Working Through Cancer
- Michael Strahan’s daughter Isabella, 20, has beat an aggressive form of brain cancer after undergoing surgery, radiation therapy, and grueling chemotherapy for treatment. Now her dad has teased retirement after realizing how important family is through hard times.
- Strahan daughter battled medulloblastoma. It is a rare primary central nervous system tumor. This type of brain tumor is cancerous and proliferates, making it more likely to spread to other parts of the body. Immediate treatment was needed, including surgery to remove most of the tumor, followed by radiation and chemotherapy to get whatever was left behind.
- Many SurvivorNet experts recommend patients keep working if they can can continue to do their job. “We always encourage people to continue to work if they can,” says Sarah Stapleton, a clinical social worker at Montefiore Medical Center. “I think it creates a sense of normalcy for patients.” If you’re able to work, you’ll be busy, and you may not be worrying all the time about how your treatment is going, Stapleton adds.
- It would be best to talk with your doctor before continuing to work during treatment or a loved one’s cancer treatment. Ask your physician what you can and cannot do so you don’t disrupt ongoing treatment.
Now, as Isabella has embarked on her survivorship journey and returned to college after undergoing cancer treatment for eight months, she and her loving dad are looking back on their emotional journey as she fought cancer.
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“I want her to have that sense of independence again, because my kids can’t grow if they’re under my shade.”
Strahan continued, “I’m not planning on retiring anytime soon. I will at some point, and I’d like to say a lot sooner than a lot of people probably think I will.
“When I do it, it will be because I just want to have the freedom to be with (Isabella) and her sister, and her other sister and brother. Wherever they are, whatever they’re doing, I want to be there.”
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Referring to how he took off work for three weeks at the start of her cancer journey, he admitted, “I missed GMA, my football show, everything. To be honest with you, none of it mattered.
“Being at work or being at the hospital: What was the most important thing? You have to figure that out and make whatever the best decision is for you and your family. And that’s what I did.”
However, he also said that returning to work helped as it “normalized things for me.”
“I thought, Okay, we’re going to get back on track with life. To go to work, come home, take her to radiation—that cycle, routine. To have the support of people at GMA and Fox was a godsend,” he added.
Strahan also spoke with PEOPLE at Town & Country’s 11th Annual Philanthropy Summit this week, “It was inspiring, but tough because I’m watching her go through something and telling everybody about [on her YouTube channel], and I’m seeing it in real time, and then to know that she’s sharing something that is so personal with everyone.”
He also noted how he’s learned “if you take your pain and you make it a message” … its possible to “help other people get through their pain through your message.”
Isabella’s Cancer Journey
Isabella documented her journey in a series of video blogs, and she finally was dubbed “cancer-free” after having a clear scan in July 2024, she announced in a Vlog post.
Earlier this year, she revealed she was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor after experiencing harsh headaches and nausea and had trouble walking.
More specifically, she had a medulloblastoma, which is a rare primary central nervous system tumor, the National Cancer Institute explains. This type of brain tumor is cancerous and grows quickly, making it more likely to spread to other parts of the body.
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Common symptoms for this type of tumor may include:
- Difficulty walking or balancing
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Difficulty with vision
- Seizures
She first underwent emergency surgery to remove most of the mass in her brain. Additional treatment includes radiation therapy, followed by chemotherapy, to try and get any remaining cancer cells left behind.
Helping Patients Better Understand Brain Cancer
Strahan shared that she had a hellacious chemotherapy experience as she struggled with the grueling side effects of treatment.
Chemotherapy is an effective tool for oncologists to help treat cancer by stopping cancerous cells from growing, dividing, and spreading to other organs. Chemo works by traveling through the bloodstream, killing cancerous cells. However, the process also impacts healthy cells, leading to side effects.
Patients almost universally experience fatigue, often alongside gastrointestinal side effects, such as nausea. Doctors have many effective medications to combat chemo-induced nausea. “But mitigating that fatigue often depends on the patient,” says Dr. Renata Urban, a gynecologic oncologist at the University of Washington in Seattle.
WATCH: What You Think You Know About Chemotherapy Side Effects May Be Wrong
Strahan recently had her chemotherapy port surgically removed, which also left behind a lingering sting. “My side hurts a lot. It feels like I got stabbed…not enjoyable,” Strahan said in her vlog.
As the soreness from treatment continued to wear off, Strahan and her family focused on the positive and that she’d reached remission.
“Ring the bell three times. It’s a toll to clearly say my treatment is done, this course is run, and I’m on my way,” Strahan said.
Choosing to Continue Working During Cancer Treatment
Michael Strahan’s decision to keep working amid his daughter’s cancer battle is something SurvivorNet experts recommend patients do if they can continue to do their job.
“We always encourage people to continue to work if they can,” says Sarah Stapleton, a clinical social worker at Montefiore Medical Center.
“I think it creates a sense of normalcy for patients.”
WATCH: Choosing to Work During Cancer Treatment
If you’re able to work, you’ll be busy, and you may not be worrying all the time about how your treatment is going, Stapleton adds.
Sometimes, cancer can make you feel isolated and lonely, and being around people for work can alleviate feelings of loneliness.
It would be best to talk with your doctor before continuing to work during treatment. Ask your physician what you can and cannot do so you don’t disrupt ongoing treatment.
Finding Joy Outside of Cancer
When faced with a cancer battle it can be hard to focus on life outside of your disease, especially when it comes to working your job at the same time. But it’s important to remember that your mental state can actually impact your success as a patient.
Determination & Hope Despite Setbacks Prevail in ‘Climbing Blind’
“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,” Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet.
“And those are patients who, they have gratitude in life.”
RELATED: Stay Positive, It Matters
Dr. Dana Chase, a gynecologic oncologist at Arizona Oncology, also advocates for cancer warriors to prioritize their mental health. She noted that emotional well-being has been studied as a factor in patient outcomes.
“We know from good studies that emotional health is associated with survival, meaning better quality of life is associated with better outcomes,” Dr. Chase told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.
“So, working on your emotional health, your physical well-being, your social environment [and] your emotional well-being are important and can impact your survival,” Dr. Chase explained. “If that’s related to what activities you do that bring you joy, then you should try to do more of those activities.”
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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