JFK's granddaughter says she has a rare, terminal cancer
24 Nov 2025

Tatiana Schlossberg, the granddaughter of former US President John F Kennedy, has revealed her terminal cancer diagnosis.

In an essay published in The New Yorker, she said doctors have given her less than a year to live.

The 35-year-old journalist and mother of two was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) after giving birth to her second child in May 2024.

As per Cleveland Clinic, AML is a rare and aggressive form of cancer that affects blood and bone marrow.

Schlossberg criticizes cousin's health policies amid personal battle
Policy impact

In her essay, Schlossberg expressed dismay at her cousin Robert F Kennedy Jr's appointment as US Health Secretary under President Donald Trump.

She slammed his anti-vaccine stance and budget cuts to medical research, which she said affected patients like herself.

"As I spent more and more of my life under the care of doctors... I watched as Bobby cut nearly a half billion dollars for research into mRNA vaccines," she wrote.

Schlossberg's health struggles and family legacy
Personal loss

Schlossberg also spoke about how her treatment at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center was affected by federal funding cuts.

"Suddenly, the health-care system on which I relied felt strained, shaky," she wrote.

The university later reached an agreement with the Trump administration to restore funding.

Despite undergoing a bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy, doctors have told her the outcome isn't that positive.

Schlossberg reflects on family and future in poignant essay
Family focus

The Kennedy family has been stuck by many tragedies, including Schlossberg's uncle John F Kennedy Jr.'s death in a plane crash and her grandmother Jacqueline's cancer battle.

In her essay, Schlossberg reflected on her diagnosis' impact on her family.

She expressed concern for her mother-diplomat Caroline Kennedy. "Now I have added a new tragedy to her life...and there's nothing I can do to stop it."

Schlossberg said she hopes to fill her remaining time with memories of her children.