Danielle Fishel opens up about breast cancer battle: ‘It hurts to live right now’
“Boy Meets World” star Danielle Fishel is sharing an update on her breast cancer battle.
On Monday’s episode of her “Pod Meets World” podcast, the actress, 43, revealed she is “officially done with radiation” treatment, meaning she is finished “with what is considered active cancer treatment.”
Fishel, best known for her role as Topanga Lawrence on “Boy Meets World,” shared last August that she had been diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ, an early form of breast cancer. She said she was diagnosed “very, very, very early” and that the cancer was “technically stage zero.” She did not need to undergo chemotherapy treatment.
The next step for Fishel will be to begin taking Tamoxifen, which according to the Cleveland Clinic is a drug that can “greatly reduce the risk of cancer recurrence (return) and invasive cancer.” But she said her doctors told her to wait until her body has “physically healed from the damage that radiation does.”
The actress went on to open up about how she has been “feeling the effects” after 20 rounds of radiation. Fishel said she has a “very bad sunburn” and a rash on top of it, which is “very itchy and also you can’t itch it, because if you even come close to touching it, you want to cry.”
“It hurts to wear a bra, it hurts to not wear a bra,” she said. “It hurts to sleep on my side, it hurts to sleep period. It hurts to be awake. It hurts to live right now.
“But, you know what, it’s not going to last forever. Physically, every day now I’m supposed to be getting better.”
Fishel also said she has been “so, so fatigued” and feeling “very stinking tired.” Doctors told her she is still experiencing the effects of her first radiation, meaning she will feel better in “two to three months.” But the actress added that she was told she could feel better faster by working out and drinking water.
“I’m sorry, you want me to be tired and take care of myself?” she joked before noting that she has been working out recently as recommended.
According to the Mayo Clinic, ductal carcinoma in situ “has a low risk of spreading and becoming life-threatening,” and treatment can involve surgery, radiation therapy or hormone therapy.
