Abby Praises JoJo
- Abby Lee Miller, 55, from the reality TV show Dance Moms, is praising her former student from the show, JoJo Siwa, who recently came out.
- Miller was diagnosed with Burkitt Lymphoma in 2018.
- Throughout her health battles, Miller stayed focused on the good, and even taught dance from her hospital room.
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Miller’s Cancer Battle
In April 2018, Miller was diagnosed with Burkitt Lymphoma, a form of rare and aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma. “This disease may affect the jaw, central nervous system, bowel, kidneys, ovaries, or other organs. Burkitt lymphoma may spread to the central nervous system (CNS),” according to Lymphoma.org.
Miller treated the disease and rebuilt her strength through physical therapy. In an earlier interview, Dr. Wicker-Ramos spoke about the importance of physical therapy, saying, "Exercise improves your circulation, which improves wound-healing.” After complications from spinal surgery, which Miller needed due to complications from her lymphoma, she began using an electric wheelchair.
Keeping a Positive Mindset Through Cancer
Miller appeared to remain upbeat throughout much her cancer battle and even continued teaching dance from her hospital room. This kind of focus on the good, and staying connected with what brings you joy through the cancer battle, can be very beneficial.
Related: Abby Lee Miller, Stepping Out of Quarantine & Onto the Beach, Won't Let Cancer Beat Her!
Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal surgeon at Cedars-Sinai, said in an earlier interview how important it is to stay positive, as Miller has done. He said, “My patients who thrive, even with stage 4 cancer, from the time that they, about a month after they’re diagnosed, I kind of am pretty good at seeing who is going to be OK. Now doesn’t that mean I’m good at saying that the cancer won’t grow. But I’m pretty good at telling what kind of patients are going to still have this attitude and probably going to live the longest, even with bad, bad disease. And those are patients who, they have gratitude in life.”
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