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JoansJourney
AWARDWINNINGJOURNALIST,ENTREPRENEUR,
SPOKESPERSONANDSOCCERMOM,JOANLUNDENRELISHES
HERNEWROLEASANADVOCATEFORWOMENWITHBREAST
CANCERANDFINDSPOWERINEMPOWERINGOTHERS
ByMaryKateHogan

JoanLundenisinthepink.Shesstandinginthemiddleofdozensofwomenalldressedin
pinkTshirts,somebreastcancersurvivors,somestillinthemidstofchemo.Asaspecial
correspondenttotheTodayshow,sheisleadingthe#pinkpowercelebrationforNBC.
Althoughtherainymorninghaskeptthepartyinside,thestudioisfilledwithwarmthandhope
asJoanputsherarmaroundonebaldwomanwhoiscrying,soemotionaloverbeingchosen
toreceiveagiftofroundtripplaneticketsforherfamily.IthasbeenoneyearsinceJoanhad
herlastradiationtreatment.TodaysheiswhatcancersurvivorscallNED(noevidenceof
disease)followingherownintensebattlewithtriplenegativebreastcancer.Alreadysheis
crisscrossingthecountryonabooktourforhernewmemoir,HadIKnowncelebratingthe
fortiethanniversaryofGoodMorningAmerica,whereshewashostfornearlytwodecades
producingcontentforherAlivewithJoanonline,streamingTVnetworkspeakingatmajor
breastcancerconferencesandcontinuingherworkwithAPlaceforMom,anorganization
thathelpspeoplefindcaregiversandhousingfortheiragingparents.Atagesixtyfive,instead
ofplanningtypicalretireetrips,Joaniscreatingaseriesofadventuretripstoempowerwomen
andhelpthemtoreachplacesontheirbucketlists(MachuPicchu,anyone?)whileshechips
awayatherown.
Atthesametime,fromherhomeinbackcountryGreenwich,sheandherhusband,Jeff
Konigsberg,arebusyraisingtheirtwosetsoftweentwins,twelveyearoldsKateandMax,
andKimandJack,whoareten.YoumayspotthecouplecheeringforJackataMavericks
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footballgameatthehighschoolfieldordrivinguptheMerritttoattendoneoftheirkidssoccer
gamestheyallplayontravelteams.Shesclosetoherthreeolderdaughterstoo.Sarahand
LindsaybothworkwithheratJoanLundenProductions,andsherecentlywelcomedher
secondgrandchild,herdaughterJamiesson,Mason(hertoddlergranddaughtercallsher
JoJo).
FROMWAKEUPCALLTOWARRIOR
OnJune5,2014,atherannualbreastcancerscreening,Joansmammogramwasclean,but
anultrasounddetectedsomethingtroublesomeinherrightbreast.Followingabiopsythenext
day,aFriday,radiologistDr.GailCalamarideliveredthenews.Cancer.Shewouldntknow
whattypeuntilthepathologyreportcamebackaftertheweekend.Joansaysthatshewas
scaredandindisbelief.Shesafitnessfanaticwhowritesbooksabouthealthylivingand
speakstocrowdsabouthowtoincreasetheirlongevityhowcouldshehavecancer?
Asawomansurroundedbyfamily,Joanwantedtoprotectherbroodthatweekendandlater
duringherroundsofchemotherapyandradiation(manyofwhichweredoneatGreenwich
Hospital).Iwantedlifetobenormal,shesays,andsoshewentaheadwiththrowinga
birthdaypartyforhertwinsandababyshowerfordaughterLindsaythatsameweekend.
