Now, craig melvin with a headturning treatment for alcoholics a doctor. A prescription. And yep a drink. Were not insisting on abstinence. And guess what . Some say its working it is astonishing. And did anyone tell you youre nuts . Oh, yeah. They all thought it was impossible. Harry smith with the wizard of the world series. But theyre not talking baseball. Joe maddons in a fight to save his hometown. It was the Perfect Place to grow up as a kid. Then, deep divisions. Oldtimers against newcomers. It starts spilling over. It hit like a ton of bricks. People were being treated differently. Enter joe, with a whole new playbook. These are good people. Theyre gonna save our town. All that and more right now on sunday night. Tv host Maria Menounos has made her living onscreen. But what the cameras couldnt see was a woman struggling with devastating news. Eleven months ago, her mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Eight months after that, maria was too. And thats when maria made a realization about her life choices and what really matters. In her First Television interview since her brain surgery weeks ago, maria and her mother get candid about an astonishing twist of fate. How are you feeling . Im good. Im good. Its kind of like its so hard. Because, like, each days a little different. Look at Maria Menounos today, and youd never know this vibrant, beautiful 39yearold had a brain tumor removed just last month. Welcome to access hollywood. Over the years weve seen her as host of shows like access hollywood and e news, not to mention her work as an actress and author. When we sat down with her a few days ago, she was still recovering. My face is still a little numb. The ear is filled with fluid and so you hear your own echo. Where this tumor was affected my balance. And thats whats making me woozy and dizzy. And im just gonna have to deal with that until it goes away. It may have taken her physically offbalance, but she says emotionally she is starting to feel more centered. You feel your tumor was a blessing . 100 . I think that this was a gift, because i needed to change my life. I needed to change the way i did everything. Maria has just been through the most challenging year of her life. Not only because of her brain tumor, but also because of her mothers. I have faith in god and that kept me strong. It all began last august. Marias greek immigrant parents, litsa and costas, were at their home in connecticut. You started to feel some odd symptoms. Yes. I lost my words. I couldnt speak them out. She called me. We talk every day. And she goes, maria, we we going on a little trip. And i go when she talks like that, i was like, where . And she goes, i had a little problem. And she told me shes going to the hospital. Maria got on the next plane and was there for the diagnosis. He came in, and he was like, so we got, you know, the mri. And it looks like stage four glioblastoma. And im like, whats that. And hes like, thats brain cancer. And it just hit me like a ton of bricks. Did he give you perspective on what that means, stage four . I hear stage four brain cancer. I dont think anything good is coming from that, thats for sure. You took on the role of quarterback . Uhhuh. I had my ipad out. I took notes with everything the doctor said. I did all my research. And you know, my number one thing was who do i put her with . Like, what surgeon who do i entrust her to . Yeah. Maria and her fiance, kevin, brought litsa out to los angeles, where litsa underwent surgery at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in september. Here, outside the o. R. , the couple agonized with marias dad and brother. Describe what it was like while you sat in that waiting room. Surgery day was awful, my doctor actually laughed. She goes, on surgery day, you need valium and you need a priest. That really, every day. Actually got through it without any valium, which was great. Did have a priest come bless her, and and did spend some time in the chapel. So she comes out. And they manage to resect a large amount of the tumor, but not all of it . Yeah. A little bit had to stay behind because it was on her motor area. And so you cant mess with that. Her mother began chemo and radiation, but what was left of the tumor kept growing. So maria, who grew up in the Greek Orthodox church, tried to strike a bargain. You asked god to make a swap . I was getting really frustrated, because she wasnt fighting, and she was doing worse. I just remember praying and just saying, god, i wish you gave this to me cause i have the fight. And i have the will to beat this stuff. She doesnt. And careful what you wish for. Careful indeed. In the months after her moms surgery, maria was going round the clock on tv, caring for her mother. It was not an easy time. You have a job where you have to be happy. Yeah. Right . I mean, you have to project, all is well. Yeah. Because i didnt want anyone to feel like i was dropping the ball anywhere. In the midst of all that, something strange was happening. Maria started having headaches, dizziness too. She began slurring her words and had trouble reading the teleprompter. Finally, she went to the doctor. At some level inside of you, do you feel like you knew there was something there that was not supposed to be . At that point, when i said all those things out loud to him, the symptoms mirrored what my mom had. And i realized it in that moment. I didnt really think about it before, like i said, because im too busy to hear anything. I cant listen to my body when im moving at lightning speed constantly. After an mri, the doctor delivered the news. He said, im so sorry i have to tell you this. cause i know youre going through a lot with your mom. But you have a brain tumor. Its called a meningioma. And you need to schedule an appointment with a neurosurgeon right away. And so i was like, okay. And i started kinda chuckling. And laughing. Yeah. Because at that point, its like, this is a joke. Like, how does