Maria Menounos’ journey to motherhood was not typical. In January 2023, she was diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer. In February she underwent surgery to remove a 3.9-centimeter tumor. While Maria was facing this health crisis, she and husband Keven Undergaro were preparing to become first-time parents with the help of a surrogate.
Maria opened up about this on Lo Bosworth’s podcast Gut Feelings. She has some useful advice for expectant parents: Don’t be afraid to ask for help and lean on your community.
Maria and Keven’s daughter Athena is now 6 months old. The couple is so in love with her. "Well, I had a unique journey because I wasn't able to carry my baby," Maria explained. "So I had a surrogate."
Although Maria’s path to motherhood was difficult, the love she has for her family makes up for it. "I was going through this journey where I had my multiple organs severed, removed and was trying to heal from that,” she recalled. “And so I wasn't able to have a baby shower, I didn't do any of the traditional things. Even so, I'm not really a traditional person, so it didn't matter to me."
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Even though she did not have a baby shower, Maria was still supported by her friends. "I told my friends, 'I don't need the baby shower, I don't need any, I just need your help. Help me get the things I really need that you guys have already vetted and know are great. Avoid me the stress of trial and error,’” she explained.
Maria advises everyone to ask their friends for help. "It's so much work. So ask for help," she urges.
Maria’s friends stepped up in a big way. They not only gave her advice but also helped her assemble everything. Maria provided wine and cheese and her community made a party of it. “Everything was set up and ready to go,” Maria gushed.
Maria wants other parents to follow her example. "So I would accept any and all help that you can get. And don't be afraid to ask people to help, especially when you've gone through something," she concluded. It does take a village, after all.
