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“Good Morning America” ​​icon reveals battle with cancer

“Good Morning America” ​​icon reveals battle with cancer

Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek’s network of contributors

Sam Champion is a true champion when it comes to spreading cancer awareness.

On Friday, October 18, chapter of Good morning America, the beloved weatherman gave viewers an inside look at his skin cancer journey. Champion, 63, explained that he recently went to his doctor for a biopsy on a spot under his eye, which unfortunately turned out to be cancerous.

After learning of her diagnosis of nodular basal cell carcinoma, the TV personality underwent Mohs surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering earlier this month. Champion shared that the cancer was “bigger and deeper” than he initially expected.

Sam Champion
Sam Champion attends ABC’s “Good Morning America” ​​at Rumsey Playfield, Central Park on August 9, 2024 in New York City. The “GMA” mainstay detailed her journey with the life-threatening illness on “Good Morning America.”

Noam Galai/Getty Images

Champion had a visible red scar on his face from the surgery, but noted: “The scar is not the problem; the skin cancer is the problem, so we got rid of that; the next phase of my journey will be the healing of the scar”.

Champion urged viewers to use sunscreen and be “vigilant” about blemishes on their skin. “I hope that one day no one will have to go through surgery to get rid of skin cancer, but right now we have to watch our skin, our hands on our skin, be very vigilant and notice any unusual spots. , and if these points start to change, take care immediately,” the meteorologist commented.

the first today The anchor has dealt with skin cancer since she was 26 years old. She said she no longer leaves the house without sunscreen, a stark contrast to her early days of suffering numerous “severe sunburns.”

The ABC star declared: “When I don’t get the weather, there’s nothing I like more than being outside, but these days, I wouldn’t think of going out without sunscreen. It wasn’t always like that.”

Champion has just begun his healing journey, telling his co-hosts that “we (his doctor and him) took them (the stitches) out just yesterday. There are some scabs along the line, so i can’t wear make up or any skin care or scar care in this it can still be weeks before the scab is gone.

The Weather Channel alum also had his doctor perform laser treatments to remove precancerous dark spots on his face to prevent them from turning into cancer.

The four-time Emmy Award winner has been chronicling his battle with skin cancer on his Instagram account.