Danielle Fisher speaks out about being on Dancing with the Stars after her cancer treatment 

Danielle Fishel lit up the Dancing with the Stars stage on Tuesday, September 16, her big comeback after beating cancer. In 2024, the 44-year-old Boy Meets World star was diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ, an early form of breast cancer. She went through a lumpectomy and 20 rounds of radiation before doctors finally gave her the green light to dance again.

Now she is back with her sequins shining, Pasha Pashkov at her side, and every step on that dance floor meant more than just hitting the beat. For Danielle, it was proof that chasing joy is worth it, even after staring down something as scary as cancer.

In the audience, her husband Jensen Karp and their boys Adler (6) and Keaton (4) clapped like it was the Super Bowl. The whole thing wasn’t just another TV dance; it was a victory lap, a glittery shout that survival can sparkle and that storms don’t get the final word.

Danielle’s journey from the diagnosis to Dancing with the Stars

Danielle Fishel’s cancer story began with four letters, which were ‘DCIS,’ that flipped her daily life upside down. Suddenly, she was living at the doctor’s office, moving from scans to checkups to treatments like it was a full-time job.

The hardest part came with 20 rounds of radiation that burned her skin red and raw, then turned into a painful rash. When doctors finally suggested a lumpectomy as her fastest ticket back to normal, she went for it, and it worked.

But recovery didn’t just patch her body back together; it rewired her brain. Danielle realized she didn’t just want “normal life” again; she wanted more joy, more risk, more things that made her heart race. That is what pushed her toward Dancing with the Stars. Instead of sticking to the safe lane, she wanted to dance right out of it.

So when premiere night rolled around, the sparkle wasn’t just on her costume, it was in the moment itself. With her family cheering from the seats, Danielle wasn’t just performing for a trophy; she was proving she’d started a whole new chapter, one built on guts, glitter, and second chances. She revealed:

"It was so emotional, I had to truly just block it out for the length of the dance."

Explaining, she said:

"I had to just lock into [my partner] and stay with him."

The strategy worked during her routine on Dancing with the Stars, but the emotions hit her immediately afterward. She described feeling relief and permission to "feel all the feels" once the dance concluded. Her professional partner, Pasha Pashkov, witnessed the family's emotional reactions from the skybox. He noted that her husband Jensen cried during the performance, along with other family members.

Her family’s support and focus on health

Fishel's young sons provided heartwarming support during the live taping of Dancing with the Stars. The boys spent commercial breaks enthusiastically waving to their mother from their seats. Fishel shared about Adler and Keaton's antics in the audience:

"They were gathering confetti and throwing confetti in the air. It was cute."

Their presence on Dancing with the Stars reminded her why taking this opportunity mattered, showing her children that pursuing dreams remains possible regardless of obstacles. Despite her recovery, Fishel continues prioritizing her physical well-being throughout the competition. She has developed strict routines to support her dancing demands.

Daily stretching has become "non-negotiable" for managing the physical demands of rehearsals and performances. She also focuses on staying hydrated during intense training sessions. Fishel incorporates cold plunges when possible to help with muscle recovery, acknowledging that her body needs extra care as she tackles this new challenge.

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Dancing with the Stars airs Mondays on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu.

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