Isabella Strahan Details Her “Hardest” MRI Checkup After Cancer Battle

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Isabella Strahan is on the road to recovery, but not without some bumps.

Last year, after being diagnosed with a brain tumor called medulloblastoma, a 21-year-old woman announced she was cancer-free. She recently shared details of a follow-up doctor’s visit where she had an MRI scan to make sure the cancer hadn’t returned.

Even though she knew what it would be like, Isabella Strahan—daughter of Michael Strahan—said the MRI was still difficult.

In a recent YouTube video posted on January 28th, she described a particularly difficult MRI scan. While she typically finds MRIs manageable, this one was challenging. She wasn’t sure if she was feeling anxious, but she struggled to relax throughout the process.

During the two-hour scan, Isabella began to feel uneasy about how long it was taking and the warmth of the machine.

“Weirdly, I was really getting hot in there,” she explained. “Usually, I can wear multiple blankets but I had to ask them to take [the blanket] off.”

The USC student explained that today’s MRI was particularly difficult. They weren’t sure if the scan focused on the head, neck, and spine, and it took a long time. They also expressed concern that, after two and a half years since their diagnosis, there might not be any significant changes detected.

Isabella also felt worried as she got ready for her appointment. While packing, she suddenly felt sick to her stomach, which she thought was her body reacting to the stress of the day.

I have no idea what just happened,” she said. “I suddenly felt really sick and thought I was going to be sick, but it passed. It’s possible my body is just reacting to the fact that we’re going to the hospital.”

From her hospital bed, she admitted she was shaken by the experience. Speaking quietly to the camera, she confessed, “I’m not sure how I ever managed this before… being here is making me quite anxious, and I’m just not feeling well.”

But despite all of her concerns, Isabella confirmed everything came back clear.

I just got back from my scans, and thankfully everything looked good! The doctors are keeping a close eye on a small spot near my fourth ventricle, just to make sure it’s not being pushed on by any fluid buildup. But overall, no new tumor growth, which is fantastic news! So, a good day at the doctor’s office, and I’m feeling really relieved.

Isabella has finally released a new video on her YouTube channel after more than a year. Her previous video, “Goodbye Hospital,” was posted in July 2024, where she announced she was cancer-free.

Before then, Isabella had already gone through a tough six weeks of radiation treatment, four rounds of chemotherapy, and three brain surgeries. She was being treated for medulloblastoma, a type of brain tumor that’s most common in children.

Even after facing cancer, Isabella has kept a positive attitude and is now back to her studies at USC.

Okay, so Isabella said this in an interview, and honestly, it just gets me. She was talking about how you can’t know what’s going to happen, which, yeah, is totally terrifying if you really think about it. But she’s so right – you can’t just live your life being scared all the time! She said she wants to really live every single day and grab every chance that comes her way, and I’m just…obsessed with that mindset. It’s everything!

She explained that sharing her story could make a real difference. While her diagnosis is a part of who she is, she doesn’t want it to be all that people see. She wants to use her voice to speak out.

For a look back at Isabella’s cancer journey and how far she has come, keep reading…

Isabella Strahan, daughter of Michael Strahan and Jean Muggli, says she didn’t realize anything was wrong with her health until early October 2023, when she began getting headaches and feeling nauseous.

After experiencing a concerning symptom – vomiting blood – she underwent a thorough medical evaluation, including an MRI, at her father’s insistence. The tests revealed she had medulloblastoma, a type of cancerous brain tumor most often found in children.

Later that month, she underwent brain surgery to remove the mass.

In January 2024, Isabella publicly shared her diagnosis in an interview with her father and Robin Roberts from ABC News.

Michael shared at the time how incredibly lucky he felt to have his daughter. While acknowledging she was facing a difficult time, he expressed his confidence in her strength, believing she had the resilience to overcome any challenge.

Isabella’s twin sister, Sophia Strahan, also shared her support. In an Instagram post, she wrote about how lucky she is to have such an amazing sister and best friend. She admitted the past few months have been incredibly difficult, but they’ve shown her just how strong Isabella is.

Following her interview, Isabella shared she had finished her round of radiation therapy.

She shared in a January 2024 YouTube video that she was relieved to be finished, saying it had been a tough six weeks. She was happy to be recovering and felt the side effects had been difficult to deal with.

Following radiation therapy, Isabella began undergoing chemotherapy to treat her cancer.

In a February 2024 video, she described feeling like she’d had a full-mouth root canal – as if all her teeth had been pulled without any follow-up care. She explained that her jaw and the base of her tongue were sore, and even swallowing water was painful.

Despite everything, the teenager remained positive, playfully mentioning in a video a week later that her hair was now “too short.”

