Robin Roberts starts "Good Morning America" medical leave early
(CBS/AP) NEW YORK - Robin Roberts is beginning her medical leave from ABC's "Good Morning America" a day earlier than she originally planned.
The "GMA" anchor made her final appearance Thursday before going on medical leave for a bone marrow transplant.
Roberts' departure was first planned for Friday, but she told viewers she chose to exit a day early to visit her ailing mother in Mississippi.
In June, she first disclosed that she has MDS, a blood and bone marrow disease. She will be hospitalized next week to prepare for the transplant. The donor will be her older sister, Sally-Ann Roberts, who was on hand for Thursday's emotional send-off.
There's no timetable for when Roberts will be back at "GMA," but she promised she'll return "as soon as I can."
