Good Morning America host Robin Roberts battled breast cancer and is now battling a disease called MDS.
Myelodysplastic Syndrome is a rare, acquired bone marrow disorder that affects the body's ability to produce blood.
Roberts beat breast cancer 5 years ago, but the treatment of her cancer caused MDS.
But Roberts doesn't want that to deter people from chemotherapy and neither does oncologist Matthew Karpenko of Coastal Cancer Center.
"We would definitely recommend chemotherapy as clinical trials have showed improved survival and cure rate," Karpenko said.
Roberts made the announcement on GMA when she began treatments Monday.
"It's all to prepare me for a bone marrow transplant," she said.
Around 10,000 people need of bone marrow transplants each year, but only a little over half actually receive them, according to Meg Williams with the National Marrow Donor Program.
"The rarity of finding a match is so great it's like literally finding your DNA twin somewhere in the world," Williams explained.
Roberts is lucky that her sister is a perfect match.
She'll undergo the transplant later this year and says she will not accept defeat.
"Bottom line is, I'm going to beat this, my doctors say it and my faith says I'm going to beat it," Roberts said.
To join the National Bone Marrow Registry, click here.
To set up a bone marrow drive, you can reach Meg Williams at 803-543-9034 or mwillia2@nmdp.org.