“Besides being bald,” she said, “it doesn’t bring me pain mentally.” 

Isabella was supposed to start her second round of chemotherapy in early March 2024, but an emergency surgery delayed it. Doctors had to remove excess fluid from her head and replace a piece of her skull, originally removed during a previous procedure, with a titanium plate.

In a recent video, she shared that she was experiencing a lot of pain and her face was very swollen. She described feeling awful and even said she had been screaming from the discomfort.

In March 2024, Michael, Isabella’s dad, surprised her with a visit from her favorite singer, Bryson Tiller, to cheer her up while she was undergoing treatment.

I was cracking up watching Michael’s vlog! He totally caught me in the act, playfully pointing out that I hadn’t been this energetic in ages. He even teased me, saying I was completely ‘fangirling’ – and honestly, he wasn’t wrong! It was just so exciting to finally meet everyone.

 

In a video posted in March 2024, Isabella revealed she had begun her second cycle of chemotherapy, with four rounds remaining.

Amid her second chemotherapy round, Isabella said she began experiencing difficulties in walking.

In a vlog posted in March 2024, she explained that she gets lightheaded and breathless even with minimal walking, and wished there was a way to quickly relieve her exhaustion.

 

The YouTuber shared good news after completing her second chemotherapy treatment: she now only needs two more rounds instead of the planned four.

She said in a video from April 2024, ‘These are happy tears.’ She explained that when you’re truly happy, you don’t even think about crying.

Isabella’s treatment faced a setback when she needed another brain surgery – her third craniotomy. She said this surgery was much different and more difficult than the ones she’d had before.

She shared in a video posted in April 2024 that she’d been crying frequently. She described a recent procedure where fluid was drained from three different areas while she was fully conscious – her first time undergoing surgery while awake.

Isabella shared an update on her third round of chemotherapy, explaining that she’s completely lost her appetite. “It just dropped to zero last week,” she said in a May 2024 video, adding that it’s been frustrating.

Even with the frustrating memory issues she was facing, Isabella always managed to focus on the positive. She recently told me, with so much excitement, ‘Tomorrow is actually my last chemo session!’ She couldn’t quite believe it, adding, ‘And then it’s the last cycle, and I’m done. It’s just… unbelievable.’ It’s truly inspiring to see her strength and optimism throughout all of this.

I was so moved by Isabella’s recent post! She just finished her chemotherapy treatments and celebrated by picking up her crown – a beautiful symbol of strength and resilience. She shared the moment on TikTok with a simple, powerful caption: ‘Did it.’ It’s a reminder that even after a tough journey, there’s so much to celebrate, and sometimes, the smallest victories feel the biggest!

Because of when it happened, the USC student – who celebrated with a confetti parade and by ringing the Victory Bell – was able to enjoy a short summer break.

I’m really relieved,” she said. “I was expecting to finish at the end of July. The plan was to complete six rounds of treatment, and then immediately return to school. I’m just so happy it worked out differently.”

In a July 2024 YouTube video, she shared that she had her chemo port removed and mentioned the area was still a little tender. She explained the recovery seemed manageable – about four weeks of avoiding water and being gentle with the scar. She felt it wasn’t too difficult.

Isabella happily shared in a July 2024 YouTube video that her latest scan showed no signs of cancer after completing chemotherapy. She described the results as “great, great” and said “everything was clear” and that she was cancer-free.

Even so, she admitted she already missed her doctors and the entire team who had cared for her, saying they were all so kind. She felt genuinely sad knowing she wouldn’t be seeing them for a long time because she cared about them so much.

With her cancer finally in remission, Isabella celebrated by going to Disneyland! Her father, a Super Bowl champion, and her twin sister, Sophia, joined her for an early 20th birthday celebration in October 2024.

The college student also celebrated another key milestone. 

She shared on Instagram that it had been 365 days since her life was dramatically altered. The post included a photo of herself in a graduation cap, gown, and mask while in a hospital bed. She also posted a picture of the balloons and flowers she’d received, expressing gratitude for the progress she’s made.

In a TikTok video posted in September 2024, Isabella documented her experiences with cancer, showing both the difficult times – like being in the hospital and relearning to walk after treatment – and the joyful moments of recovery. The video contrasted these challenging periods with clips of her recent work as a model for Kenneth Cole, enjoying a hike by the ocean, and running, activities she couldn’t do while she was sick.

The TikTok also featured H.E.R.’s song “The Journey,” with lyrics like, “Going through hell, but you’ll get through it. It’s an inner strength they can’t extinguish.”

In the caption of the post, Isabella triumphantly wrote, “Living the life I fought for.”

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2026-01-29 22:18