The Highs and Lows of Cancer Treatment
- Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts, 61, recently took some time off from her daily on-camera duties so that she could take care of her ‘Sweet Amber,” her longtime partner Amber Laign, 47, who is battling breast cancer.
- After a difficult journey thus far since her 2021 diagnosis, Robin, now back on the small screen every day, is reporting (to a fan!) that Amber’s health is thankfully on the upswing, as she is back on treatment.
- Complications with chemotherapy are not uncommon, but they can be scary. Doctors check your blood count before each infusion to make sure your levels are strong enough to handle the treatment. Sometimes there can be a delay as your body rebuilds strength. It’s important to not give up, trust in medicine, and stay focused on getting through it.
After a difficult journey thus far since her 2021 diagnosis, Robin, now back on the small screen every day, is reporting (to a fan!) that Amber’s health is thankfully on the upswing.
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This is very good news, considering as of April, things were looking tough for the two survivors. At the time, Roberts reported that her love was unfortunately having complications during chemo and had to stop treatment. The journalist became emotional while appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
“I went through it twice, barely shed a tear. I’m a puddle every time I think about what Amber is going through,” the two-time survivor shared.
The Brighter By The Day author recently celebrated 20 years with her own show, GMA, and also addressed Amber’s battle.

“When you’re the patient you know what you’re doingby your treatment, you have your doctors, you have people watching over you that are helping you,” Robin began, addressing how her own battle was much different than what she is experiencing now. “When you’re on the other end as a caregiver, you feel helpless,” she admits. “And that’s what’s been so difficult.”
“Unfortunately, some things that didn’t happen to me, have happened to her, which has delayed her treatment somewhat,” she said, referring to Amber as “a light.”
“We know we’re going to tackle it … and she encourages me now as much as she did before when she was a caregiver.”
“Focus on the flight, not the fright,” Robin says to all the thrivers and survivors out there. “It’s as much mental as it is physical.”
Robin Roberts and Amber Laign’s Breast Cancer Battles
Roberts and her partner, Laign, have been together through many highs and lows over their nearly 17-year relationship including each of their battles with breast cancer.
The Unique Features of Breast Cancer: Deciding the Right Course of Treatment
Roberts received her breast cancer diagnosis in 2007. Ironically, she was diagnosed after finding a lump in her breast during her preparation for a news segment on performing self-checks. Thankfully, she was cancer-free after surgery.
But in February, Roberts shared that Laign now has to face breast cancer as well. And in an April interview, she gave an important update regarding her partner's cancer journey.
"She's had some complications with the chemotherapy," Roberts previously told Entertainment Tonight. "They're working it out. We're gonna figure it out. The prognosis is still very good."
Complications with chemotherapy are not uncommon, but they can be scary. So, Roberts did everything in her power to support Amber during her difficult setback, and we are happy to hear she is hanging in there and getting through it!
Contributing by SurvivorNet staff.
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