What Is a Medulloblastoma? Everything to Know About Michael Strahan’s Daughter Isabella’s Diagnosis

The 'Good Morning America' co-anchor revealed Thursday that his daughter, 19, has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor known as medulloblastoma

Michael Strahan’s daughter Isabella has been receiving treatment for a malignant brain tumor known as medulloblastoma since October 2023, the Good Morning America co-anchor revealed Thursday.

Medulloblastoma is a pediatric brain tumor that arises in the cerebellum, which is located at the base of the skull and is responsible for coordination.

"I know she's going through it, but I know that we're never given more than we can handle and that she is going to crush this,” Strahan, 52, told his fellow co-anchor Robin Roberts on the show.

"I literally think that in a lot of ways, I'm the luckiest man in the world because I've got an amazing daughter,” he added.

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Isabella was diagnosed with the condition in October after she started experiencing headaches — which she initially attributed to vertigo — during her freshman year at the University of Southern California.

“I definitely noticed headaches, nausea, couldn't walk straight,” the teenager told Roberts. Her condition took a turn for the worse on Oct. 25, when she woke up in the early hours of the morning "throwing up blood." Her family encouraged her to seek immediate medical attention.

Explained Michael on GMA, "That was when we decided, 'You need to really go get a thorough checkup.' And thank goodness for the doctor. I feel like this doctor saved her life."

Doctors discovered Isabella had developed a fast-growing, 4-centimeter tumor, larger than a golf ball, in the back of her brain. “It didn’t feel real,” Michael said of receiving the news.

About 500 children are diagnosed with medulloblastoma each year, according to estimates published in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience. It accounts for approximately 20% of all childhood brain tumors and, according to the Mayo Clinic, it is the most common cancerous brain tumor in children.

Per the Mayo Clinic, muscle coordination, balance and movement can be impacted by medulloblastoma due to the tumor's location in the brain.

A fast-growing tumor, medulloblastom can spread to other areas of the brain and spinal cord through cerebrospinal fluid. But, medulloblastoma doesn’t typically spread to other parts of the body.

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According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of medulloblastoma may include double vision, headaches, nausea, poor coordination, fatigue, unsteady walking, vomiting and dizziness.

Reaching a diagnosis involves a neurological exam in which vision, hearing, balance, coordination and reflexes are tested.

CT (Computed Tomography) scans and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans are also used to indicate the size and location of the tumor, per Mayo Clinic.

Other tests may include tissue sampling or a spinal tap called a lumbar puncture during which fluid is removed from two bones in the lower spine for testing.

Treatment for medulloblastoma usually includes surgery followed by radiation or chemotherapy, sometimes both.

Isabella Strahan underwent emergency surgery on Oct. 27, the day before her 19th birthday. The teen said her recollection of her recovery remains foggy, and she had to learn how to walk again with the help of her twin sister Sophia. She also underwent a month of rehabilitation and several rounds of radiation treatment.

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Later this month, Isabella will also begin chemotherapy at Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center in Durham, North Carolina.

Talking about chemotherapy, Isabella told Roberts, “That's my next step. I'm ready for it to start and be one day closer to being over.”

As for the future, Isabella said on GMA that the experience has given her a new outlook. "Perspective is a big thing," she said. "I'm grateful. I am grateful just to walk or see friends or do something, 'cause when you can't do something, it really impacts you."

And Michael shares her sentiment. "You learn that you're probably not as strong as you thought you were when you have to really think about the real things, and I realized that I need support from everybody," he said.

"You think, 'I'm the athlete, the tough guy, you know, I can come and handle, I'm the father in the family.' It is not about any of that. It doesn't matter. And it's really made me change my perspective on so many things in my life."

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