For months, fans wondered why Hoda left her role so suddenly. On-air, she said she needed time with her daughters, but off-air, she was navigating something more personal.
On May 28, Hoda returned to TODAY for the first time since her emotional goodbye in January. This time, she wasn’t behind the desk, but she was a guest. The former TV host opened up about her daughter’s Type 1 diabetes diagnosis and how it shaped her decision to step away from morning TV after nearly 30 years.
Hoda Kotb is learning to manage her daughter’s condition
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Her younger daughter, Hope Catherine, was just four years old when she first became seriously ill in early 2023. She spent days in the intensive care unit. At the time, Hoda took two weeks off from work, saying only that it was a “family health matter.” Later, she revealed that it was the beginning of Hope’s diabetes journey.
“Anyone who has a child with Type 1 knows—it’s constant,” Hoda told Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin during the segment. “You’re watching, checking, thinking. And when you’re working a job like TODAY, it’s hard to stay focused when your child’s health is always on your mind.” Hope’s diagnosis, she explained, was a wake-up call. Now, with more clarity and a new routine, Hoda is learning how to manage the condition and support her daughter without passing on fear. “Hope is a regular kid for 23 and a half hours a day,” she said. “It’s just those few moments where I have to step in. So I remind myself of that.”
Hoda Kotb has created a wellness brand
Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong condition that usually starts in childhood. It happens when the immune system mistakenly attacks the pancreas, stopping it from making insulin. Without insulin, the body can’t properly use sugar for energy. Since there’s no cure, children like Hope need daily insulin, blood sugar checks, and careful meal planning. But Hoda doesn’t want the diagnosis to define her daughter. “Don’t put your worry on your kid,” she advises other parents. “Let them be kids. Give them what they need, when they need it.”
That mindset is part of what led Hoda to create Joy 101, her new wellness brand. The idea grew out of her new lifestyle — less rushing, more presence, and a deeper focus on health and family. For now, Hoda is exactly where she wants to be: at home, showing up for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and the moments in between. “Life gives you a priority check,” she said. “I got mine. And I chose to be here.”