As reported by PEOPLE, the Good Morning America anchor, Robin Roberts, is celebrating the tenth anniversary of her return to the ABC show after undergoing a bone marrow transplant. In an exclusive promo for the Feb. 21 celebration, GMA takes a closer look at Roberts’ health journey after the anchor was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a rare blood disorder that impacts bone marrow. After discovering that she had MDS, Roberts took a break from Good Morning America for close to six months. She ultimately received a bone marrow transplant from her sister Sally-Ann in 2012.
Roberts told PEOPLE, “The images of my return always take me back, but more than that, they remind me of how far I’ve come. Seeing the videos and images renews my faith in scientific advancement, renews my faith in selfless actions for others, renews my faith in God certainly, and energizes me that the best is still yet to come.”
The anchor noted that she can still recall her emotional return to GMA. Roberts said, “As I said back in 2013, I waited 174 days to be healthy enough to say, ‘Good morning, America. And so I remember being overcome with emotion about how fortunate and truly blessed I’d been to be able to say those three words.” She added, “I also committed to doing something – everything possible – to give other people facing similar circumstances hope.”
The GMA anchor shared that she plans to observe the day with her longtime partner Amber Laign. Roberts said, “If my own health challenges have taught me anything, they’ve taught me to live in the now with those you love,” she says. “I won’t have a big celebration, but I do see a quiet evening with Sweet Amber, who has has her own cancer battle recently, reflecting on our blessings and our health.”
In marking Roberts’ return to the ABC show, GMA will partner with Be The Match, a nonprofit organization run by the National Marrow Donor Program. Roberts said, “Over the last 10 years, GMA and our incredible viewers have done that in so many ways. And I’m especially proud of our ongoing ‘One Match, Second Chance’ series which raises awareness of the bone marrow registry and showcases recent scientific advancements.”
Roberts went on to say, “While I was fortunate that my sister Sally-Ann was a match for me, many others must turn to the bone marrow registry to find their match. And that’s why GMA, ABC’s Owned Television Stations, and some of our ABC affiliates have teamed up with Be The Match to hold bone marrow registry drives ahead of my 10-year anniversary.”
She finished by saying, “The best celebration for me will be knowing that we’ve added to the bone marrow registry and that more people have a better chance of finding their lifesaving match. Everybody’s got something. Whether it’s illness, the end of a relationship, financial difficulties, the key is not to dwell on your something but rather to discover the lessons you can learn from it and share with others. My momma often said we all have gifts, discover yours and share it with the world.”
