Michael Strahan’s daughter Isabella Strahan is opening up about her experience receiving her first round of chemotherapy amid her battle with brain cancer.
Isabella Strahan is continuing to document her cancer journey.
Since being diagnosed with medulloblastoma in October, a malignant brain tumor found in children, the 19-year-old daughter of Michael Strahan has shared updates on her treatment, including further details about her first round of chemotherapy.
“The first week in the hospital was horrible,” she said in a Feb. 21 YouTube video. “The first day was like fine, I could still eat. But it just felt weird getting, I don’t know, you don’t really think you’re going to get like poison put through your body. I don’t know, not fun. I’m very achy now.”
She detailed a number of other symptoms, including uncontrollable shaking due to coldness, a “bright red” face and throwing up, however she noted she felt even worse after she’d returned home due to severe jaw pain.
“It felt like someone had just like ripped every single one of my teeth out,” she said, “and just set back in my mouth with no medicine. I basically couldn’t drink water, definitely there were tears over this jaw pain.”
But as difficult as her symptoms have been, Isabella Strahan said there’s been one bright side: she no longer cares about losing her hair.
“My hair is insufficient now,” she joked with a laugh. “When I’m like thinking about it, it’s painful to look at. Besides being bald, it doesn’t bring me pain mentally.”
Throughout her video, even while detailing the painful symptoms, Isabella often spoke with a smile on her face—something viewers noted.
“I respect your bravery and being able to vlog and smile gives hope to others going through hard things,” one user commented on the video, while another added, “Thank you for being honest while showing you can fight and smile at the same time. It matters!!!”
And in addition to supporters social media, Isabella also has a support system much closer to home: her family, including father Michael and twin sister Sophia, who have been there for her since the very beginning.
“I’m so lucky to have the most amazing sister and best friend in the world,” Sophia wrote on Instagram in January after Isabella shared her diagnosis publicly. “The last few months have been so much harder than we could have ever imagined, but it’s made me realize just how strong you are. You inspire me and I’m so proud of you. Us forever.”