Maria Menounos was inundated with support over the weekend as she paid a heartfelt tribute to her late mother Litsa on what was the fifth anniversary of her brain cancer diagnosis.
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The former E! News star lost her mom after a long battle with stage four brain cancer in May this year and wrote about the moment they first found out about Litsa's illness in 2016.
She began: "Today would have been moms five year anniversary of diagnosis. Five years ago I sat on her hospital bed in Hartford, CT where a doctor told her, you have glioblastoma.
"Stage four brain cancer. Mom looked at him and said 'ok'….I ,taking her cue gulped and said 'ok' too.
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"I didn't want to ask anymore questions in front of her as I wanted to shield her from as much as I could. I had spoken with the doctors already and knew it wasn’t good and was hatching a plan to fly her safely to LA to the best of the best."
Maria continued: "Some of the doctors there tried to scare me out of flying her (remember brain surgeries are the most lucrative surgeries for a hospital). But I'm grateful to all of the neurosurgeons who I consulted with who said the risk would be worth the reward. Who helped give me the courage to do what I felt was best for her.
VIDEO: Maria Menounos shared a heartfelt tribute to her late mother
"In LA we would have home court advantage. My home, my resources, my friends. So we flew her home and I hired a nurse in flight to make it as safe as possible.
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"Our journey began that next day and for me it hasn’t stopped. I'm committed to sharing every ounce of information that helped us so it can help you."
Maria is incredibly brave
The star went on to reveal how her podcast, Better Together with Maria Menounos, is there to help anyone needing support and information, while ending her post by writing: "I miss her beyond. I cry a lot. It’s still so fresh. I try to smile more than cry though. That was her request. She said if something happens promise me to keep smiling."
The former E! News star was diagnosed with a brain tumour herself in 2018
Fans were quick to send supportive messages to the star, with one writing: "Sending you so much love Maria," while another wrote: "Maria you took the best care of her! You are so amazing and I know she is your forever angel." A third added: "Sending you tons of love Maria."
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The star has had an incredibly tough time over the past few years, as two years after her mom was diagnosed with brain cancer, Maria herself had a brain tumour removed.
Maria has had the support of her husband, Kevin Undergaro, since 2017 and they have been together since 1999.
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