Dayanara Torres©GettyImages
Exclusive interview

Dayanara Torres talks about her battle with cancer and her return to ‘Mira Quién Baila’

The beautiful MQBAS’ judge said she will be finishing her skin cancer treatment in March

Dayanara Torres is starting 2020 with some excellent news. The Puerto Rican beauty is not only one of the judges on the new season of Mira Quién Baila All Stars (MQBAS) but has also shared, in an exclusive interview with HOLA! USA, that she will be finishing her cancer treatment in March. Marc Anthony’s ex-wife opened up about how important the Univision show is for her and gave us an update on her recovery and the crucial role her family has played in it.  

MQB judges©@miraquienbaila
Dayanara Torres, Casper Smart and Bianca Marroquin during MQBAS’ first show of the new season

“I am happy, I was so looking forward to the end of last year, I knew Mira Quién Baila was about to start and I absolutely love what I do,” she said during our chat. “First of all, the show means so much to me, it opened so many doors, it took me out from, let’s say, ‘the little cave’ I was hiding in with my children, I took a chance on it and haven’t stopped since, I owe so much to MQB.”

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In her own words, the reality show was a re-birth, “MQB was an awakening, I am still getting jobs and deals from it.” Unfortunately, during this professional reboot, Dayanara also received devastating news. At the beginning of 2019 she was diagnosed with skin cancer. “Suddenly, I find out I have cancer and that I need to start the treatment. I am still going through it, but thank god I will be finishing in March. I hope all is negative in the last three tests.”

Dayanara Torres©@dayanarapr
Dayanara Torres will be finishing her treatment for skin cancer in March

The 45-year-old beauty queen shares two sons with Puerto Rican star Marc Anthony, 18-year old Cristian and 16-year-old Ryan, and they are her main concern. “I know I will be fine, but when the night comes and you go to bed, you think about your children and that uncertainty is so strong...”

Marc Anthony and Dayanara Torres son plays piano©@marcanthony
Marc Anthony , Dayanara Torres and their children at Cristian's graduation

The MQB judge also explained that the diagnosis arrived in a moment when her family dynamics were changing as Cristian had left for college. “It is hard because I have grown-up children, and they understand; they get scared. My eldest son lives in New York, he’s at uni. I know he worries; he calls me almost every day, and that makes me feel good. The little one is still at home. Thanks to my mom I can come here; she is the one looking after him.”

Dayanara Torres©@dayanarapr
Dayanara Torres’ mom has been a great source of strength for her daughter

Dayanara decided to share her experience on social media to raise awareness about melanoma. “The reason why I decided to open up and share the process I was going through was that it all took me by surprise. I didn’t know about melanoma, and I think that sharing it on social media, talking about it has opened the eyes to many people who, like me didn’t know it could be so dangerous.”

“You learn from experience. I think that it happened to me for a reason, perhaps, raising awareness was why,” said the Puerto Rican while sharing her tip to face the battle against cancer. “Staying positive all the time, and knowing it is a process. It happened to me, I did all I had to do, and all that I have to do, and from now on, I need to get over it!”

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