Maria Menounos took to Instagram on Sunday, September 2, to wish her mother, Litsa Menounos, a very Happy Birthday.
The television and radio host’s mom was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer in 2016 and, in her social media post, Maria revealed that she thought she’d never get to celebrate Litsa’s birthday past that year.
“Two years ago, she was diagnosed with glioblastoma. We threw her a birthday party and I was terrified it would be her last,” the 40-year-old wrote on Instagram in the caption to a photograph in which she is sitting on her mother’s lap, both ladies wearing chic black ensembles and smiling brightly.
“Here we are two years later celebrating her again. Don’t believe statistics … do believe in miracles. God has been with us every step of the way. So grateful for today.”
More than 11,000 of Maria’s fans gave the snapshot a heart, and many also wrote comments, sending their best wishes to the cancer survivor.
Maria also shared video clips in her Instagram story from the girls-only bash she threw in honor of her mother’s 64th birthday.
The bash started with an indoor brunch, complete with mimosas. The ladies then went outside to a sunny yard to participate in a painting party. The scene everyone was expected to paint? A gorgeous beach.
While in the spacious yard, Litsa was presented with a sugar-free chocolate cake adorned with strawberries that Tamara Berg baked.
“Sixty-four-years young… look at this hottie,” Maria said before telling her mom to make a wish before blowing out the candles on the dessert.
In July of 2017, while caring for her sick mom, Maria was experiencing headaches and dizziness, which she thought was just stress. However, after a trip to her doctor’s office, she found out that she had a brain tumor.
In an interview with NBC’s Megyn Kelly that aired on July 23, 2017, Maria shared a story about how she had actually asked God to give her the disease instead of her mother.
“I just remember praying and just saying, ‘God, I wish you gave this to me because I have the fight and I have the will to beat this stuff. She doesn’t,” she said on Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly , according to Us Weekly .
Fortunately, after having the golf-ball-sized meningioma surgically removed, she found out that it was noncancerous.
“I just hope we can make her one of the long-term survivors,” Maria told Megyn. “Nobody ever wants to lose their mom.”
Through all of the troubling times, the former Dancing with the Stars contestant had the love and support of Keven Undergaro, a 50-year-old writer and producer, whom she has been in a relationship with since 1998. They wed live on the Fox network this past New Year’s Eve in a quick ceremony officiated by Family Feud host Steve Harvey.