Robin Roberts made her return to the Good Morning America studios Thursday morning for the first time since her bone marrow treatment last fall.
Roberts, 52, did a “trial run” to help plan for her return to the show as anchor. “My doctors want me to see how many people I actually come in contact with. How my body reacts to the stimulation, that’s code word for stress, of being in the studio environment,” she said.
The longtime news anchor said the dry run was key in determining how her body would react to light. “My skin is very sensitive and so we have to see how it reacts to the studio lights. My vision is still a little blurry from the treatment. All of this is getting better day by day so that is the next step.”
Roberts had a bone marrow transplant in September to treat myelodysplastic syndrome and hasn’t been on the air since last August. The transplant came her sister. Her doctors initially thought her recovery would be very slow and did not anticipate a return this early. Thankfully, Roberts has bested their predictions.
Last week, she did a taped interview with her GMA coworkers and announced that her last blood test showed no abnormalities. “I got up at 4 o’clock this morning,” she revealed from her home. “I have to get back on ‘GMA’ time. One thing I have not missed is that alarm clock,” joked Roberts.
At the end of the interview, she said excitedly, “I’m coming home.”
That could be as soon as a few weeks. Roberts hopes to be back to work in February, but is taking it day-by-day. “I have a date in mind that is very important to me,” she said. “But I will ultimately listen to what my doctors say and what they recommend.”
