Entertainment
Published January 11, 2024, 7:53 am ET
Michael Strahan's daughter Isabella is battling a malignant brain tumor called medulloblastoma. An MRI scan led to the diagnosis in October 2023.
Medulloblastoma is a cancerous and fast-growing brain tumor that develops in the cerebellum, the back part of the brain where movement and coordination are controlled.
The father-daughter pair revealed the emotional news during a “Good Morning America” segment with Robin Roberts on Thursday.
“Today my daughter @IsabellaStrahan did an interview with @RobinRoberts and I about the journey she took on @GMA,” he wrote via Instagram. “I love you, Isabella, and I will always be by your side. To everyone sending love, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!”
Heidi Gutman/ABC Heidi Gutman/ABC
During the meeting, the University of Southern California freshman revealed that she was suffering from dizziness and had “spent two months trying to keep it still, which was difficult.”
Isabella noted that she doesn't want to “hide” her journey. In late October, she underwent brain surgery, followed by rehabilitation and six weeks of radiation treatment. In February she will begin chemotherapy at Duke University, where her twin sister Sophia is studying.
“I feel good, not bad. I'm really excited for this whole process to be over, but you just have to live through the whole thing every day,” she explained.
Isabella Strahan/YouTube
The model, who recently launched a campaign with Sephora, is creating a YouTube series to document her experiences in collaboration with Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center.
“With my platform, I hope to just be a voice and be a person that people who may be going through something similar, going through chemotherapy or radiation, can look at and just hear and observe or find something interesting about themselves.” day,” she said. “I’m just looking forward to it.”
For his part, Strahan wasn't initially sure if Isabella wanted to share her story.
“This is something very personal,” he told Roberts. “But her idea was, 'I want to share it and help other people,' and that's in the spirit of who she's always been.”
Isabella Strahan/YouTube Isabella Strahan/YouTube
At one point, when Isabella became emotional, her father said, “You're allowed to cry.”
“I know she's going through this, but I know we're never given more than we can handle,” he continued. “She’ll destroy this.”
“I know it was hard, but you live on, Isabella,” he added. “We love you. We are here for you and you understand that.”
Getty Images Isabella Strahan/YouTube
The former athlete rewatched the pre-recorded interview with Roberts and continued to discuss the health crisis in the ABC studio on Thursday.
“It's hard for me to even look at it. You hope your children will never experience any pain,” he said. “We are here to ensure she gets the love and support she needs. …I am grateful that you allowed her to share her story. … [Robin] I appreciate you making her feel comfortable.”
The health news comes after Strahan was mysteriously absent from “GMA” for three weeks. He returned on November 15, but never explained his hiatus at the time.
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