Janice Dean announced she is leaving Fox & Friends.
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The meteorologist and co-host of the Fox News Channel morning show shared the news on social media on Thursday, June 25. The news comes amid complications due to her multiple sclerosis diagnosis.
The Meteorologist Took a Break Due to "Health Issues"
Dean was diagnosed with MS in 2005, a year after she began working for Fox News. Back in November, she shared that she was taking a break from work due to "health issues." She told viewers at the time that she would "be back."
In her latest message, posted on X, she acknowledged that viewers have "been wondering where" she's been, adding that the support "meant the world" to her.
"Goodbyes are hard," she added. "But they are necessary before you can meet again..."
"For a long time, I was able to handle the early mornings, the many hours on my feet and the stress of broadcasting live," began Dean. "Getting up at 2:30 in the morning and performing anything is hard, but especially for someone who has multiple sclerosis."
Janice Dean Says Her Symptoms Have "Progressed"
She then added, "For those living with MS, the war is inside of us. We may look fine, but our immune system is attacking the brain, the spinal cord and sometimes, the optic nerve. We're left with permanent scars, but ones you can only see on MRI imaging."
Dean was diagnosed early. She has been on "different therapies" for 20 years, but her symptoms have caused a lack of sleep and stress.
"Ultimately, my symptoms progressed to the point that I can no longer continue working in my role," she said. "My doctors agreed that stepping away was necessary for my health."
She added, "There are so many things I'll miss. The friends I met, of course, the places I've visited, the storms I've covered and the millions of viewers who have invited me into their homes every morning. Through the good times and the bad, the dark clouds and the sunshine, you've always been there for me."
She concluded her message by thanking family, friends, and fans for their support.
"But I know how lucky I was, and that's why it's so hard to finally say the words," she said. "So maybe I'll call this my 'mostly sunny goodbye,' because for every goodbye, there's always the next hello and maybe the chance to meet again one day, in a different place, at another time."
