Maria Menounos has brain tumor surgically removed, leaving E! News
Maria Menounos has just revealed that she was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of a golf ball and that she had a successful surgical procedure on June 8, which also happened to be her birthday. Making her story even more amazing is the fact that Maria’s brain tumor diagnosis and surgery all happened as she caring for her mother, who is battling stage 4 brain cancer.
Maria shares her story in the new issue of People, including how she first found out. “I’d been getting lightheaded on set and having headaches,” Maria tells the magazine. “My speech had gotten slurred and I was having difficulty reading the teleprompter.”
From People:
An MRI revealed Menounos had a golf-ball-size meningioma brain tumor that was pushing on her facial nerves. “I didn’t cry. I actually laughed,” she recalls. “It’s so surreal and crazy and unbelievable that my mom has a brain tumor—and now I have one too?”
Here’s an interview with Maria done in conjunction with the People cover story:
Maria underwent surgery on June 8, performed by her mother’s doctor, neurosurgeon Dr. Keith L. Black. Dr. Black believes he was able to remove roughly 99.9% of the tumor during the seven-hour procedure, and tells Maria there is approxinately a six or seven percent chance it will return. “I’ll take those odds any day,” Maria says.
Maria reveals that she and fiancé Keven Undergaro are moving forward with their plans to start a family via in vitro fertilization. She will, however, be stepping away from her job as co-anchor of E! News. Maria issued the following statement about her departure:
I am so grateful for the past three years at E!, I had such an amazing time co-hosting with Jason Kennedy and working everyday with the wonderful roster of talent on the show including producers, staff and crew. It was such a special, good-hearted group and one I’ll always consider family. A special thank you to Frances Berwick and Adam Stotsky for all the support they have shown me through the years especially during these tough times. I will truly miss everyone and looking forward to this next chapter in my life.
Since the People story broke online, Maria has been SWAMPED with supportive messages from fans, and she took to social media to thank everyone and provide more information about how she and her mother Litsa are doing:
First I wanna say thank you all for the well wishes, prayers and support. It’s been a crazy time here in our home. I want you all to know that I’m ok! Seriously I’m recovering well and should be as good as new very very soon! Luckily I don’t need any further treatments but I can’t say the same about my mom. So please keep her in your prayers.
I also want to thank @people for allowing me to share my story. @juliejordanc & @mrjesscagle THANK YOU’ Next-I need to thank everyone at @cedarssinai everyone there has been amazing. Most people want to rush out of the hospital to get home I kept saying I’ve never been treated kinder. I cried like a baby saying goodbye to the amazing nurses who took such good care of me. God bless nurses! I of course need to thank dr black and dr Chu for performing an amazing surgery and giving me the best bday gift ever-my health.
And lastly, god has blessed me in so many ways but this too was a blessing. I got to hear what I have meant to my friends and family-it’s been quite moving for me. I want thank all of my incredible friends, family and even strangers who have shown me and my family such kindness. @alyssawallerce Thank you for being with me every step of the way. I couldn’t have done it without you. @iamjoegear You too! And to @undergaro the best nurse in the world..you never left the hospital and slept by my side there. you are my everything and I’m so thankful to you. You and dad have really been incredible to mom and me. You both have inspired me. I’ve never been more excited about life. I see so much so clearly. Will share more with all of you soon! Xo
If you are wondering “What kind of brain tumor did Maria Menounos have?” it was a meningioma tumor — which sounds sort of like her last name, no? Here is an overview of meningiomas from The Mayo Clinic:
A meningioma is a tumor that arises from the meninges — the membranes that surround your brain and spinal cord. Although not technically a brain tumor, it is included in this category because it may compress or squeeze the adjacent brain, nerves and vessels. Meningioma is the most common type of tumor that forms in the head.
Most meningiomas grow very slowly, often over many years without causing symptoms. But in some instances, their effects on adjacent brain tissue, nerves or vessels may cause serious disability.
Meningiomas occur most commonly in women, and are often discovered at older ages, but a meningioma may occur at any age.
I’ve been a HUGE fan of Maria’s for a looooong time, and it was quite the roller coaster ride finding out about her brain tumor and then the fantastic prognosis — I cannot imagine what this must have been like for her! (Actually, I sort of can because she is a pretty damned good writer.) I wish her and her mother all the best and thank them for sharing their stories!
UPDATE – Moments after publishing this post, Maria shared an Instagram photo and story abut her inspiration during the process of having surgery: