Danielle Fishel, best known for her role as Topanga Lawrence on Boy Meets World, recently opened up about her breast cancer diagnosis and the difficult decision to shield the news from her two young sons. In a candid interview on the Amy & T.J. podcast, hosted by Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes, Fishel discussed her experience with early-stage breast cancer and how she approached the topic with her family.
Danielle Fishel on her breast cancer diagnosis:
Fishel, 43, was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in July 2024 after a routine mammogram revealed suspicious results. Despite feeling healthy, the actress was shocked by the diagnosis. “I was not expecting in any way that it was going to find anything,” she told PEOPLE. “It was really shocking.”
When it came time to inform her husband, Jensen Karp, Fishel recalled the emotional weight of the conversation. Karp, whose mother had passed away from lung cancer in 2022, was already familiar with the devastating effects of the disease. “It was hard for me to have to tell my husband,” Fishel explained on the podcast. This was because his mom died due to lung cancer in 2022 and stayed with them during her treatment procedure.
The couple’s eldest son, Adler, 5, had developed a close bond with his grandmother and was deeply affected by her passing. Fishel noted that when explaining his grandmother’s death, she had been honest with Adler, telling him that cancer sometimes leads to death, although not always. This made her apprehensive about disclosing her own diagnosis. “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 shared.
Instead, Fishel chose to explain her condition in a way her sons, Adler and Keaton, 3, could understand. She told them she had a “boo boo” that needed to be surgically removed, and that they had to be gentle during playtime. “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.”
As she recovered, Adler eventually asked if she was feeling better, and Fishel was relieved to finally tell him, “Yes, my boo boo was all better.”
Reflecting on the experience, Fishel expressed gratitude for the support she received from loved ones and the breast cancer community. She shared her relief that her cancer was caught early and, while acknowledging some lingering side effects, said, “I am thrilled to be alive.”
Fishel’s openness about her journey serves as a reminder of the importance of routine screenings and the emotional complexities faced by families during a cancer diagnosis.
