Danielle Fishel has long been a fixture within the entertainment industry, having risen to prominence through her role as Topanga Lawerence on Boy Meets World. In recent years, the veteran actress has opened up about aspects of her career and personal life. And, more recently, she shared an unfortunate announcement. Fishel revealed this week that she’s been diagnosed with breast cancer, confirming the news with an extremely candid message. Now, in the aftermath, a host of fans are showing their love and support for the media personality.
The 43-year-old actress revealed her diagnosis at the top of the latest episode of her, Rider Strong and Will Friedle’s Boy Meets World rewatch podcast, Pod Meets World. She clarified that her co-hosts were among the first people to know about the diagnosis. From there, the former Dish host explained the exact classification of her illness and where the situation currently stands:
So I would like to share something with our listeners. … I was recently diagnosed with DCIS – which stands for ductal carcinoma in situ – which is a form of breast cancer. It is very, very, very early. It's technically stage zero. To be specific, just because I like too much information all the time, I was diagnosed with high grade DCIS with micro invasion. And I'm gonna be fine, I'm having surgery to remove it. I’m gonna be on some follow-up treatment. I’ve had to make a lot of decisions over the last couple of days.
Danielle Fishel went on to explain that the reason she chose to share the news with the fans, was because she always surmised that if she were ever in this position, she would just “suffer in silence.” Or more specifically, she wasn’t going to say anything until the situation – treatment and all – was over. However, Fishel explained that she found that the more people she told about her diagnosis, the more individuals she found would share their own experiences with cancer. Ultimately, Fishel hopes that her announcement will encourage others to schedule a mammogram, which is how she was able to detect her cancer so early.
It’s admirable that the Girl Meets World alum was willing to be so open in an attempt to raise awareness. What’s also been sweet is to see the outpouring of support from various fans. Many of them took to the comments section of a Pod Meets World Instagram post, which featured a clip from the podcast’s latest episode. The comments are truly heartwarming, and you can see them of them for yourself down below:
- Danielle, we wish you all the best in your recovery. Thank you for sharing the importance of annual screening and early detection. - @susangkomen
- Danielle, thanks for sharing your story. It's hard to be vulnerable, especially when it involves social media. ❤️🙏 - @mrsericmatthews
- Danielle, thank you for sharing your story, it takes vulnerability to do it xx zero is the best outcome. YOU HAVE GOT THIS!! 🤍 - @sophia__ali__
- So much love to [Danielle Fishel] You are such a strong individual and thank you for being so transparent and allowing us in on such a personal story - @mahora2010
- Danielle you are so strong to share your intimate life with us! We're all rooting and praying for you 🙏🏼🩶 - @cieloyyyluz
All in all, it would appear that Danielle Fishel is looking to keep an upbeat attitude when it comes to her recent diagnosis, and that certainly tracks with her personality. While co-hosting Pod Meets World alongside her fellow Boy Meets World cast members, she’s managed to maintain a mostly positive outlook. And that’s saying a lot, as not all of the subject matter that she and her co-hosts have discussed has been positive. (That includes Fishel’s declaration that the last years on BMW were “tainted” in some ways.)
Otherwise, it may be fair to assume that the former teen idol will continue to work as she can while contending with her cancer surgery and subsequent treatment. In addition to the podcast, Danielle Fishel has a number of other professional obligations. She’s also working on a new project in addition to the podcast, as she, Rider Strong and Will Friedle are hoping to make a documentary of sorts. Of course, what’s most important is that Fishel prioritize her health and, like so many others, I wish her all the best.
Fans can stream Boy Meets World – one of the greatest TGIF sitcoms – using a Disney+ subscription.
