ABC News and FOX Sports host Michael Strahan's daughter Isabella is battling a malignant brain tumor, she announced on “Good Morning America” Thursday.
The type of tumor is known as medulloblastoma. The 19-year-old shared her own story on “GMA” after keeping her situation private for months.
“In many ways, I literally consider myself the luckiest man in the world because I have an amazing daughter,” Strahan said in an emotional joint interview with Robin Roberts.
“I know she's going through a hard time, but I also know that we'll never give her more than we can handle, and that she's going to break through this.” he said. “She doesn't know what she'd do without her.”
Disney silent on ongoing drama surrounding ESPN host Pat McCafé, NFL star Aaron Rodgers and ABC's Jimmy Kimmel
Michael Strahan's 19-year-old daughter Isabella is battling a malignant brain tumor, it was announced during an emotional interview on “Good Morning America” on Thursday. (ABC/screen capture)
Isabella, a first-year student at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, was diagnosed with medulloblastoma in October after experiencing headaches.
“That's when I realized I did have a headache and nausea and couldn't walk straight,” she said, noting that she initially thought it was dizziness until the symptoms worsened.
“I was scared to wake up and I was coughing up blood,” Isabella said. “I thought, 'Hmm, this is probably not good.'”
Isabella's sister then alerted her family, who advised her to seek medical attention.
“The doctor saved her life. I feel like this doctor saved her life,” Michael Strahan said.
Michael Strahan wonders why Giants waited to retire jerseys: 'I expected it to be a little sooner'
ABC News and FOX Sports host Michael Strahan said in an emotional interview Thursday that his daughter is “the luckiest man in the world.” (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Isabella recalled undergoing an EKG and MRI before receiving the life-changing call from her doctor.
“She was like, 'I need to head to Cedars-Sinai right now. I'll meet you there,'” Isabella said.
She went to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and learned she had a rapidly growing tumor in the back of her brain. Michael Strahan said at the time, “It didn't seem real.”
The mass, which was larger than a golf ball, was removed in emergency surgery on October 27th. The surgery took place the day before her 19th birthday.
A month of rehabilitation followed, followed by multiple rounds of radiation therapy.
“I just finished radiation therapy called proton beams,” Isabella Strahan said. “It was a long period of time, 30 sessions, six weeks, so it was very exciting…I feel good, it's not too bad, and I'm really looking forward to this whole process being over.”
Has Michael Strahan ever won a Super Bowl? TV host holds multiple NFL records
Michael Strahan was a New York Giants legend before he found success in the media. (AP Photo/David Duprey, File)
Isabella's next step is chemotherapy at Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center in North Carolina. She plans to document her own experiences in her upcoming YouTube series in collaboration with Duke.
“I'm looking forward to going back to college and moving back to California and starting my school life all over again. It's not over, it's just starting over and getting back to normal life and doing some fun things,” Isabella said. Ta.
Medulloblastoma accounts for 20% of all pediatric brain tumors and is diagnosed in about 500 children each year, ABC reported, citing the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