Beingapatientisveryhard,acceptinghelpwasveryhard,andacceptingthefactthat
everybodywantedtodoteoverme.Iwouldconstantlysay,Idontneedanyonetogowithme
tothedoctor.Atthesametime,facingdowncancerbroughtherbackintouchwithherlarger
familyofmorningfriends,herfansfromheryearsatGoodMorningAmericaasthelongest
runninghostonearlymorningtelevision.Crazyasitis,mybreastcancerreconnectedthem
tome.EveryoneIwasconnectedtoduringGMAhascomebackintomyfold.Ihearfromthem
allthetime,shesaysEveryonesenergycomingtomeonmyFacebookpageduringmy
recoverywasreallypowerfulforme.ThatmademefeelstrongondayswhenIdidntfeelvery
strong.
Joanseemstofindpowerinthepersonal,insharingherownexperiences,whetherinaone
ononeintervieworwith8millionviewersonFacebook.Ivehadenoughhappentomeinmy
lifebetweenbeingamom,usingasurrogate,havingtwins,leavingaveryhighprofilepublic
job,takingcareofmyelderlymom,goingthroughthecaregiving,nowthecancer,shesays.
IfIstaytruetowhatImgoingthroughasaboomerinthissociety,thenIcanspeakfrommy
authenticself.Itsmucheasiertogooutandfightsomeonescausewhenitsalsoyourcause.
Joanneededlittlepromptinginrecallingsomedefiningmomentsinherjourney,fromherearly
daysontelevisionasarolemodelforworkingwomentoherpublicbreastcancerbattleand
futureplans.
BOLD,BALD,BEAUTIFUL
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Onawarmfallday,JoanbreezesintoMorelloBistroontheAvenueinawoolponchoshes
flashingageneroussmileandsportingwhatshecallshernewnormalhaircut,blondeand
spiky.Hershort,lightcoloredlocksspeakvolumesaboutwhereshestandsasabreast
cancersurvivorandnowanadvocate.Theyreplacethebrightblondebobthatwasher
trademarkduringheryearsatGoodMorningAmericaandalsothebaldheadthatshebared
onthecoverofPeople,sharingwiththeworldhervulnerability.
Itwasatoughdecisionatthetime,shesaysnow.Thatwasascarything,todothatcover.
MykidsweregoingtoanewmiddleschoolinsixthgradeandsixthgradersdontreadPeople,
buttheirmomsdo,shesaysbeforeorderinglunch.Iwasafraid.Whatifitwaslayingaround
someoneshouseandaparentsaid,Ohthosepoorkids,theirmomhascancer.Ididntwant
someoneaskingIsyourmomdying?Sheadmitsthatvanitywasafactortoo.Inhermemoir
shedescribeshowshewouldsometimeswearabandanatobedbecauseshedidntwant
evenherhusbandtoseeherbald.Shealsowantstoseparateherselffromany
sensationalism.Mymotivesweretotallytobethereasapersonsteppingforwardtorepresent
millionsofotherwomenwhohavegonethroughthisandlivewiththefearofitcomingback,
withthehopethatiftheydogetthatdiagnosis,theirfamiliesandfriendswillrallyaroundthem
andnottreatthemasthesupersickpersonwhiletheyrebald.
Totreathertriplenegativebreastcancer,Joanenduredsixteenroundsofchemotherapy,a
lumpectomyandradiation.ShedescribessomeofwhatshewentthroughonhernewAlive
withJoanonlinestreamingnetwork,launchedlastsummer.Womenwhoaresickorin
recoverycannowtuneintoAlivewithJoantowatchvideosaboutcopingwiththedisease
(everythingfrompreppingforradiationtosourcingagoodwig)andaccessnewsaboutgenetic
testingandearlycancerdetection,survivordiaries,recipesandahubforwomentoshare
stories.JoantapshernetworkofexpertsfromSloanKettering,DanaFarber,CityofHopeand
othercuttingedgecancerresourcestobringthelatestinformationtoherviewers.
