Maria Menounos is an American actress, television host and journalist who in the last five years reached her career peak as co-anchor of E News!
After developing a successful entertainment journalism and television career for over 10+ years, it was heartbreaking to watch Maria Menounos step down from her beloved role due to ongoing health battles.
In the summer of 2017, Maria Menounos left her job with E News to focus on her ongoing health battle with a brain tumor.
After years of decreasing health, Maria found out she had a meningioma brain tumor and she underwent a seven-hour surgery to have it removed on her 39th birthday.
In addition to her own ongoing health struggles, Maria’s mother was battling stage 4 brain cancer. Maria’s brain tumor diagnosis came as a complete shock at first.
Maria cited the disbelief and shock then the slow realization of the many missed symptoms she ignored.
For over two years, Maria had noticed a slew of symptoms, which were hinting at progressive fatigue, ongoing painful headaches, dizziness, lightheadedness and even speech slurring at times.
It wasn’t until Maria started experiencing ear pain due to the pressure of the tumor that she went to see a medical professional.
Maria’s seven-hour brain surgery successful removed the meningioma brain tumor. Like many recovering surgery patients, Maria did not realized the necessary length of time for complete healing and recovery.
However, the break from working made Maria prioritize her life where her mental wellbeing and her health are now first.
The health scare Maria experienced is definitely less common than other health conditions.
Although over an estimated 700,000 Americans are living today with a primary brain tumor and over 79,000 more will be diagnosed with a brain tumor by the end of 2018, according to the National Brain Tumor Society.
With the possibility of brain tumors, it is important for people to listen their bodies instead of pushing through or staying tough.
Maria missed major warning signs from her body, as she was too busy taking care of other and balancing her life.
Kuether Brain and Spine stresses the importance of listening to your body and taking care of it by getting sleep, staying active and eating nutritious food.
Kuether Brain and Spine has the capacity to handle similar cases to Maria’s, as Dr. Todd Kuether is one of Portland’s premier neurosurgeons.
