When you get a second chance at life, one of the best things you can choose to do is live it fully. Isabella Strahan is choosing to live her life that way after being declared cancer-free in July 2024.
Strahan, who is the daughter of Good Morning America co-anchor and former NFL player Michael Strahan, posted an inspirational TikTok video detailing her journey while fighting an aggressive brain cancer diagnosis in 2023 and life after. In the video, the 20-year-old shared moments from her treatment, including lying in a hospital bed, learning to walk again and showcasing a bald head. Shortly after, we see her back to work, displaying a recent modeling campaign for Kenneth Cole, going for a run, and beaming with pride on top of a mountain.
“Living the life I fought for ❤️🩹 #recovery #cancer” she captioned the post, alongside a song titled “The Journey” by H.E.R.
In October 2023, shortly after her diagnosis, the model underwent emergency surgery to remove a large medulloblastoma, which is a type of malignant tumor, that was located in her cerebellum. Treatment included six weeks of radiation, four rounds of chemotherapy, and three brain surgeries.
In March, during a visit to the Beyond the Battlefront podcast, Isabella reflected on the one regret she had during her cancer battle.
“I lost a lot of weight during my treatments, which was bound to happen because my appetite was out and I was nauseous all the time,” she said. “But one thing I wish I did was move.”
She continued, “I know it’s super hard at times and I did not want to move, but I wish I just made myself walk, even 100 steps a day, because I lost so much of my leg muscle,” Strahan said at the time. “It’s not fun to get back because I’m paying for it now trying to work out and everything. I’d tell myself, ‘Move. Move yourself. Drink a lot of water.’ All the health stuff.”
An empowering choice she did make during her health challenge was choosing to freeze her eggs before undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. She had to get three hormone injection shots in her stomach daily for a week before the egg retrieval procedure, which happened on Thanksgiving Day in 2023. “I am not a big needle person … I’ve gotten used to my blood and IVs, but shots?” she said at the time. “That was rough.”
In the end, it was all worth it. We’re glad Strahan has the strength to move now and is focused on maintaining optimal health and creating a colorful life after cancer.