The former 'Good Morning America' host returned to the show on Tuesday morning to reveal about her breast cancer.
- Jun 25, 2014
AceShowbiz - Joan Lunden, former "Good Morning America" anchor, revealed on "GMA" on June 24 that she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Robin Roberts (II), the current host who interviewed Joan, and "GMA" news anchor Amy Robach had also battled against the same illness.
Joan also wrote on her blog about her breast cancer diagnosis on Tuesday. She revealed that at first, the annual mammogram she received two weeks ago was negative. The doctor then suggested an ultrasound to Joan, which later revealed that she had a tumor in her right breast. She later found out that the tumor was actually a cancer after a core biopsy was done.
Joan recalled, "I sat there stunned - how could this be? I considered myself fit and healthy, I get checked faithfully every year and I didn't have a history of breast cancer in my family."
"But of course after covering many stories about breast cancer over the years, I knew that none of us are exempt. I also knew that I had to jump into action quickly, put together a team, and find the best course of treatment for the kind of cancer that I have," she added.
Joan said that she actually wanted to keep her illness a secret, but at the end she decided to share the news to public. "I have decided to talk about my breast cancer because since the moment I took the job at Good Morning America I have lived my life sharing my joys and my disappointments with all of you: my pregnancies, my relationships, my career," she explained.
She continued, "I have shared my journey. So it certainly didn't feel right keeping this part of my journey a secret."
Joan said that her father was a cancer surgeon who died on a flight after his speech at a Cancer Conference when she was little. She wanted to continue her father's passion to "save lives and work toward a cure for cancer." She said, "I knew that he would want me to use this experience as an opportunity to spread the word about how important it is to get screened for all types of cancers and for women to do self-breast exams."
Joan said that she was fortunate to find her breast cancer at the early stage and the doctor's prognosis was promising. She revealed that she had already begun her chemotherapy. Rather than being a pessimist, she faced her illness with positive attitude, saying, "I know I have a challenge ahead of me in this journey, however I have chosen to take it as an opportunity to fulfill my father's legacy and try to inspire others to protect their health."
According to her publicist Stan Rosenfield, Joan will receive several treatments, including a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. The treatments are expected to fully recover her condition.
