"Boy Meets World" alum Danielle Fishel revealed she has breast cancer, and while she initially planned to "suffer in silence" and "suck it up," the 43-year-old actor has now chosen to speak out about her battle for awareness.
Fishel opened up about her diagnosis on the latest episode of her "Pod Meets World" podcast.
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"I was recently diagnosed with DCIS, which stands for ductal carcinoma in situ, which is a form of breast cancer," she said, according to Variety. "It's very, very, very early. It's technically stage zero."
Fishel explained she planned to have surgery to remove a "high-grade DCIS with micro-invasion."
"I've had to make a lot of decisions over the last couple of days," she said, adding that she only planned to tell her immediate family and close friends, then go public one she'd beat the cancer, but changed her mind after reading content from author Glennon Doyle, who said women should share their stories amid their battles and not only after they are out of the experience.
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"They found it so, so, so early that I'm going to be fine. So, I want to share this because I hope that it will encourage anyone to get in there," Fishel continued. "If it's time for your appointment, if you've never had an appointment before, get in there. If you have to find out that you have cancer, find out when it's at stage 0, if possible."
Fishel said she is consulting with doctors, including oncologists and specialists, to plan her treatment, but assured listeners she will be fine. She did however admit the diagnosis might impact her upcoming projects. She recently directed three episodes of NBC's "Lopez vs. Lopez."
Fishel's co-host and fellow "Boy Meets World" star Will Friedle, who was among the first to learn about her diagnosis after Fishel's family, assured the star that she was loved and not alone in her battle against cancer.
"We love you, and you know that we've got you. Whatever you need, we're here," he said. "You are going to be fine, and you might have some sucky days coming up, but we're here for you."