The Huffington Post | By Rebecca Shapiro
A beaming Robin Roberts announced that she plans to return to “Good Morning America” within weeks.
Roberts announced her diagnosis of MDS, a rare blood and bone marrow disorder, in June. She took medical leave in September to undergo a bone marrow transplant. She has kept viewers abreast of her recovery journey through video messages that have appeared on “GMA.” Last week, she teased her return to the morning show by tweeting that she would be seeing viewers “VERY soon.”
Appearing from her home, Roberts said that she was very close to returning to “GMA.”
“I’m coming home,” she said. “We’re talking now a matter of weeks, not months.” Roberts said that her most recent test showed no abnormal signs, allowing her to plan her return to work. Her fellow co-hosts and the on-set crew applauded with great cheer as Roberts announced her return. While she was excited to share the news, Roberts said she was still cautious and will slowly return to air.
“I should be back sometime in February. Now I have a date in mind that’s very personal and very important to me but I will ultimately listen to, of course, what my doctors say and, course, we have to remember we’re in the height of flu season. There’s a lot of factors still,” she said.
Due to side effects from her treatment, including blurry vision and sensitive skin, Roberts will return to the Times Square studio next week to readjust to her former schedule. “I have to get back on ‘GMA’ time … That’s one thing I have not missed is that alarm clock,” she said. Roberts will wake up at 4:00 a.m., head to the studio and sit for make up, but will not immediately appear on air.
“After I go through this dry run my doctors will sit down with me again and we’ll evaluate where I am,” she said. Roberts admitted that she was experiencing a “range of emotions” from gratitude to nerves about returning to air.
ABC News president Ben Sherwood tweeted about Roberts’ return. “Gratitude. Just one word that comes to mind today when I think about the last 138 days…the next 138 …and every day,” he tweeted.