Sam Champion Undergoes Lengthy Surgery for Skin Cancer That Left Him 'Overwhelmed'
The "Good Morning America" star shared details as he had multiple procedures to remove skin cancer from underneath his eye
Beloved Good Morning America weather anchor Sam Champion shared details during a lengthy day of skin cancer surgery on X, the platform previously known as Twitter
Champion, 63, said he felt "a little overwhelmed" after he needed a second round of surgery to remove all the cancer underneath his eye
The TV personality said he used to love sunbathing, but is "very careful" with sun exposure now
Sam Champion has shared an update in his ongoing struggle with skin cancer, posting details from a lengthy day of surgery that he admitted left him feeling "a little overwhelmed."
The beloved Good Morning America weather anchor shared a series of photos on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, as he underwent treatment for skin cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City on Oct. 2.
“First pass of the knife with Mohs surgery today! Now we wait for results,” Champion, 63, captioned a selfie of himself, surrounded by hospital equipment.
As John Hopkins Medicine explains, “Mohs surgery is a method for treating skin cancer lesions. During this procedure, the surgeon removes thin layers of skin one layer at a time and examines each layer under a microscope to determine if any cancer remains. This procedure continues until only cancer-free tissue remains.”
In Champion’s case, he required another round of surgery, sharing a second — frowning — selfie on X, that he captioned: “2nd pass coming. -sigh-.”
Nearly 12 hours after the initial post, Champion shared a third — and final — update at 10:12 pm, showing a graphic close-up of a series of stitches underneath his eye.
2nd pass coming. -sigh- pic.twitter.com/18AmaDZSep
— Sam Champion (@SamChampion) October 2, 2024
Related: 15-Year-Old Creates a Soap That Could Help Prevent and Treat Skin Cancer
“Final final👍. We got it all! Thanks to a hard working group of very kind DRs and Nurses! Keep a close eye on your skin… No one knows it better than you… And when you see something you don’t like, make sure you talk to your doctor,” Champion advised.
His cohost and friend Robin Roberts commended his posts on X, writing, “Proud of you dear friend for taking care of yourself… and for making your mess your message for others!”
It’s not the first time Champion has shared his skin cancer struggle. In July, he posted a photo of himself with a circular bandage under his eye, saying, “For about 30 years now, I’ve been reminding you guys to regularly have a doctor examine the places on your skin that just don’t look right! I’ve had dozens of skin cancer removed, most simple basal cell… Today a biopsy on this one under my eye!”
While he does get regular skin checks, this “was a spot that I had been watching because I noticed,” Champion shared in a post to his Instagram stories Oct. 3.
Related: Celebs Who Have Had Skin Cancer — and What They Do Now to Prevent Recurrence
“Always keep an eye on your own skin,” he advised — and said that he’s “physically doing great. I started to swell a little bit after the surgery but it’s not as swollen today.”
“Mentally, yesterday was a rough day,” Champion shared. “I gotta say, I just felt a little overwhelmed on the second pass, but I think that’s natural and normal.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“The damage is the damage, the scar will be the scar,” he continued, adding that he’s not in pain and that his vision was “impacted a little bit” from the numbing injection.
And while he said he spent his life sunbathing, these days, “I haven’t done that in years now. When I’m in a beach chair, I have an umbrella, and I have my sunscreen.”
“Sun exposure, I’ll be very careful with now,” Champion said. “I don’t think legitimate sunbathing where you lay in the sun like a lizard, I don’t think that’s been a part of my recent past and it won’t be a part of my close-to future, either.”
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.