‘GMA’ Host & Cancer Survivor Robin Roberts Debuts ‘Very Special’ New Show on Disney+ Featuring Cancer Survivors and Other Inspiring Women

In an interview with GMA, Roberts discusses the vision behind her new show. “It was a no-judgment zone,” Roberts said. “We all knew what we were doing was very special, and every time I was taping an episode, [the producers] were saying, ‘You guys need to wrap this up!’ Nobody was looking at their watch. There were no prepped questions. Each episode has a theme, but it’s just where the conversation took us.”

Roberts includes cancer survivors Tig Notaro and Melissa Etheridge in the new series. Other guests include tennis star and barrier-breaker, Billie Jean King, actress Jamie Lee Curtis and fashion designer Betsey Johnson.

Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts is currently streaming on Disney+.

Robin’s Breast Cancer Battle

Roberts is a survivor. In 2007, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and she went through her cancer battle publically, raising awareness around breast cancer in the process. The GMA host also had to have a bone marrow transplant to treat her MDS, which is a rare type of blood cancer.

Related: 'Beethoven' and 'Heartbreak Kid' Actor Charles Grodin Dies of Bone Marrow Cancer at 86; What You Need To Know About This Disease

Roberts discovered her breast cancer at work. She was preparing for a news story about the need for early detection for breast cancer, and she performed a self-check at home. While doing an exam on herself, Roberts discovered a lump.

Related: Getting to Know Your Breasts with Self-Exams

She treated her breast cancer with surgery. Breast cancer can also be treated with radiation and chemotherapy. When discussing surgical options to treat breast cancer, Dr. Ann Partridge, an oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, says in an earlier interview how she evaluates the treatment path.

She says, "So when I talk to a woman who comes to me and she has breast cancer, I evaluate what the standard options for treatment for her are, which typically include cutting out the cancer which is either a lumpectomy if you can get it all with just a little scooping around of the area that's abnormal or a mastectomy for some women meaning taking the full breast because sometimes these lesions can be very extensive in the breast. And I'll talk to a woman about that and I'll say these are two main options or the big fork in the road."

When Should You Consider a Mastectomy?

When Should I Get a Mammogram?

As Roberts discovered, early detection is critically important when it comes to saving lives and expanding treatment options as well. Women ages 45 to 54 should get mammograms annually.

Related: When Should I Get a Mammogram?

And for women with an elevated risk of breast cancer this means they either have a history of breast cancer in the family, or they have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation they should begin screening even earlier, before age 45.

When You're Getting a Mammogram, Ask About Dense Breasts

While getting a mammogram, ask about desnse breasts, which may obscure cancer. The technicial will be able to do determine whether or not you have dense breasts.

What is a BRCA Mutation?

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