Danielle Fishel, known for her role on Boy Meets World, has announced that she has been diagnosed with a form of breast cancer.
On the Monday, August 19, episode of the Pod Meets World podcast, which she cohosts with former castmates Rider Strong and Will Friedle, Fishel, 43, shared her diagnosis with listeners.
“I want to share something with our audience that Rider and Will were among the first to hear,” Fishel said at the start of the episode.
“I was recently diagnosed with DCIS, which stands for ductal carcinoma in situ, a form of breast cancer. It is very, very, very early—technically stage zero. To be precise, I was diagnosed with high-grade DCIS with micro-invasion.”
Fishel reassured her listeners, saying, “I’m going to be fine. I’m scheduled for surgery to remove it and will undergo some follow-up treatment. I’ve had to make a lot of decisions in recent days.”
DCIS is described by the Mayo Clinic as a condition where cells within a breast duct undergo changes in their DNA, leading to an overproduction of cells. In this stage, the cancer cells have not yet invaded surrounding breast tissue.
Fishel decided to publicly share her diagnosis to encourage others to schedule and attend their mammogram appointments.
“The only reason I caught this cancer at stage zero is because I made an appointment as soon as I received the reminder text for my yearly mammogram,” she explained.
“They found it incredibly early, and I’m going to be fine. I hope this encourages anyone who hasn’t had their mammogram to go get one.”
“If you have to find out you have cancer, finding out at stage zero is the best case scenario,” she added.
The actress, who portrayed Topanga Lawrence on Boy Meets World and its spinoff Girl Meets World, is currently in the early stages of her treatment.
“I have some major decisions to make regarding my treatment. I don’t have all the answers yet,” Fishel said, noting that she plans to consult with an oncologist, radiation therapist, and other specialists.
Fishel mentioned that she has informed her husband, Jensen Karp, with whom she has two sons, Adler, 5, and Keaton, 2, as well as her parents and brother. Strong and Friedle have shown support for their cohost.
Strong, who played Shawn Hunter on the show, expressed his shock, noting that he and his wife know several people currently dealing with breast cancer. He urged fans to get checked regularly.
Friedle, who portrayed Eric Matthews, also stressed the importance of preventive screenings for both men and women, adding,
“We’re so glad you didn’t put it off because you are going to be fine. You might have some tough days ahead, but we’re here for you.”
