Robin Roberts: It's Bone-Marrow Transplant Day

Today is Robin Roberts' "new birthday." It's the day the Good Morning America anchor, 51, will receive her desperately needed bone-marrow transplant from her sister Sally-Ann Roberts.

Roberts, who is living with the rare blood disorder myelodysplastic syndrome, taped a message from her hospital bed in New York that was shown on Thursday's edition of Good Morning America.

Donning a fuchsia baseball cap, a black hoodie and a disco-ball necklace, Roberts -- who has undergone eight days of intense chemotherapy in preparation for the surgery -- thanked her many supporters for their love and encouragement.

"This journey is as much about the mind as it is the body. Your thoughts … are so powerful. You've got to change the way you think in order to change the way you feel. And let me just say this lastly, I feel the love and I thank you for it. Thank you."

During her 11 days in the hospital preparing for today, Roberts has been surrounded by her family and friends, said her co-anchor George Stephanopoulos. Roberts' doctor, Dr. Gail Roboz, also talked about Roberts on the show.

"Medically speaking, she is doing fantastic," the the specialist said. "I think she misses her mother." Robin and her sister (and donor) Sally-Ann are still grieving the loss of their mother Lucimarian Tolliver Roberts, who died Aug. 30, the day after Roberts started her leave from GMA.

Despite the grief-stricken Roberts' exhaustion, GMA weatherman Sam Champion, who visited his colleague in the hospital, said, "She is in remarkable spirits."

Roberts' fans are encouraged to send her Twitter messages at #teamrobin. 

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/robin-roberts-its-bone-marrow-transplant-day/1-a-488474

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