Six years after Kelly Stafford had brain surgery to remove a tumor, she now shares that her cousin is facing the same condition.

“The cousin I was closest to growing up was diagnosed with the exact same brain tumor I had, only on the other side,” Stafford, 35, shared on the Thursday, April 24 episode of her podcast, The Morning After. “[I] went up to Michigan to support her—she’s doing really well, for those who prayed, she’s doing great. She’s back at home.”

J ust a week earlier, Kelly, the wife of NFL quarterback Matthew Stafford, marked the anniversary of her own successful operation—a 12-hour surgery that carried serious risks. On April 17, she shared a beach photo of herself on Instagram, wearing sunglasses and a hat.

“Six years since my brain tumor was removed, and I’m celebrating at my favorite place on earth.

Kelly has been candid about her health battle, even recalling the talks she had with her husband before the operation.

“My first reaction was, ‘Take it out,’ but Matthew wasn’t totally on board,” she said in a December 2024 episode of the Absolutely Not podcast. “He was concerned—it was very risky. The surgery came with potential effects on hearing, facial nerves, and balance, but he was incredible through all of it. I couldn’t have done it without him.”

She added, “I couldn’t walk or even sit upright. Matthew told me that on the first night, ‘Hunter could sit up better than you.’ I was restless, falling off the bed. Learning to walk again took time. I couldn’t be near the kids.”

Their daughter Hunter, now 6, was just six months old back then. The Staffords are also parents to twins Sawyer and Chandler, both 7, and Tyler, who is 4.

Looking back, Kelly believes the hardship actually brought her marriage closer.

“I always say it strengthened our marriage,” she explained. “It helped our whole family. I’m thankful for it … mostly because it ended positively. Thankfully, it all went well.”

More recently, Kelly disclosed another health issue she’s now dealing with. In the April 17 episode of The Morning After, she revealed an at-home test showed her cholesterol is “extremely high.” Though it runs in her family, she admitted her eating habits haven’t helped.

“If you really know me, you know I fall asleep every night with 10 Swedish Fish in my hand—or hot chocolate—or something sweet,” she said.