The most recent Mother’s Day was especially wonderful, said Monica Dean, television news anchor with KNSD-TV/NBC7 San Diego.
That’s because the 47-year-old has been battling her way back from the effects of colorectal cancer since last Thanksgiving.
“Mother’s Day this year was more meaningful than ever, and I am more grateful than I’ve ever been,” Dean told Times of San Diego.
“My children, Ashley (age 18), Caden (age 16) and Kelsey (age 13), have been incredibly supportive and remarkably resilient. The love, laughter, strength, thoughtfulness and joy they bring into my life, along with my husband of 24 years, Kevin Kaiser, are a beautiful reflection of God’s great love for us. It’s a little piece of Heaven on Earth.”
Today, Dean is cancer free.
NBC7 anchor Monica Dean at her home. (Courtesy Rick Griffin/Marketink)Following a surgery on Jan. 10, she returned to work on March 3. For nearly six weeks, she anchored two newscasts each weekday and shared her story with viewers on NBC7’s newscasts and streaming channels, as well as on the NBC7 website.
Dean, a veteran newswoman with 27 years of experience who has worked at KNSD-TV since 2004, currently remains on medical leave following a surgery last month. She is planning a June return to the anchor desk.
Her cancer journey began with what she expected would be a routine colonoscopy. She had no notable symptoms, no pain, fatigue, bleeding, nothing to raise red flags — and no immediate family history of colorectal cancer.
“Years ago, I had an unforgettable conversation with a man who was dying from colon cancer,” Dean said. “He told he would be on a path for healing had he taken the advice of doctors. He implored me to get checked when it was my turn. Something about his warning resonated in my soul.”
Dean’s colonoscopy was one week before Thanksgiving 2024.
“I woke up during the procedure, the room was dark and the doctor was dictating information to the nurses,” Dean said. “Even in the fog of sedation, I knew something wasn’t right. I remember asking in the haze, `Did you find something?’ They said something about polyps. It felt serious.
“They wheeled me into the recovery room and I remember telling my husband that the doctors had found something and it wasn’t good. The doctor came into the room and gave us the news: 13 polyps and a 2 centimeter, flat malignant mass. It was dizzying and hard to comprehend, but I remember saying, ‘It’s going to be okay. I believe in a big God.’”
Six days later, on Thanksgiving Eve, and less than 30 minutes before she would anchor the 4 p.m. newscast, Dean got a text on her phone. In a secluded conference room at the Kearny Mesa studios, Dean and her husband called the doctor on a conference call and together heard the diagnosis of colorectal cancer.
“Am I going to die from this?” she asked her doctor.
“Our doctor told us no, from everything we know right now, this looks treatable,” Dean said.
“When the phone call ended at 3:55 p.m., I walked into the studio and anchored the 4 p.m. newscast. When the world feels chaotic and out of control, doing something familiar and normal with people you care about was sort of comforting in an odd way.”
The next day, on Thanksgiving Day, Dean said, “I was surrounded by my loving family. Gratitude is a powerful antidote to fear and anxiety. Even in the face of a cancer diagnosis, there was so much for which I am grateful.
“The circumstances, so out of my control, brought a softening, humbling and gratitude for the things that mean the most in life. At times like these, you have to rely on the strength that comes from somewhere outside yourself. And, for me, it’s my faith and learning on God for guidance, strength and comfort.
“One moment I felt strong and full of faith. The next, I was spiraling into worst-case scenarios. But, even in that darkness, I held on to prayer, my faith and to the hope that it had been caught early.”
A surgery on Jan. 10 at the Jacobs Medical Center at UC San Diego removed the cancer. “The days leading up to my surgery were filled with a mix of fear, anxiety, peace, hope and surrender,” Dean said. “After the surgery, I spent one week in the hospital recovering and learning to adjust to life with an ostomy.”
Thirteen days later, they heard good news. “We received the pathology report that the cancer was gone,” she said. “The margins were clear and there was no cancer in my lymph nodes. Praise God.”
An April 11 surgery reversed the ileostomy that had allowed her lower bowels to fully heal.
“Healing has been a humbling process,” Dean said. “At times, my recovery has been painful and frustrating, but I’m making progress with the help of physical therapy, diet, patience and lots of prayer. The outpouring of support from family, church friends and the community has been overwhelming.”
In an interview with fellow NBC 7 anchor Steven Luke, Dean said the experience has converted her into an advocate for preventative screening and early detection.
“I’ve been a storyteller of other people’s stories throughout my TV news career,” said Dean. “Now I’m telling my story to call attention and educate other about the critical importance of screening.”
Dean has shared her story on a Facebook page called “My Story, Your Glory,” as well as Instagram accounts, @mystory_yourglory and @monicanbcsd.
“This entire experience has given me a new lens to view life, one that I never wanted but am beginning to understand as a gift,” she said.
“I now cherish each milestone, holiday and celebration with deeper meaning and renewed appreciation. Life is precious.
