The granddaughter of former US President John F. Kennedy, Tatiana Schlossberg, has announced her diagnosis with an aggressive form of cancer, revealing that she has been given less than a year to live.

In a heartfelt essay published in The New Yorker on Saturday—marking the 62nd anniversary of her grandfather's assassination—Schlossberg, a climate journalist and mother of two, shared her experience battling acute myeloid leukaemia, a diagnosis she received after giving birth in May 2024.

Schlossberg criticized her cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., for being appointed as US health secretary under President Donald Trump, expressing her concerns from her hospital bed during her treatment.

Amidst her treatment, which included a bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy, Schlossberg described the grim outlook conveyed by her doctors: that they could maybe keep her alive for another year. She expressed her fears for her children, saying, My kids, whose faces live permanently on the inside of my eyelids, wouldn't remember me.\r

She is the daughter of Edwin Schlossberg and Caroline Kennedy, and the granddaughter of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Schlossberg's uncle, John F. Kennedy Jr. tragically passed away in a plane crash at the age of 38, while her grandmother succumbed to cancer when Schlossberg was very young. She poignantly spoke of her worries regarding her mother's grief, stating, Now I have added a new tragedy to her life, to our family's life, and there's nothing I can do to stop it.\r

In her essay titled A Battle With My Blood, Schlossberg recalled her previously active lifestyle, involving running and skiing, and reflected on her deep concerns relating to health policy and family legacy. Her brother, Jack Schlossberg, recently announced his run for Congress and shared her essay online, emphasizing the urgency of cherishing life.

The Kennedy family's history is marked by both notable political influence and personal tragedies, making Schlossberg's experience resonate deeply within the public sphere as she navigates this challenging chapter of her life.