BecauseJoanwasdiagnosedwithbreastcancerafterhavingacleanmammogramdoctors
discoveredthecancerduringanultrasoundthatshehadrequestedbecauseofherdense
breasttissuesheisparticularlyvocalinspreadingthewordaboutthefactthatdensebreast
tissuealsoincreasesyourriskofcancer.LastspringshejoinedtheSusanG.Komen
FoundationandanorganizationcalledAreYouDense?inWashingtontopushforlegislation
thataffectsthestandardofpracticefordiagnosingbreastcancerlaterintheyearshe
receivedanawardfromthefoundationforherworkasabreastcancersurvivoradvocate.
Locally,lastspringsheservedastheemceeoftheGreenwichHospitalOceangala,which
raised$900,000forthehospitalsoncologyservices.
Whileherroleasabreastcanceradvocateisarelativelynewone,Joansays,Ivealways
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hadmyheartcenteredinhealth,inwomenshealth.DuringheryearsatGMA,shesays,she
wasoftenassignedthewomenstoriesabouthealth,wellness,parentingandlifestyleand
thatthoseweretheonesthatreallygotpeopletalkingattheofficethenextday,thestories
thatpeoplerelatedtotheirlivesdaytoday.SomeofJoansfocusonhealthalsostemsfrom
herchildhood.
GrowingupinNorthernCalifornia,Joanwasthedaughterofacancersurgeonfatheranda
motherwhoneverexercised.Idontthinksheeverownedapairofsneakersinherlife,andif
shedidtheywerecoveredingoldsequins,Joansayswithalaughabouthermother.But,she
says,herMomencouragedherbybeingtheguruofpositivethinking,tellinghertofigureout
howtomakeadifferenceintheworld.IalwaysthoughtIwouldbeadoctor,shesays,
inspiredbyherfather.Inhermemoir,HadIKnown,Joanwritesabouthowherdadwasan
avidpilotwhooftenflewaroundthecountryformedicalconventions,bringinghisfamilyalong
forthetrip.WhenJoanwasthirteen,sheandhermotherandbrotherwereplanningtojoinhim
onatriptoSouthernCaliforniaforacancerconvention,buthermotherdecidedshedidnt
wantthekidstomissschool.Theywatchedhisplanetakeoffatanearbyhangar,notrealizing
itwouldbethelasttimetheywouldseehimonthereturnflight,hecrashedintoMalibu
Canyon.
Itwouldntbeuntilmanyyearslater,followingalongandsuccessfulcareerasatelevision
journalist,authorandpublicspeaker,thatJoanwouldcarryonherfatherswork,helping
peoplewithcancerinherownway.
GOODMORNINGAMERICASSWEETHEART
Theweekwemeethappenstocoincidewiththespecialfortiethanniversarybroadcastof
GoodMorningAmerica,andJoanisscheduledtoappearalongsideCharlieGibson,David
Hartman,DianeSawyer,RobinRoberts,andcurrentcoanchorsLaraSpencerandGeorge
Stephanopoulosandothers.Presidingoverthepopularmorningshowforseventeenyears,
shereportedfromtwentysixcountries,coveredfourpresidents,fiveOlympicGamesandtwo
royalweddings.
Betweenbitesofspaghetticarbonara,asplurgethatshehasnteateninyears(Youcanttell
onme,shesayswithagrin,thisislikecelebrating,throwingcautiontothewind.Ivebeenon
suchastrict,strictdiet,butevenmynutritionistsayseverynowandthenyouhavetoallow
yourselftoeatwhateveryouwant.),shereminiscesaboutherGMAdays.Daysthatareon
hermindasshepreparesforthereunionlaterintheweek.Joanjoinedtheshowasa
consumerreporterin1976,oneyearaftertheprogramhadgoneontheairwithaninnovative
formatasetdesignedtolooklikeahomeandreporterswhoweredubbedafamilyof
contributors.Afewyearslater,whenshewasaskedtojoinDavidHartmanascohost,shewas
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inthefamilymodeinmorewaysthanone.IliterallygotthecallfrommyagentasIwasinthe
newsroomgettingmystoryreadyandmyagentsaid,YoujustgotthejobascohostofGMA.
