Episode 6: Owning your recovery with Monica Robins
It all started with an eye that wouldn’t stop tearing.
WKYC-TV Senior Health Correspondent Monica Robins had covered everyone else’s health issues in her 30 years as a broadcast journalist. Now it was time to cover hers. On July 2, 2019, she got the diagnosis: She had a brain tumor.
The tumor had caused her eye to protrude. The tumor was growing on her carotid artery and her optic nerve. The tumor was as wide as a pancake and as thick as coconut meat. It could cause her to go blind.
“My world just stopped,” she said.
She faced the diagnosis and surgery with humor and grace. Tumor humor, as we cancer survivors call it. Humor helped her break the news at work.
“I told them, ‘Your health reporter has a brain tumor. We need to have a contest to name it.’” She even suggested they get her an eye patch with the station’s new logo.
Monica shared her story to inspire others to take ownership of their lives and their recovery. She researched the tumor and the doctor then got a second and third opinion. She armed herself with facts as she forged ahead.
She also urges people to stay present. “I had no time to worry about the past,” she said. “I didn’t know if I was going to have a future, so the most comfortable place you can be, truly, is present.”
The surgery took 9 hours. She has three titanium plates in her head, a ten-inch scar and nerve damage on the left half of her face that has kept her from singing the high notes with her two bands. Monica was blind for two months, but her vision slowly returned.
Then, three weeks after surgery, her hair started falling out from the trauma. She decided not to hide it. She went public and shared her hair loss with her TV audience. She now wears a hair prosthetic.
She no longer has five-year plans. All she focuses on now is what is she doing in the next five minutes. Monica shared her story to help others recover from health issues and from medical hair loss.
You can learn more about Monica on her website and at her workplace WKYC-TV.
Official bio:
Monica Robins is an Emmy award winning reporter well known as one of Northeast Ohio’s most reliable sources for health news. As Senior Health Correspondent, she has earned the respect of the region’s medical establishments including The Academy of Medicine of Cleveland and Northern Ohio for fair, accurate and unbiased reporting.
Monica has the ability to take even the most complicated medical procedure and make it understandable and relatable to viewers. Her stories are often broadcast nationally at other NBC and Tegna/Gannett stations and her more than 25 Cleveland Clinic “Medical Miracle” specials have also aired in the Middle East and Turkey.
Her dedication to providing quality health information to Northeast Ohio earned her several prestigious awards including the Community Service Award from Fairview, Lakewood, Lutheran Hospitals and the Community West Foundation, the Bronze Key award from Recovery Resources, the media award from the ADAMHS Board of Cuyahoga county for her indepth coverage of the heroin epidemic in Northeast, Ohio and the 2018 Inspire Award from Celebrating Women, and annual initiative aimed at promoting and inspiring women in business and public service.
She was honored as the first media recipient of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure "Power of a Partner" Award. She’s also received several media awards from various medical organizations including the Diabetes Partnership of Cleveland, the Academy of Medicine of Cleveland and Northern Ohio, Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging and Congressional Commendations from Senator Sherrod Brown and Representative Betty Sutton.
With nearly 30 years of Broadcast Journalism experience, Monica is a six-time Emmy award recipient. She has also received numerous first place ‘Excellence in Journalism awards’ from the Ohio Press Club, Cleveland Press Club and the Associated Press. She’s also been inducted into the Ohio Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
After graduating from West Virginia University with a degree in Broadcast Journalism, Monica began her television career at WDTV in Clarksburg, W. Va. While there, she honed her reporting and anchoring skills as well as being a videographer, producer, editor and production assistant.
She then moved to WOWK-TV in Charleston/Huntington, W. Va. where she became the main 6pm and 11pm anchor as well as delving into Investigative Reporting.
She was a primary Investigative Reporter at WCMH-TV in Columbus, Ohio before becoming the NBC Midwest Correspondent for the News Channel affiliate service. During that time she traveled the country covering national news for America’s NBC stations. Including President Clinton’s Lewinsky scandal and subsequent impeachment proceedings, the devastating Ohio River flooding, Native American Adoption controversy and the births of the McCaughey Septuplets.
Monica has been active with several community organizations including being named to the board of the FBI Cleveland Citizens Academy Alumni Association, the Diabetes Partnership of Greater Cleveland and Kids in Flight. She’s also the Honorary Chair for Recovery Resources Circle of Strength & Hope. She’s done extensive work with Komen for the Cure, Prayers From Maria Foundation for pediatric brain tumor research, Rally for the Troops, Firefighter’s Memorial Ride, COPS Memorial Ride and the Gathering Place. She was instrumental in planning and executing WKYC’s first annual Health Expo that served 15,000 people and was the driving force for the City of Cleveland’s Affordable Care for a Healthy Cleveland education event that served thousands of Cuyahoga County residents who needed information about healthcare coverage.
Monica is a native of Pittsburgh, PA and enjoys weight lifting, running and riding her Harley-Davidson motorcycle. She’s also the lead singer for two bands including, the classic rock band, Monica Robins and the Whiskey Kings, and the country band, The Ninja Cowboys. Learn more at www.monicarobins.com .
Her bands have opened for well-known national acts such as The Temptations, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Donnie Iris and the Cruisers, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Hall and Oates, Eddie Money and Michael Stanley and the Resonators.
Monica has performed the National Anthem numerous times for the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Barons, Cleveland Monsters, Cleveland Force, Akron Aeros and for many local law enforcement, fire and military agencies.
Monica is a passionate animal advocate and currently training her new Great Pyrenees puppy, Fergus, to become a certified Therapy dog as was his predecessor, Griffin, to bring emotional support to patients in local health facilities.