this happen . Maria told almost no one. She broke the news to her mother just three days before surgery. I mean, were you stunned . Its like getting a punch in the face with a hammer. You cannot process that. That was the worst thing for me. Mine didnt matter, honestly. Maria turned again to the doctor who operated on her mom. Hes like, your moms was probably a five, yours is at least a seven, maybe more. Because level of difficulty or size . Of difficulty. Because of where it was located and the nerves it was infringing on. Where in your head was it . Back right there . Its like well, he went in through here and had to kinda skirt through the back, and i feel like its kind of, like, behind my eye. And of course, when youre on camera and youre finding out that the tumor is on all of your facial nerves and you could be facially paralyzed and a lot of horrible things could happen that your affect your living as well, its a little scary. And there was the ultimate fear that maria might have cancer too. Before they knew it, costas and keven were back in that waiting room, this time with litsa by their side. Their prayers now for maria. When we come back a lifesaving procedure. And a lifechanging moment. I dont want to go back to my old ways, because thats what got me this in the first place. And with Heart Disease, your risk is even higher. You didnt know that. No. Yeah. But, wait, theres good news for adults who have type 2 diabetes and Heart Disease. Jardiance is the only type 2 diabetes pill with a lifesaving cardiovascular benefit. 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Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take and if you have any medical conditions. So now that you know all that, what do you think . That its time to think about jardiance. Ask your doctor about jardiance. And get to the heart of what matters. This is a story about mail and packages. And its also a story about people. People who rely on us every day to deliver their dreams theyre handing us more than mail theyre handing us their business and while we make more ecommerce deliveries to homes than anyone else in the country, we never forget. That your business is our business the United States postal service. Priority you just months after her mother began treatment for brain cancer, tv host Maria Menounos prepared for her own surgery. It was june 8th her 39th birthday. I had a great example in my mom. She went in like a champ, she came out like a champ. And im gonna make this fun. And im, like, crackin jokes before surgery. Reporter im like, whos ready for my Big Birthday Party tomorrow . See you in a couple of hours reporter but her mom, dad and fiance were not laughing in the waiting room. It was seven hours before the doctor came out with news. What did he say . Its not cancerous. That was a big relief. Reporter marias tumor removed through this delicate incision was benign, and not related to her mothers cancer. When maria awoke in recovery, still groggy from the ordeal, she quoted a line from her favorite Actor Sylvester Stallone in rocky balboa. It aint hard hard you hit. Its how hard you get it. It aint about hard you hit. Its about how hard you can get hit. Keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. And that was my bible when it was my moms illness, whatever it was, it got me through my darkest moments. Reporter maria shared with us this video the very first steps on her road to recovery. Right now were just gonna take just a few steps forward. And a few steps back, okay . The day after they had me walking, after brain surgery, like, they have you walking. I watched that video of me trying to get up out of bed and walk and its very humbling. Reporter through it all she says she relied on the strength of her fiance keven. Ive always said, no matter what, marias gonna be my top priority. Describe the the worry that you felt . Oh, i still have the worry. I was, you know, when i first found out, i was devastated. My worry is that it is gonna come back and that shes not gonna make the changes that she needs to make. Reporter maria thinks about that too. Since her surgery, shes stepped down from her daily tv job, and is devoting more time to the radio show she produces out of her home. I viewed this before surgery as a rebirth. And oh my god. And i just i know so many people who have lifechanging moments, and then they just go back to their old ways. And i dont want to go back to my old ways, because National Weather service whthats what g me this in the first place. Do you feel do you feel like your life choices led to your tumor . Some of them, yeah. Yeah how so . I think as women, we allow a lot to happen. And we just kinda suck it up and keep moving forward. And then you wake up one day, and you have a brain tumor, and youre like, oh. I guess i should have paid attention to myself a little bit more. What does the doctor say about bringing it upon yourself . Theyre very scientific. Theyre not gonna really engage in those they dont buy it. Discussions. Yeah. I didnt even really try with him. You said you prided yourself on being a hard worker, and yet, a light bulbs gone off about hard work and where it belongs in the spectrum of importance. Yeah. Because i think weve kind of lost sight of how much is too much. Just because you can do it doesnt mean you should. Whats been missing . Some stillness. Reporter maria and keven have been together for 19 years, engaged for one. Have we set a date . No. Is it gonna happen . Yeah, it will happen. Reporter theyre hoping for a family and before her diagnosis, maria started ivf treatment giving her mom another reason to fight. I know maria is very hopeful to have a baby. And i need to see that. Reporter though separated now on different coasts, maria and litsa use facetime every day. Love you. I love you too. Ok maria. Reporter litsa says she doesnt fear death, but she wants maria to have a healthy life. Shes a fighter. Yeah, she is. I would say being a fighter