Former News 12 anchor Carol Silva says she's cancer-free

Former News 12 anchor Carol Silva says she is cancer-free following last year’s diagnosis of Stage 4 cancer.

"I’m back — big time," a happy and healthy looking Silva said in a video posted to her Instagram account Friday morning.

Silva’s recovery comes after an emotional final broadcast in December that capped off a five-decade career spent on the air. She had announced her intention to step down from News 12 in June of that year and in October revealed her diagnosis of non-small-cell lung cancer that had spread to her brain. Silva underwent numerous procedures, including video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery to biopsy her lung tumor and systemic treatment for her lung and radiation for her brain at Northwell Health Center's Monter Cancer Center in New Hyde Park and Long Island Jewish Medical Center, she told Newsday last year.

Silva was a nonsmoker, she said, adding that doctors told her that 50% of those who get cancer like hers are nonsmokers, and that women are more likely than men to get it. Silva also said her mother had died of cancer that was not discovered until weeks before her death.

"There is no shame in this," Silva said last year. "My attitude is, I have an army of support and we're incredibly lucky on Long Island and the tristate area to have world-class medical facilities in our backyard. When anyone says to me, 'what can I do for you,' I say 'pray.’"

In her video post Friday, Silva thanked all those who supported her during her treatment. "I’m sure that my healing is a combination of my faith, my family, my friends, my News 12 family, luck and the incredible medicine and doctors at Monter Cancer institute at Northwell," Silva said.

Her final words in the video: "What’s next? I’m going to continue to try to grow my soul so that I continue to try to do more good for more people. It’s my life’s mission. And I just have to say, ‘Thank you.’"