Prostate Cancer

How Danielle Fishel Approached Talking About Her Breast Cancer Diagnosis With Her Husband And Kids

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Danielle Fishel is opening up about how she told her husband and their two young kids that she was diagnosed with an early form of breast cancer.

In an episode of the Amy & T.J. Podcast hosted by Amy Robach and T. J. Holmes published Sunday, Oct. 20, the Boy Meets World alum, 43, recalled an important conversation she recently had with her husband Jensen Karp, and sons Adler Lawrence, 5, and Keaton Joseph, 3.

"It was hard for me to have to tell my husband," the actress said, noting that Karp's parents had already died.

"His mom died in 2022 from lung cancer, and she lived with us while she was going through chemo and through her cancer treatment."

Danielle Fishel with her son Adler, Jensen Karp, Mickey Mouse, and her mom Jen FIshel.

Danielle Fishel Instagram

"And my oldest son, Adler, was 3 when she passed, and he was very close to her. And one of my big concerns when he asked, 'Where did grandma go? Why is grandma not here anymore?' " she said. 

Fishel said discussing death with her oldest needed to be handled delicately. 

"My big concern was that if we tell him that she was sick, he's gonna think the next time he gets a cold that he's gonna die, or that the next time mommy or daddy is sick, he's gonna think we're gonna die," she said. 

"And so I wanted to be honest with him about the fact that she had cancer and that cancer doesn't always mean that you die, but sometimes it does. And in grandma's case, that's what it was. And so when I was diagnosed, my fear was, I'm normally so honest with my kids, but I can't tell them I have cancer." 

She never told her boys that she had cancer, instead saying, "I had a boo boo that I had surgically removed from my body, and they needed to be gentle with me."

Danielle Fishel, September 2018.

 Jon Kopaloff/Getty

For their family, playtime had to be done differently.

"I told them I love our bear hugs and I love wrestling with you, but my boo boo means that I need to be gentle. So you need to hug me from this side and eventually, I'll get back to wrestling with you."

Adler noticed once she recovered enough to rough house, and asked if she was okay. 

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"I was so happy to tell him that, yes, my boo boo was all better," she said. "My friends, my family, the breast cancer community, I've never felt more loved and supported than I have in these last three months."

Fishel recently told PEOPLE she was "thrilled to be alive" since her July 22 ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) diagnosis following a routine mammogram.

"I was feeling healthy, I was looking healthy. But I went in for my mammogram and they said it looked suspicious and the results are abnormal," she told PEOPLE. "I was not expecting in any way that it was going to find anything. It was really shocking."

Though Fishel may not be "thrilled" about some lingering side effects, she added, "I am thrilled to be alive and I'm thrilled that my cancer was found early."

Danielle Fishel Explains Why She Kept Her Breast Cancer Diagnosis From Her 2 Sons

Danielle Fishel Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Danielle Fishel is opening up about her decision to withhold her breast cancer diagnosis from her sons.

The Boy Meets World alum, who shares Adler, 5, and Keaton, 3, with her husband Jensen Karp, said she couldn't handle the thought of her kids worrying that she would die.

"It was hard for me to have to tell my husband," Fishel explained on the Sunday, October 20, episode of the "Amy & T.J." podcast hosted by Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes. "Both of his parents passed. His mom died in 2022 from lung cancer and she lived with us while she was going through chemo and her cancer treatment. My oldest son Adler was 3 when she passed and he was very close to her."

"One of my big concerns was would he ask, 'Where did Grandma go? Why is Grandma not here anymore?' My big concern was that if we tell him that she was sick, he's gonna think the next time he gets a cold that he's gonna die," Fishel explained. "Or that the next time Mommy or Daddy is sick, he's gonna think we're gonna die. So I wanted to be honest with him about the fact that she had cancer and that cancer doesn't always mean that you die, but sometimes it does. And in Grandma's case, that's what it was."

Danielle Fishel found her happily ever after in husband Jensen Karp — and their love story is still going strong. Before finding love with Karp, Fishel was married to Tim Belusko. However, the pair's marriage was short lived and they called it quits in March 2016 after three years. Fishel found love for a second time […]

Fishel said that when she was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ in July, she decided not to tell Adler and Keaton about her illness. The actress has since undergone two lumpectomy procedures to successfully remove the cancer.

"So when I was diagnosed, my fear was that I'm normally so honest with my kids but I can't tell them I have cancer. I can't handle that possibility that they're gonna worry about me in that way," the actress said. "So they don't know that I had cancer, but they do know that I had a boo-boo that I had surgically removed from my body and they needed to be gentle with me. I told them I love our bear hugs and I love wrestling with you, but my boo-boo means that I need to be gentle."

Since recovering from her surgeries, Fishel is now able to rough-house with her boys, she said.

