Maria Menounos leaving E! following brain tumor surgery
Maria Menounos has been going through a tough time. The 39-year-old TV personality revealed in People magazine's new issue that she was diagnosed with a meningioma brain tumor back in February, while her own mother, Litsa, was battling Stage 4 cancer in her brain.
Menounos has since had the tumor, which was benign, removed in a surgery.
"[My doctor] said there's a six to seven percent chance that we'll see it come back," she told the magazine. "But I'll take those odds any day."
Monday morning, Menounos took to Instagram to thank her fans for their support, posting a photo with her mother.
"First I wanna say thank you all for the well wishes, prayers and support. It's been a crazy time here in our home," Menounos captioned the photo of herself kissing her mom's head. "I want you all to know that I'm ok! Seriously I'm recovering well and should be as good as new very very soon! Luckily I don't need any further treatments but I can't say the same about my mom. So please keep her in your prayers."
She also took a moment to thank the nurses and medical professionals who treated her at Cedars-Sinai in NYC.
"Most people want to rush out of the hospital to get home I kept saying I've never been treated kinder," she wrote. "I cried like a baby saying goodbye to the amazing nurses who took such good care of me. God bless nurses! I of course need to thank dr black and dr Chu for performing an amazing surgery and giving me the best bday gift ever-my health."
And while the experience was certainly scary, Menounos is finding the positives in her situation.
"I got to hear what I have meant to my friends and family-it's been quite moving for me," she added.
Shortly after it was announced that Menounos has been battling a brain tumor, E! News revealed that she will be stepping down as co-anchor of the program.
"I am so grateful for the past three years at E!, I had such an amazing time co-hosting with Jason Kennedy and working everyday with the wonderful roster of talent on the show including producers, staff and crew," Menounos said in a statement. "It was such a special, good-hearted group and one I'll always consider family. A special thank you to Frances Berwick and Adam Stotsky for all the support they have shown me through the years especially during these tough times. I will truly miss everyone and looking forward to this next chapter in my life."
