Robin Roberts has had quite the journey across 10 years, recently celebrating her return to Good Morning America after having a bone marrow transplant. Roberts will celebrate officially on Feb. 21 when GMA looks back on the anchor’s diagnosis with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a rare blood disorder affecting bone marrow.
The diagnosis forced Roberts away from the GMA anchor desk for close to six months. Part of her celebration includes a surprise visit to the nurses and physicians that helped her with her bone marrow transplant. The GMA host popped in on Jenny Dowd-Warren and Tonya Samuel at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
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Roberts meeting up with the nurses was not the only surprise. Not only did Roberts introduce Samuel and Warren’s story to the viewers at home, but she also unveiled a $20,000 check to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Nurses Quality of Life Fund. The donation was made in honor of both nurses.
“The images of my return always take me back, but more than that, they remind me of how far I’ve come,” Roberts told PEOPLE about the upcoming look back and how she’s marking the occasion. “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.”
Roberts also celebrated 20 years on Good Morning America back in April, calling her return after fighting the disease an emotional moment. “As I said back in 2013, I waited 174 days to be healthy enough to say, ‘Good morning, America,’” she said. “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.”
The big reason for Roberts telling her story and continuing to raise awareness is to help those who are facing the same harrowing ordeal. ” also committed to doing something – everything possible – to give other people facing similar circumstances hope.”