“This journey also has given me tremendous empathy for everyone fighting a silent battle. There is much to be learned in the classroom of suffering. It is in the push of the painful pursuit of progress that we find perseverance, and perseverance produces character and character produces hope. I want to encourage the silent sufferers not to give up. You are never alone.”
San Diego’s One America News now available to 12 million Spectrum TV viewers
One America News Network, a San Diego-based, right-wing, cable television streaming network, is now available to more than 12 million Spectrum TV subscribers across the country.
Herring Networks, Inc., the parent company of OAN, announced last week a new multi-year content carriage agreement with Spectrum TV.
Logo for One America News Network, OAN.(Rick Griffin/Marketink)OAN, as well as A Wealth of Entertainment, another TV channel operated by Herring Networks, will be added to Spectrum TV Selection and Spectrum TV Stream plans, an announcement said.
Spectrum TV, operated by Stamford, Conn.-based Charter Communications, is one of the nation’s largest cable and streaming TV providers with approximately 12.16 million residential TV subscribers as of the first quarter 2025, according to Charter’s 1Q earnings report issued April 25.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Spectrum to have OAN and AWE available to their customers across the country,” said Charles Herring, president of Herring Networks. “This agreement reflects a shared commitment to delivering high-quality content and expanding viewer access. We look forward to a long and mutually rewarding relationship and encourage fans of OAN and AWE to subscribe to Spectrum TV in preparation for the launch of our channels.”
Tom Montemagno, executive VP of programming acquisition with Spectrum, said in a statement, “Spectrum TV offers a robust lineup of programming for our customers. The addition of OAN and AWE further expands our diverse channel offering, providing enhanced value to our customers.”
OAN, launched on July 4, 2013, produces 16 hours of live breaking news coverage every weekday, featuring live coverage from the White House, Capitol Hill and the Pentagon, in addition to national and international news reports. The network also features four, one-hour, weekday, prime-time political talk shows providing analysis, discussion and debate.
AWE, launched in 2004 as Wealth TV before rebranding to AWE in 2013, focuses on luxury lifestyle programming, including travel, real estate, cars and high-end experiences.
With the addition of Spectrum TV, OAN and AWE are available on more than 100 video platforms worldwide, a statement said.
Spectrum’s addition of OAN is the latest expansion for OAN viewership. An OAN announcement said the Spectrum addition “solidifies the return [of OAN] as a major player in the programming landscape.”
In January of this year, Dish Network and Sling added OAN and AWE programming to all packages — ranging from the most affordable package with 190 channels, priced at $91.99 per month, to the premium package with 250 channels, priced at $121.99 per month.
Last year, OAN expanded its worldwide presence to 162 million homes across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa through Eutelsat’s flagship Hotbird satellite. The launch was facilitated by technology company MuxIP, an announcement said.
It’s been three years since DirecTV, owned by AT&T Inc., notified Herring that its contract with OAN would not be renewed. Verizon’s Fios TV followed DirecTV with a similar decision.
In related news, Charter Communications and Cox Communications last week announced plans to merge in a deal worth $34.5 billion, a figure that includes $21.9 billion of equity and $12.6 billion of net debt and other obligations.
The combined company will use the Cox name and Charter’s Spectrum, the brand on its cable, broadband, mobile and other services, will become the consumer-facing brand across all customers, according to news reports. Cox Enterprises will become Charter’s largest shareholder. The deal faces regulatory approval.
With approval, the combined company would become America’s largest cable TV and broadband provider by subscribers, leapfrogging Comcast.
Oceanside tourism up 6% in visitor spending, to $625 million
Oceanside’s tourism industry continued to show positive growth in 2024, reports Visit Oceanside, the tourism marketing organization for the North County city.
Visitor spending in 2024 reached $625 million, an increase of 6% over 2023, the organization said. Nearly 70% of visitor spending occurred in sectors beyond lodging, such as dining, retail and attractions.
Local tourism tax revenues increased 6% to $26 million, providing a revenue source for the city’s general fund to impact public safety, parks, street improvements and homeless outreach, said the organization, adding that Oceanside’s tourism industry supports more than 4,000 jobs in the city.
Group travel accounted for a 29% year-over-year increase in group room-night demand in 2024. In the past year, Oceanside hosted several corporate events, including Simone Biles’ Gold Over America Tour and San Diego Clippers home games held at Frontwave Arena.
In October, Oceanside will welcome the inaugural Sports Illustrated Women’s Games, a new multi-sport event. In 2028, the Olympics surfing competition will be held at Oceanside’s Trestles beach.
“With the opening of new beach resorts and the Frontwave Arena, Oceanside is better equipped to attract high-caliber corporate, sports, and group events that were not feasible in the past,” said Leslee Gaul, CEO of Visit Oceanside.
“Meeting planners and event organizers are excited about Oceanside as a fresh, world-class option to offer their clients and attendees. For Oceanside, these events and meetings align with our goals as they typically drive visitation during the off-season when local businesses need the boost.”
Rick Griffin is a San Diego-based public relations and marketing consultant. His MarketInk column appears weekly on Mondays in Times of San Diego.
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