ThirtyminuteslaterIgotthecallfrommygynecologist,Yourepregnant!Iwaslike,ohmy
God.WhatdoIdonow?
Bythetimeshemovedintothenewjob,herdaughterJamiehadbeenbornandwasonly
eightweeksold.Joanwasstillbreastfeeding.Sherequestedanofficewhereshewouldhave
roomforacribandababynursetoassisther.Duringapressconferenceonherfirstdayon
thejob,shesays,thePRpeopleaskedhertoplaydownanythingtodowiththebaby.They
toldme,Donttalkaboutthebaby.Inthosedaystheythoughtyoucouldntcontinuedoing
workifyouwereamomtobeornewmom.
Butthereportersaskedallaboutithowshewouldjugglesuchademandingjoband
motherhoodtoanewborn?Wouldshebeabletotravelforstories?SoonthesamePRguy
whotoldhertostayhushaboutthebabywentupstairsandretrievedbabyJamieandputher
inJoansarms,aniconicphotoopp.Thatwasamomentonthewildfrontierofworking
women.
Joanwouldgoontobeapioneerforworkingmoms,givingbirthtothreedaughterswhile
continuingherworkatGMA.Idwakeupat3:30a.m.andhaveacaratmydoor.Iwouldgo
toWashingtonandcovertheinaugurationofanewpresident,thenIdcomehomeandtake
mydaughtertoballetatAllegradancestudio.
Herfanstunedineverymorning,sharingthehappymomentsinherlifeaswellasmore
difficultones,suchasherdivorcefromMichaelKraussin1992.Likemanywomen,shegained
weightwitheachpregnancyandneverreallylostthosefortypounds,shesays,untilshegot
fedupandembarkedonaoneyearplanwithanutritionistandfitnesstrainer.Inotonly
changedmyselfphysically,shesaysofherslimdownintheearly90s,butitchangedme
completelymentallyandemotionallyaswell.Itmademelookatthepossibilitiesofmylifeina
differentway.
ThistransformationpavedthewayforJoan,whoistheauthorofeightbooks,towriteabout
fitnessandhealthyeating.ShesalsothefacebehindtheResurgencebyMuradskincare
line,designedtotargetthesignsofagingthathappenaftermenopause.Shescurrently
workingonthesecondinatwobookdealwithHarperCollinsandthatbooksfocuswillbe
healthyliving.ManyofherupsanddownsduringhertimeonGMAandbeyondmirrorother
womens,andthathaskeptherloyalaudiencefollowingalong.
Abouttenyearsago,Joanfacedanotherchallengingrolethatsfamiliartomanywomen:
beingamemberofthesandwichgeneration,caringforyoungkidswhilealsocaringfor
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parents.InJoanscase,hertwinswerestillinfantsandhermother,Gladyce,whowaslivingin
California,begansufferingfromdementiaandneededanewplacetolive.Joanwasflying
backandforthtotheWestCoast,tryingtohelphergetsettled.Afteracoupleofchoices
provedtobethewrongfit,Joanultimatelyfoundtherightsettingandassistanceforhermom
throughtheorganizationcalledAPlaceforMom.Joanthenbecamethespokespersonforthat
group,whichisthelargestseniorlivingreferralserviceintheUnitedStates.ThesedaysJoan
frequentlyspeaksonthetopicofcaregivingandurgespeoplewhoaregoingtovisittheir
elderlyparentstogoinwithopeneyes,notseeitthewayyouwantittobe,shesays.She
alsoprovidesassessmentsheetsforpeopletodeterminetheirparentsneedsandgaugetheir
ownabilitytobecomecaregivers.
TRAVELTHATTRANSFORMS
Onthesubjectofcaregiving,Joanisquicktocreditthemedicalproswhohelpedherduring
someroughmomentsofhercancertreatment,includingDr.BarbaraWard,directorofThe
BreastCenteratGreenwichHospital,andDr.DickermanHollister,medicaloncologistalso
withGreenwichHospital.Shekeepsintouchwiththemaswellassomeofhernurses.
