Michael Strahan’s daughter shared her devastating cancer battle (Picture: Instagram)
Michael Strahan’s daughter has opened up about her diagnosis with brain cancer.
The Good Morning America host, 52, recently sparked concern after he was absent from our screens towards the end of last year.
In a new sit-down interview on the program this morning, he was joined by Isabella Strahan as they discussed her harrowing tumor battle.
Sporting a shaved head, the 19-year-old insisted: ‘I’m feeling good, not too bad. I’m very excited for this whole process to wrap. You just have to keep living every day through the whole thing.’
Speaking to Robin Roberts, she explained that she was diagnosed with medulloblastoma after suffering ‘excruciating headaches’ at college when she was 18.
‘I didn’t notice anything was off until probably September, October 1,’ she said. ‘That’s when I definitely noticed headaches, nausea, couldn’t walk straight.
‘I thought I had vertigo. I looked that up and associated that with walking straight.
‘I woke up at 1pm, I dreaded waking up. I was throwing up blood. I was like, “Hmmm, this probably isn’t good.” So I texted [my sister], who then notified the whole family.’
Michael encouraged her to go to the doctors with her issues, which ended up being a life-saving decision.
‘I’m very proud of her. She’s always been strong,’ he said. ‘18 years old at the time, you’re not thinking this… Maybe it’s vertigo, maybe it’s something else.
‘Thank goodness for the doctor. I feel like this doctor saved her life because she was thorough enough to say, “Let’s do the full checkup.”’
Isabella revealed they found a huge tumor during a checkup (Picture: ABC)
The doctors spotted something worrying during the appointment, and instructed the teenager to head to Cedars-Sinai hospital immediately.
It was then that Isabella was informed that there was a fast-growing 4cm tumor in back of her brain, that was larger than a golf ball.
According to the Mayo Clinic, Medulloblastoma is a cancerous brain tumor that starts as a growth of cells in the lower back part of the brain
Medulloblastoma cells tend to spread through the fluid that surrounds and protects your brain and spinal cord.
While it can occur at any age, it mostly affects young children – symptoms can include dizziness, headaches, nausea, vomiting and unsteady walking.
Michael shared his pride for his daughter (Picture: ABC)
‘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,’ Michael continued.
‘But it’s still scary because it’s still so much to go through. And the hardest thing to get over is to think that she has to go through this herself.’
The student underwent emergency surgery to remove the mass on the day before her 19th birthday, and recently completed radiation therapy – but is still in the process of treatment.
She has also started a new YouTube series, in connection with Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center, in order to help those who may be in similar situations.
Isabella has started a YouTube series about her journey (Picture: ABC)
‘I got to ring the bell yesterday,’ Isabella said. ‘It was great. It was very exciting because it’s been a long 30 sessions, six weeks.’
Michael proudly added: ‘I literally think that, in a lot of ways, I’m the luckiest man in the world because I’ve got an amazing daughter.
‘I know she’s going through it, but I know that we’re never given more than we can handle, and that she is going to crush this.
‘I need her, I don’t know what I would do without her.’
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A devastating time for the family.