Robin Roberts Says She’s Battling MDS (VIDEO)

ABC’s Robin Roberts announced today that she’s been diagnosed with a rare blood and bone marrow disorder called MDS, and will need to undergo a bone marrow transplant.

Speaking on Good Morning America, Roberts said the disease is a complication from the treatment she received to beat breast cancer in 2007.

On the GMA website, Roberts wrote that, while there are some “scary” statistics about MDS, her doctors have told her she is young and fit enough to win the battle.

Roberts made the revelation at the end of today’s GMA, surrounded by her co-hosts and with former co-host Diane Sawyer also in attendance.

“Sometimes treatment for cancer can lead to other serious medical issues and that’s what I’m facing right now,” she said. “The reason I am sharing this with everybody right now is because later today I begin what’s known as pre-treatment.”

Roberts said that a tube was being added to her arm this afternoon. “I didn’t want you to be concerned if you saw a bandage tomorrow,” she said. “It’s going to be there to draw blood … and also to administer drugs.”

Here’s what Roberts wrote today:

I received my MDS diagnosis on the very day that Good Morning America finally beat the Today Show for the first time in 16 years. Talk about your highs and lows! Then a few weeks ago, during a rather unpleasant procedure to extract bone marrow for testing, I received word that I would interview President Obama the next day. The combination of landing the biggest interview of my career and having a drill in my back reminds me that God only gives us what we can handle and that it helps to have a good sense of humor when we run smack into the absurdity of life.

Bottom line: I’ve been living with this diagnosis for awhile and will continue to anchor GMA. I love what I do and the people with whom I do it. Along with my faith, family and friends, all of you at ABC News give me the motivation and energy to face this challenge.

Check out more in the video below.

Related articles

• Robin Roberts Announces She’s Suffering From Bone Marrow Disease (huffingtonpost.com)
• Robin Roberts: I will beat MDS (marquee.blogs.cnn.com)
• ‘GMA’ host has rare blood disease (lfpress.com)