Nursesaretheunsungheroes,shesays.WhenyoureapersonlikemewhosTypeA,
saying,Igotit,everythingsfine,Imstrong,theyretheoneswhosay,OKhowareyoureally
doing?Telluswhatsreallyupwithyou.Theymakeyoufeelalotbraver.Theyalsoletyoucry
andgiveyouahug.
TodayJoanwantstolendthattypeofsupporttootherwomen,especiallyafterreceivingmany
messagesfromwomenwhoarebattlingcanceranddonthaveabignetworkoffriendsand
familytogetthemthroughitall.Overthepasttenyears,sheandherhusband,whoownsa
summercampinMaine,havebeenrunningaprogramforwomencalledCampReveille.Every
Augustwhentheyoungcampersheadhome,thecampstaffprepsforthearrivalofagroupof
womenwhocomeinandspendtimeinnature,hike,swim,canoeandbondwitheachotherin
aserenesetting.Itsaplacewherewomencanrecharge.Whenyoucomeonatriplikethis,
theresacertainrecalibratingofyourlife.Itgivesyouanopportunitytobealittlereflective,
saysJoan.Youfindouthowotherwomenaredealingwiththeirlifejourneysandrealizethat
yourenotaloneinyours.
ThisyearinplaceofCampReveille,whichwillnolongerbeoperatingendingitstenyearrun
onahighnoteJoanisplanningtotakewomenswellnesseventsontheroad,foradventures
suchasclimbingMachuPicchuandziplininginMexico.Inowknowhowtogetwomen
together,tocreateaprogramthatengagesthem,educatesthemandmakesthemall
comfortable.Thereisamazingstrengthandsafetyandempowermentthatcomesoutofthe
camaraderieofgettingagroupofwomentogether.Shesatachapterinherlifewhereshe
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wantstotakethesetripsandsaysitsmorefuntodothemwithothers,especiallywiththe
survivorsisterhood.
AsmuchasJoanlivesforadventure,shesalsoeagertospendtimeathomeinGreenwich
withherhusbandandkids.Thistomehasalwaysbeenmysafehaven,shesaysgesturing
totherestaurantswindowleadingouttotheAvenue.Shelovesthenaturalbeautyofthearea,
especiallyTodsPoint,whereaphotographerrecentlycapturedherforthecoverofhernext
book.HerfavoritelocalhangoutsincludeMliMlo,Polpo,Gabrieles,TerraandSundown
withthekids,andshesadiehardshoeshopperatShoesNMore.Herhomeinbackcountry
isallaboutgatheringtogetherherlargeextendedfamily.Whiledescribingitasthehousefor
everyeventfrombirthdaystoholidays,shepullsoutofherpursesomegreenandgoldtone
fabricsswatchesfromSmithPartyRentals,herholidaytablescapesintheworks.Ilove
creatingatmosphereforparties.
Herbusiestseasonforspeakingengagements,fromSeptembertomidNovember,iscoming
toacloseaftertakinghertofifteenstatesinsevenweeks.ShejustreturnedfromatriptoNew
Mexico,wheresheshotacameoforashowpremieringthisspringcalledGraves,starring
NickNolteasaformerpresidentwhowantstorighthiswrongs(includingcutbacksforcancer
research),andSelaWardashiswife.
Joansmilesassherecountsaconversationwithheryoungestson,Jack,whosten,about
whyshehadtotraveltoNewMexico.Jackasked,Sowhoareyougoingtoplay?Isaidme.
Hesaid,Whatdoyoumeanyou?Thatswhytheycallitacameo.Imgoingtobespeaking
likeIdoinreallife.AndJackslike,Oh,youregoingtoplayyou.Isometimesforgetthat
yourekindofabigdealoutthere.Tohim,sheissimplyMom.

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