thomas in season two. Barbara and Malorie were very much against the wedding and briefly hid the marriage license on the day of the nuptials. Cynthia and Peter divorced in 2016, as the family suspected.
The Bailey trio discussed their relationship issues on Iyanla Vanzant’s show, “Iyanla: Fix My Life,” back in 2018. That same year, Cynthia and Morris participated in a domestic violence PSA with the other “RHOA” ladies.
Bailey tied the knot with sports newscaster Mike Hill in October 2020, which aired during season 13 of “RHOA.”
