12 Years After Life-Saving Transplant, Robin Roberts Celebrates and Chokes Up Remembering Her Journey. Recently, Robin shared a meaningful personal milestone during her appearance on Good Morning America—her return to the show after undergoing a stem cell transplant.
In 2012, Robin, now 64, was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a rare blood disorder that affects the bone marrow.
She recalled being away from the show for a total of 174 days, and after receiving a life-saving bone marrow transplant from her sister, Sally-Ann Roberts, she made her comeback on February 20, 2013.
Since then, she has become a dedicated advocate for those in need of bone marrow donors, encouraging others to donate and volunteer. Good Morning America has been actively involved in this cause by supporting the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), formerly known as Be the Match.
“Exactly 12 years ago, Robin returned to GMA after a stem cell transplant,” her co-anchor George Stephanopoulos noted at the start of the segment during the latest live broadcast.
The segment featured archival footage of Robin’s first GMA appearance after her surgery, along with highlights of individuals who volunteered as donors with NMDP, including her nephew Jeremiah Craft (who was in the studio) and students and staff from her alma mater, Southeastern Louisiana University.
The conversation then turned to several donors who made up the special audience in the studio, including Robin, George, Michael Strahan, Lara Spencer, and Sam Champion, all of whom voiced their support for Robin and others affected by the illness.
“We’re lucky to be here together as a family reflecting on the past because of that procedure,” Sam remarked. “In our everyday lives, we often take it for granted. Robin, do you even think about it daily? Yet, when we look back, it feels like it was just yesterday.”
Robin shared that revisiting much of the old footage is difficult for her, saying it remains “very hard,” and added, “I am incredibly grateful, don’t get me wrong, but it is tough… I value being a living, breathing symbol for those who believe that this too shall pass.”
According to the NMDP, Sam noted that since Robin started sharing her experiences with bone marrow diseases and encouraged viewers to register as donors 12 years ago, 155 individuals have donated, over 37,000 people have joined the registry, and they have raised more than $2 million in contributions.
The tribute also included a conversation with Jeremiah and Katrice Randolph, who shared how Katrice signed up as a donor after seeing the NMDP table during her college years. Her moment to act came nine years later when a young girl named Kelsey, the same age as Katrice’s sister, needed a donor due to sickle cell disease.
“Nine years later, I got a call about a little girl named Kelsey — I care for her deeply, and she is the same age as my sister — and it was an immediate decision for me because if this were my sister, I would hope someone would do the same for me, so it was an easy yes,” Katrice explained, before being surprised by Kelsey and her mother on stage, where they embraced Robin.
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