Michael Strahan’s daughter has shared the latest step in her cancer journey as she undergoes a planned surgery to remove a port.
Isabella Strahan, 19, has been vlogging about her cancer treatment after being diagnosed with a medulloblastoma in October. According to the Mayo Clinic, while medulloblastoma is the most common cancerous brain tumor in children, it is not often seen in people Isabella Strahan’s age.
In June, the teenager, who has had three craniotomies, completed her fourth and final round of chemo. She has documented her experiences on her YouTube channel, including her latest surgery.
The video began with her mom, Jean Muggli, driving her back to the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke in North Carolina.
“Hey guys, long time no see. But I am driving back up to Duke to get my port removed,” Isabella Strahan said, showing the port in her neck and the connected point in her stomach.
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images
The port, known as a “chemo port,” is an implantable device that attaches to a vein and allows health care workers to draw blood and give treatments without having to insert a needle, the Cleveland Clinic said.
Later in the video, Isabella Strahan showed her 41,800 YouTube subscribers around the hospital ward before cutting to her Inside Out–themed room, where she showed off her hospital gown and compression socks “fit.”
“I just actually saw the movie two days ago,” she said, referring to the Pixar sequel, which smashed box office expectations.
“I just talked to the plastic surgeon that’s going to close [the port], the anesthesia doctor,” she said, adding, “I talked to everyone, and I’m really excited. The recovery for this seems to be like four weeks of not going in water and stuff like that, just kind of being careful and like scar care, so not too bad.”
The video went on to show her being wheeled to surgery to much fanfare, with nurses blowing bubbles, waving streamers and cheering her on.
The vlogger also wore a tiara, which she put back on after the surgery as she recovered in a room decorated with images from her favorite cartoon: Scooby-Doo.
“Out of surgery. You can see there’s no more,” she said, pointing to where the port in her neck had been. “It’s just so crazy,” she added.
The video ended with a groggy Isabella Strahan promising to keep viewers updated.
Earlier this year, Michael Strahan, who has taken a leave of absence from co-hosting Good Morning America, discussed his daughter’s health on an episode of the show.
Newsweek has contacted Michael Strahan’s representatives for comment by email.
He has also said he had surgery to remove basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer, from his hairline.
“Everything is good,” he told co-host George Stephanopoulos and guest Kevin Jonas. “Yeah, everything is good. It’s working out.”
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.