The Kansas City community and the broadcasting world are mourning the loss of Cynthia Newsome, a beloved longtime television anchor and community leader, who passed away on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
Kansas City Star
Her brother-in-law, Travis Newsome, shared the heartbreaking news on social media, beautifully writing: “She left us early enough today to do the evening news in Heaven.”
Kansas City Star
A Distinguished Career in Journalism
Cynthia Newsome was a fixture in local journalism for over 40 years, spending 25 of those years shaping the news landscape in Kansas City at KSHB 41 (41 Action News).
Kansas City Star
The Anchor Desk: She joined KSHB 41 in 1997, where she served as a trusted reporter and anchor. Her colleagues and viewers widely respected her for her unwavering professionalism, sharp reporting, and deep empathy.
Kansas City Star
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Major Coverage: Before making her mark in Kansas City, Newsome worked in Oklahoma City, where she was on the ground reporting through the devastating 1995 federal building bombing.
Kansas City Star
Community Leadership: In her later years at the station, she transitioned from the anchor desk to serve as the Senior Community Relationships Director for KSHB & KMCI, continuing her mission to connect with and uplift local residents.
Medium
Health Battle and Advocacy
Newsome was incredibly transparent about her health journey, using her platform to educate, inspire, and destigmatize cancer diagnoses.
Patient Resource
Initial Diagnoses: She was first diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in 2011. After rigorous treatment, the cancer went into remission a year later. However, the disease returned in February 2019 and was found to have metastasized.
The University of Kansas Cancer Center
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Further Health Challenges: In May 2025, Newsome courageously shared with her followers that she had also been diagnosed with brain cancer.
Kansas City Star
Paying it Forward: Alongside her husband, Ed Newsome, she launched “Newsome’s House Calls,” a 30-day campaign focused on the critical importance of regular mammograms and self-exams. Her reporting on women living with metastatic breast cancer earned her the prestigious American Association for Cancer Research June L. Biedler Prize for Cancer Journalism in 2020. She was also honored with the Bloch Cancer Survivorship Award in 2016 and the Komen Kansas City Legacy Award in 2017.
The University of Kansas Cancer Center
Impact Off-Air: Awesome Ambitions
Beyond her journalism, Newsome’s lasting legacy lives on through Awesome Ambitions, a nonprofit organization she co-founded in 1997 alongside Kansas City Star journalist Angela Curry.
Kansas City Star
The foundation provides mentorship, educational tools, and college/career readiness counseling to 8th through 12th-grade Black and brown girls across the greater Kansas City area. Over the last nearly three decades, the program has guided and empowered thousands of young women to achieve their professional dreams
