Actress Danielle Fishel from 'Boy Meets World' discloses her diagnosis of breast cancer.
On the most recent episode of her "Pod Meets World" podcast, which she co-hosts with Will Friedle and Rider Strong, the "Boy Meets World" alum disclosed some personal news. She announced that she had been diagnosed with DCIS, which stands for ductal carcinoma in situ, a type of early-stage breast cancer. According to Breastcancer.org, DCIS is a form of breast cancer that's at its earliest stage.
Fishel, 43, who gained fame as Topanga Lawrence on the '90s sitcom, detailed that she was diagnosed with high-grade DCIS with micro-invasion. This type of DCIS increases the risk of developing invasive breast cancer later in life, and about 20-25% of new breast cancers diagnosed in the U.S. are DCIS.
Regardless, Fishel sounded optimistic about her diagnosis. She shared that she would be undergoing surgery to remove the DCIS and that she would also be on follow-up treatment. She added that over the last couple of days, she had to make many important decisions.
Fishel initially planned to keep her diagnosis private, but she was inspired by author Glennon Doyle's words, "the place you have the most to learn from is at the very beginning of a story, or in the very messy middle of a story." Fishel believed sharing her experience could help others and decided to go public.
Moreover, Fishel attributed her early diagnosis to acting promptly. She pointed out that it was only because she made an appointment for her yearly mammogram the very same day she received a reminder text that she was able to catch the cancer in its earliest stage.
Finally, Fishel mentioned reprising her role in the "Girl Meets World" spinoff, which aired from 2014 to 2017. She is married to producer Jensen Karp and is the mother of two.
In light of her diagnosis, Fishel decided to use her platform for entertainment to raise awareness about the importance of regular breast screenings. Her hope is that sharing her experience could encourage others to take their health seriously.
After her surgery, Fishel plans to continue her acting career, with a focus on promoting positive messages and encouraging self-care through entertaining content.
