Isabella Strahan Shares Life She “Fought for” After Brain Cancer

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Isabella Strahan has made it through.

More than a year after announcing she was cancer-free, Michael Strahan and Jean Muggli’s 20-year-old daughter has been sharing updates on her recovery from a difficult health journey.

Isabella documented her cancer journey in a TikTok video posted on September 12th, showing both the difficult times – like being in the hospital and relearning to walk after having her head shaved – and the joyful moments of recovery. The video also highlighted her recent success as a model for Kenneth Cole, featuring clips of her hiking 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 still / you’re gonna make it through / It’s the fire that they can’t put out inside.”

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

The University of Southern California student has been sharing updates on her recovery since announcing in July 2024 that her cancer was gone. After a tough battle that included six weeks of radiation, four rounds of chemotherapy, and three brain surgeries to treat medulloblastoma – a type of brain tumor common in children – she now views the experience as motivation to live life to the fullest.

Isabella shared with *People* magazine in January that while it’s unsettling not knowing what the future holds, she believes it’s important to embrace life and make the most of every day and every chance you get, rather than living in fear.

She explained that sharing her story can make a real difference. While her diagnosis is a part of who she is, it doesn’t control her, and she hopes to use her voice to advocate for others.

Read on to look back at Isabella’s cancer journey, from diagnosis to today. 

Isabella Strahan, daughter of Michael Strahan and Jean Muggli, said 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 frightening episode of vomiting blood, her dad convinced her to get a thorough medical evaluation, including an MRI. The scan 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 that he feels incredibly fortunate to have his daughter. While acknowledging she’s facing a difficult time, he expressed confidence in her ability to overcome it, believing everyone is given the strength to handle life’s challenges.

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 incredible sister and friend. She acknowledged that the past few months have been incredibly difficult, but emphasized how strong Isabella has been through it all.

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 and she was glad to finally recover. She explained that dealing with the side effects had been draining.

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

In a February 2024 video, she described feeling like she’d had all her teeth extracted without any follow-up care. She explained that her entire mouth and jaw were incredibly painful, even swallowing water hurt.

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 she needed urgent surgery on her skull first. Doctors removed excess fluid from her head and replaced a piece of bone they’d previously removed with a titanium plate, which delayed her chemotherapy by several weeks.

In a recent video, she shared that she’s been experiencing a lot of pain and her face is very swollen. She described feeling awful and even said she was 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.

Michael playfully told his daughter during her vlog, “You haven’t been this active in months! You’re totally excited right now!”

 

In a video posted in March 2024, Isabella revealed she had begun her second chemotherapy cycle, 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 just walking, and wished there was a medicine to help with her extreme exhaustion.

 

The YouTuber shared good news after completing her second chemotherapy treatment: she now only needs two more rounds instead of the initially 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 described this surgery as different and more challenging than the ones she’d had before.

I’ve been crying quite a bit lately,” she shared in a vlog posted in April 2024. “During the procedure, they inserted a needle in three places to drain fluid, and I was fully conscious the entire time. It was my first surgery while awake.

Isabella shared an update on her third round of chemotherapy, explaining that she’s completely lost her appetite. In a video posted in May 2024, she said, “Last week, it just disappeared,” adding that it’s frustrating.

Even while dealing with memory problems, Isabella focused on the positive. “Tomorrow is my last chemotherapy session,” she said, “and after that, it’s just the final cycle, and then I’m finished. It’s incredible!”

In June 2024, Isabella marked the completion of her chemotherapy by sharing a TikTok video. She playfully held up her crown and captioned the post simply, “Did it.”

Because of when it happened, the University of Southern California student – who celebrated with a confetti parade and by ringing the campus bell – was able to enjoy a short summer break.

I’m really relieved because I was expecting to finish by the end of July,” she said. “I needed to complete six rounds of treatment, and then I’d have to return to school immediately. I’m just so happy that’s not the case.”

In a July 2024 YouTube video, she shared that she had her chemo port removed and mentioned the area was still slightly sore. She explained the recovery process should take about four weeks, mainly involving avoiding water and carefully caring for the scar, which she felt wasn’t too difficult.

Isabella happily shared in a July 2024 YouTube video that her post-chemotherapy scan showed no signs of cancer. She described the results as “great, great” and said “everything was clear” and “everything is great.” She was clearly relieved by the positive news.

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

As a lifestyle expert, I always say celebrate milestones – especially after overcoming something huge! And that’s exactly what Isabella did. After getting the amazing news that she was cancer-free, she decided there was only one place to be: Disneyland! She and her twin sister, Sophia, turned 20 in October 2024, and they celebrated a few days early with a very special guest – their Super Bowl-winning dad. It was a truly heartwarming trip!

The college student also celebrated another key milestone. 

She marked 365 days since a major life change with an Instagram Story showing herself in a hospital bed, wearing a cap, gown, and mask. Alongside the photo, she wrote about being grateful for the progress she’s made, and shared a picture of the balloons and flowers she received.

In a TikTok video posted in September 2024, Isabella documented her experience with cancer, showing both the difficult parts – like being in the hospital and relearning to walk after treatment – and the joyful moments of recovery. The video contrasted these challenging times with clips of her thriving as a model for Kenneth Cole, enjoying hikes by the ocean, and running – activities she couldn’t do when 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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2025-09-23 00:18