The first oncologist said Kotb needed chemotherapy. The second said chemo was unnecessary to treat her type of cancer; instead she could take a pill every day for the next five years. A third said she couldn’t go wrong with either treatment plan.

Kotb ultimately chose the second option — Tamoxifen, which interferes with the activity of estrogen and reduces the risk of the cancer spreading. While it does not have the same side effects as chemotherapy, it is not without its downsides. Tamoxifen interrupts the reproductive system. Since Kotb will be 48 by the time she finishes the treatment, she knows that she will most likely never bear her own children.

“Every time I swallow those pills, the pills are doing two things to me. They’re fighting my cancer and they’re taking away any opportunity to ever have a kid,” says Kotb, who is separated from her husband of two years. “And I know when I swallow them what I’m doing every time. It’s hard to choke them down. It’s really hard to put them down.  But I take them every day, every night …

“It’s all weird because part of me feels sad and part of me feels like I got this new beginning.”

‘Cancer gave me the headline’
And therein lies the irony of Kotb’s experience with cancer. As much as cancer has taken away from Kotb, it has also given her several gifts, including, Kotb believes, her job as anchor of TODAY’s new 10 a.m. hour.

“I don’t think I’d be doing our show if I hadn’t been sick,” said Kotb, who was in her eighth year as a correspondent for NBC’s “Dateline.” (She got her start in the news business as a CBS News assistant in Egypt, where her parents were born.)

“I do think cancer gave me the gift of … being fearless. Cancer gave me the headline, you know, you can’t scare me. That takeaway was the biggest thing I’ve ever gotten.”

NBC News video   Five things to know about breast cancer Oct. 19: TODAY's Hoda Kotb shares her story as well as important facts and tips that could  help save you or someone you love. Today Show Health

Having survived cancer, Kotb knew she could handle anything, and was empowered to actively pursue the position of TODAY anchor, a national broadcast where she touches millions of lives every day. And hopefully she will touch at least one life with her own personal story.

‘We’re all in it together’
Two events convinced Kotb to go public with her experience with breast cancer. The first was meeting a stranger on a plane who told her, “Don’t hog your journey.”

“And when he said that, my eyes just opened wide,” Kotb said. “He told me that I could keep everything for myself or I could use it to help people. So right then and there I told myself that when it’s time, I’m going to do it.”

A second event confirmed her decision.

In May Kotb was heading to Central Park for her daily run when she happened upon hundreds of women — some who had undergone surgery, some holding pictures of people who had lost their battle, all wearing pink — walking together to raise money and awareness for breast cancer research.

Tears started falling down Kotb’s face.

“I was totally connected and nobody knew,” Kotb said. “They were all connected to each other. They didn’t know I was connected. And I felt like I was standing on the sidelines, and I thought, ‘Why am I standing on the sidelines?’ Like, get in the game … The game is to help survivors, too. We’re all in it together.”

More from TODAY   Stars gather for Stand Up to Cancer Fed up as 'fat mom,' she lost 127 lbs. 'Hugging' lion  inspires movie   |     Images Did missing tot’s mom chloroform her? |    Makeover! Pastor ready to ‘rock pulpit’  London calling at Fashion Week  |       Week in pictures  | More photos

MORE FROM HEALTH

Health Section Front

Fed up as 'fat mom,' she lost 127 pounds David Duchovny not alone in sex addiction Food for thought: Thinking makes us pig out Kids bored with breakfast? Get creative Vitamins, family style: What to take when Wise answers to old wives' tales Experts: ‘Cheating gene’ not a predictor Leading geneticist to pen book on disease Battle of the bulge: How to blast back fat It’s back-to-school time for bedbugs Health Section Front   Add Health headlines to your news reader: