Michael Strahan‘s daughter Isabella is opening up about her private battle with cancer.
In a poignant segment of Good Morning America on Thursday morning, the 19-year-old revealed she was diagnosed with brian cancer — specifically, she had a malignant brain tumor known as medulloblastoma. It was during her freshman year of college in the fall (at the time she was just 18) when she realized something wasn’t quite right, she told Robin Roberts:
“I didn’t notice anything was off ’til probably September, like Oct. 1. That’s when I definitely noticed headaches, nausea, couldn’t walk straight.”
Wow. At the time, she thought she had “vertigo” after doing some quick online searches and relating to the symptoms.
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Weeks later, the University of Southern California student woke up “throwing up blood,” she recalled:
“I was like, ‘Hm, this probably isn’t good.’ So I texted [my sister], who then notified the whole family.”
So scary!
The family insisted she go get a thorough checkup at that point. After getting several tests done (including an MRI), the teenager’s doctor urged her to get to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in El Lay ASAP — but didn’t tell her why at first. The NFL player, who shares Isabella and Sophia with his second ex-wife Jean Muggli, was the first to learn she was diagnosed with a “fast-growing, four-centimeter tumor” that was larger than a golf ball. He said:
“I don’t really remember much. I just remember trying to figure out how to get to LA ASAP. And it just doesn’t feel real. It just didn’t feel real.”
According to the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, medulloblastoma is a form of malignant tumor that makes up about 20% of all childhood tumors, but it’s most common for kids between 5 and 9 years old. The TV host said:
“But rarely someone who’s 18, 19 years old [gets it]. It’s the one that they feel very confident they can treat.”
The day after learning of the tumor (and the day before her 19th birthday), the college student underwent emergency surgery to remove the tumor. She also had to relearn to walk with the help of her twin sister and, after a month rehab, underwent radiation therapy. On this, she shared:
“I just finished radiation therapy, which is proton radiation, and I got to ring the bell yesterday. It was great. It was very exciting because it’s been a long 30 sessions, six weeks.”
While she’s still dealing with some side effects, she’s “feeling good” and excited about getting back to her normal life. But she’s not out of the woods yet. She will now be relocating to Durham, North Carolina to start chemotherapy at Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center. She explained:
“That’s my next step. I’m ready for it to start and be one day closer to being over.”
She’s also partnered with the hospital to start a YouTube channel documenting her journey, which she hopes will be a source of inspiration for others going through their own cancer battles, something she felt was lacking when she was first diagnosed. Amazing!
As you can imagine, this health battle has changed the family’s perspective on life, the former New York Giants player mused:
“You learn that you’re probably not as strong as you thought you were when you have to really think about the real things. I realized that I need support from everybody. You think that I’m the athlete, the tough guy, you know, I can come and handle, I’m the father in the family. It is not about any of that. It doesn’t matter. It’s really made me change my perspective on so many things in my life.”
Meanwhile, Isabella said she’s “grateful” for all the small things again, like walking and seeing friends. Tearing up, she noted:
“Something Sophia said to me, I think, at the start of this all. She said, ‘You have to keep living, just because this is happening.’”
So, so emotional. We are sending so much love to Isabella as she continues on this health journey!! You can see the full segment (below):
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