Marisa Abela on body image after thyroid cancer: she still cares about her appearance

Marisa Abela said on a podcast that her 2020 thyroid cancer diagnosis and treatment have made it harder to maintain her physique, and that she remains on lifelong medication with regular checkups.

Marisa Abela spoke on a Jan. 14 podcast about how her thyroid cancer experience has affected her feelings about her body and appearance. She was diagnosed in 2020 at age 23 after noticing a lump and fatigue, and she underwent surgery and radioactive iodine treatment. Abela said she is currently free of active cancer but does not have a working thyroid and will remain on medication. She described finding it more difficult to maintain a healthy physique and still feeling conscious about how she looks. Key points: - Abela was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2020 after a doctor found a lump while she had unexplained fatigue. - She had an eight-hour surgery to remove the tumor and received radioactive iodine treatment. - She reports being free of active disease but no longer has a functioning thyroid and will take lifelong thyroid medication. - Abela said changes to her thyroid have made metabolism and maintaining fitness harder, and she still cares about her appearance. Summary: Abela describes both medical and emotional effects: treatment removed the tumor but changed her thyroid function, which has affected metabolism and body image. She reported being clear of active cancer and will continue regular medical checkups and lifelong medication as part of ongoing care.