Peggy Has Been Open About Her Past On 'RHOC'

Peggy Sulahian is the newest woman to join the cast of The Real Housewives of Orange County, and she's someone the viewers are still getting to know. So far she's been pretty quiet as she takes in all the drama swirling around her, but she's still got the rest of the season to make her mark. Peggy seems to have a happy marriage, a loving family, and a truly absurd collection of cars, but that's not all there is to her. She's also been very open about the health struggles she's faced and her family history with cancer. But what type of cancer did Peggy have on The Real Housewives of Orange County?

Peggy was diagnosed with DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma in situ) in her right breast, though it was in the very early stages. In an interview with Bravo, she spoke about the options made available to her (which included chemo, radiation, or a mastectomy) and her decision to have a bilateral mastectomy. It was, in part, preventative because the cancer had only been found in one breast. She didn't want to risk the chance of the cancer returning, especially after losing her own mother to breast cancer when Peggy was in her early twenties. "Of course I hesitated for a moment when I was given the option, but I knew it was the right thing to do," she said.

Peggy was still recovering from her surgery when she was introduced to Lydia and became a part of RHOC, so it wasn't easy for her to talk about it at first. She'd had a fraught few weeks leading up to her mastectomy because she had recently lost her father, and then dove into filming for the show not long after. That, along with a naturally private personality, made it difficult for her to share what happened to her. But she found that the positive response on social media was heartening.

"It made me realize how many others have gone through or are going through the journey I encountered," Peggy told Bravo. "I prepared myself to use my platform to share my story, along with emphasizing the importance of getting tested and being proactive about getting cancer. Cancer creeps into the family at any moment, and I would hate to pass my opportunity to share my story and draw attention to its importance."

Peggy may have been quiet in the first few episodes of the season, but it seems like the more she opens up, the more comfortable she becomes.