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- Isabella Strahan says she is cancer-free (cbsnews.com)
Isabella Strahan, daughter of NFL great Michael Strahan, recently declared she is free from cancer. The 19-year-old has been combating a malignant brain tumor known as medulloblastoma since last year and joyfully announced on her YouTube channel that her cancer treatment has concluded successfully with clear scans.
She underwent treatment at Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center in Durham, North Carolina, and has shared her experiences through online videos. In her latest video titled “Goodbye Hospital,” she captured her final medical appointment and MRI.
She happily shared, “Great scans, everything was clear. Cancer-free,” and added, “Everything is great.
I don’t have another doctor’s appointment until October.”
Isabella expressed a bittersweet sentiment about leaving the medical staff who have become like family. “I miss my doctors already and everyone who has helped me because they’re all so nice,” she remarked in the video. She revealed her disappointment about not returning soon, saying, “I’m just saddened today knowing that I wasn’t going to be going back for a while because I love them so much.”
While this marks her last hospital-related vlog until October, Isabella plans to continue vlogging about other life events, including her return to the University of Southern California, where she attends school.
Isabella first shared news of her diagnosis publicly in January on “Good Morning America,” where she initially thought her severe headaches indicated vertigo. The symptoms escalated to her waking up late, feeling unwell and vomiting blood, which led her to alert her family.
Soon after, doctors discovered a rapidly growing golf-ball-size tumor in her brain. She underwent emergency surgery the day before her 19th birthday.
After numerous rounds of radiation, Isabella celebrated the end of her radiation treatment by ringing the ceremonial bell, a tradition for cancer patients achieving significant treatment milestones, in the presence of her twin sister Sophia, her father Michael, and his girlfriend.
Reflecting on the difficult treatment period, Isabella described the completion of her 30 radiation sessions over six weeks as “very exciting” during another “GMA” appearance.
Michael Strahan has been openly supportive, praising his daughter’s strength and describing her as “amazing” and himself as the “luckiest man in the world.” He expressed confidence in her resilience by stating, “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.”
Medulloblastoma primarily affects children and originates from the cerebellum, the part of the brain crucial for coordinating muscle movements and balance. Although rare, it is the most prevalent cancerous brain tumor in children and can be hereditary when linked to specific genetic conditions.
The tumor is aggressive, capable of spreading to other brain regions through cerebral spinal fluid. Symptoms often include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, unsteady gait, and fatigue, with treatment typically involving surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
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- Isabella Strahan says she is cancer-free (cbsnews.com)