Danielle Fishel wants women to keep up with breast cancer screenings

( NewsNation ) — Like most people, it would have been easy for "Boy Meets World" star Danielle Fishel to ignore her annual mammogram.

But staying on top of regular breast cancer screenings likely saved the director and actor's life. Fishel was diagnosed with stage-zero, high-grade breast cancer at 43 and now is recovering from a successful surgery.

She joined "Morning in America," Wednesday to emphasize how prevention and early detection bought her time to treat the cancer and begin to recover.

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"My message to you is that being selfless is not the virtue we may have been told that it was," Fishel said. "Your wellness matters. Your health matters. Prioritize yourself. Find the time."

Fishel has partnered with Aflac to raise awareness about the importance of regular health screenings. About 77% of Americans say they put off health checkups beyond the recommended time frame at least occasionally, Aflac's 2024 Wellness Matters survey found .

Twenty-six percent said they avoided a mammogram in 2023 and another 33% said the same this year.

If Fishel had followed suit, her cancer might not have been as treatable by the time doctors discovered it, she said.

Women between 40 and 44 have the option to start screening with a mammogram every year, according to the American Cancer Society .

The organization recommends that women aged 45 to 54 with an average risk of breast cancer get mammograms every year. Those 55 and older can opt for a mammogram every other year or may choose to keep up with yearly mammograms.

Screening should continue as long as a woman is in good health.

"Go get your exam," Fishel said. "If you grew up watching me on TV, it's probably time for a mammogram."

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Fishel starred as Topanga in the Disney sitcom "Boy Meets World" from 1993 to 2000 and reintroduced the character for the 2014 spinoff "Girl Meets World."

The show's co-stars and broader cancer community have rallied around Fishel during her treatment, she said.

"Nobody wants to hear that they have cancer but I would love to tell you that if you do ever hear that news, the cancer community is warm, and loving, and comforting, and ready to share their experiences," she said.