runs in the family. You think. Okay, ill take it. Reporter litsas cancer is stable for now, but she has a difficult road ahead. One last question. Your your hopes for you and your mom over the coming year. My mom, i just hope that we can make her one of the longterm survivors. cause im worried about her. Thats all i want. I was like, god, if i have to give everything up just make sure shes okay, thats all i want. Nobody ever wants to lose their mom. I pray this next mri is good so that we can just all take a breath. And i have time to not worry. I just need some time to not worry. Amen. Yeah. You deserve it. Thanks. Thank you. Reporter doctors say marias tumor has a five to six percent chance of ever coming back. Her moms situation is much different, litsas cancer is the same type that senator john mccain has. But litsa says her cancer is helping her appreciate life the creations of god and this beautiful country. Coming up, alcoholism. It affects some 16 million americans. How would you characterize the way were treating alcohol use disorder . Its an abomination reporter a bold approach. The fact that i feel safe in a room with alcohol in it is astonishing. Raz, where are you . Guys. Im trapped, my boss wants me here. We are not leaving without you. Just go downstairs now. Rapunzel . look for my chr. That was fun. Wait till you see where were going. Introducing an allnew crossover. Toyota chr. Toyota. Lets go places. Oreo thins. A thin twist on the oreo cookie you love. And, at outback our sweet, tender snow crab legs come with a big bold outback steak and, speaking of big. Why not go full aussie, and go for a full pound steak crab starts at just 15. 99. But, hurry in. When theyre gone, theyre gone what should i watch . Show me sports. Its so fluffy look at that fluffy unicorn hes so fluffy im gonna die your voice is awesome. The x1 voice remote. Xfinity. The future of awesome. You probably know someone with a drinking problem a friend, maybe someone in your family. Alcoholism affects about 16 million americans. Its a massive problem, but for the most part, were still treating it the same way we did decades ago. Tonight, a provocative approach an how to help. And it starts with a drink. Heres craig melvin. Theres, like, a part of my mind that compulsively drinks alcohol in nearfatal doses, and it doesnt leave me alone for the most part. Reporter 25yearold marissa has been a binge drinker for more than five years. What were the consequences . Mostly loss of relationships. I usually end up pretty lonely with, like, no friends and somewhere in between, like, relapse and recovery. Reporter we first met her on a spring morning in connecticut, as she set off to start a bold treatment for her alcohol addiction. Are you marisa . Yes. Hi. Nice to meet you. She met her new doctor. Filled a prescription. Took a pill. And an hour later on her first day of treatment she had a drink doctor approved. I feel like i could have another drink or not have another drink and be totally fine. If marisas protocol sounds like a radical departure thats because it is. And its grown out of an awareness that much of what we do for alcholics doesnt work. How would you characterize the way that were treating alcohol use disorder in this country . Its an abomination. An abomination . An abomination. Dr. Mark willenbring used to run alcohol Recovery Research at the National Institutes of health the governments top medical research agency. Hes spent 30 years tackling alcohol abuse which claims some 90,000 american lives each year and is an even bigger killer than opioids. Its a huge problem. It costs the economy about 250 billion a year. Billion . Yeah. Very few of the millions of alcoholics in the United States get treatment. And dr. Willenbring says the vast majority of rehabs dont work anyway. Relapse rates are often estimated to run higher than 70 . People dont have access to professional, dignified, scientificallybased treatment the problem, he says, is that most rehab is based on Alcoholics Anonymous or aa. In aa and similar spiritual gatherings we are people that are in recovery those struggling with addiction share their stories, and commit to abstinence through 12 steps including embracing help from a higher power. You believe all thats nonsense . People ask me, does a. A. Work . I say, well, it works for the people it works for. So its sort of like asking, does catholicism work . I guess it works for catholics. He says aa helps a lot of people, but it was developed long ago when alcoholism was seen as a moral weakness, not a medical condition. And today whether at publiclyfunded facilities, or shishi centers with great views of the pacific he says rehabs dont provide enough sciencebased medicine. We dont send someone with diabetes to a spa for a month, teach them diet and exercise and go to support groups but dont take insulin. I mean thats the absurdity of what were doing now. Were still providing the same pseudo treatment that we provided in 1950. And 85 of rehabs in the country are 12step rehabs. People dont have any choice. Marisa says, besides detox and aa, she tried unconventional treatments, bodycleansing therapy and aromatherapy. Still, she continued to drink herself into oblivion. I dont really remember how it happened but yeah, i woke up, blood all over the pillow, no sheets on the mattress, broken glass and blood on the balcony, was throwing up into a bucket of my hair, because i had shaved my head the night before. You were that drunk . Yeah. Those days were bad but they werent the worst of it. I felt so shameful. Like, work things im at home, and work thinks im at work, and im standing outside the liquor store waiting for them to open. And i feel inside like im waiting to go, like, murder a bunch of puppies. I wasnt in the drivers seat anymore, i had no control over what i was doing. Did it ever cost you a job . Oh, yeah. Every job ive ever had, ive lost because of drinking. In a perfect world, how would we be treating