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"When I was able to wrestle with them and swing them around, Adler stopped and he said, 'Mommy, is your boo-boo all better?' and I was so happy to tell him that, yes, my boo-boo was all better," she said.

Many celebrities have spoken out about their personal battles with breast cancer over the years. Julia Louis-Dreyfus went public with her breast cancer diagnosis in September 2017 via Instagram. Nearly one year later, she had successfully beaten the illness and returned to work on Veep. "It sounds kind of corny, but there's something about after […]

Fishel announced her diagnosis during an August episode of her podcast, "Pod Meets World," which she cohosts with former Boy Meets World costars Will Friedle and Rider Strong.

"I was recently diagnosed with DCIS, which stands for ductal carcinoma in situ, which is a form of breast cancer," Fishel said at the time. "It is very, very, very early. It's technically stage zero. To be specific, just because I like too much information all the time, I was diagnosed with high-grade DCIS with microinvasion."

20 Uplifting Breast Cancer Awareness Quotes That Inspire Hope

One in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer. In 2024, an estimated 310,720 women and 2,800 men will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. That means just about everyone has been affected by the disease in some way. While Breast Cancer Awareness Month is celebrated in October, the fight against the disease never ends. Whether it's you, your mom, sister, cousin, colleague, aunt, or friend — the words "breast cancer" have a deep, personal meaning.

One way to keep spirits up after a recent diagnosis or those currently undergoing treatment is to share comforting and inspiring breast cancer awareness quotes. Words are powerful and you'd be surprised by how much they can brighten someone's day.

Not sure what to say? We've rounded up some of the best breast cancer awareness quotes to help. From survivors (there are more than 4 million in the U.S.) to celebrities who've conquered the disease, these enlightening and encouraging words can help show your support. Whether you share these quotes in a social media post, via text message, inside a card, or attached to a thoughtful gift, the positive messages will resonate.

It's also important to help spread the message to loved ones that early detection is crucial. In fact, when caught in its earliest localized stages, the five-year relative survival rate is 99%. Self-examinations and mammograms are key to stopping the disease in its tracks. Thanks to breast cancer awareness and advancements in treatments, those diagnosed with the disease are living longer, healthier lives than ever before.

"Keep your sunny side up, keep yourself beautiful, and indulge yourself!" — Betsey Johnson

"When fear knocks, let faith answer the door." — Robin Roberts

"More than 10 million Americans are living with cancer, and they demonstrate the ever-increasing possibility of living beyond cancer."— Sheryl Crow

"After something so life-changing, all these little fears seem like no big deal." — Karen Lewis

"Having had cancer, one important thing to know is you're still the same person at the end. You're stripped down to near zero. But most people come out the other end feeling more like themselves than ever before." — Kylie Minogue

"Cancer survivors are blessed with two lives. There is your life before cancer, and your life after. I am here to tell you your second life is going to be so much better than the first." — Hoda Kotb

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. So, the only thing to be really afraid of is if you don't go get your mammograms." — Cynthia Nixon

"I laughed more in the hospital than I ever have in my life, making fun of all the weird things that were happening to me. My friends would walk in with this sad look, and I would throw something at them and say, 'Come on! This isn't the end of the world!'" — Christina Applegate

"I'm here today because I refused to be unhappy. I took a chance." — Wanda Sykes

"If a relative has suffered ovarian or breast cancer, get the genetic screening. It saves lives." — Lisa Jey Davis

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"Cancer gave me a reason to be the best version of myself, and that's what I've done. You realize that fear can either cripple you or it can motivate you, and it had been crippling me. And I decided to change it, and let that fear be motivating." —Amy Robach

"Obviously, it wasn't meant for me to die of cancer at 40. Every day my life surprises me, just like my cancer diagnosis surprised me. But you roll with it. That's our job as humans." — Edie Falco

"I started realizing I could be an example for women to not just be aware of breast cancer, but to act on it, to give themselves an exam." — Giuliana Rancic

"There can be life after breast cancer. The prerequisite is early detection."— Ann Jillian

"I don't have breasts — so why do I have to pretend like I do? That stuff isn't important. I'm just grateful to have been born at a time when the research made it possible for me to survive. I feel so incredibly lucky to be alive." — Kathy Bates

"I've always thought of myself as being a warrior. When you actually have a battle, it's better than when you don't know who to fight." — Carly Simon

"Cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always."— Hippocrates

"Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons." — Ruth Ann Schabacker

"When I first was diagnosed, my gut reaction was, 'This is a terrible thing.' But as my journey has progressed, I feel so blessed because I've experienced the most incredible outpouring of love you can imagine." — Victoria Lavine

"Don't let breast cancer take away the motivation to achieve your dreams." — Dianna Cohen

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