I’m a little bit surprised that People Magazine didn’t put George Clooney on their cover this week, especially considering Clooney’s wedding is probably going to be this Sunday. Maybe he’ll get the cover next week. Instead, People Mag did an interesting exclusive with Joan Lunden, the journalist and former GMA host. Lunden was diagnosed with breast cancer in June and she’s been undergoing chemo. Instead of waiting for her hair to fall out from the chemo, Joan shaved her head and she debuted her wigless dome on the cover of People. She’s amazing. You know what I love about this cover shot? The diamonds!! If you’re going to battle cancer head-on, you should be dripping in fabulous jewelry.
When Joan Lunden was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in June, the former Good Morning America host knew she had two choices.
“I could decide to do nothing, but that’s certainly not my personality,” Lunden, 64, tells PEOPLE in its latest issue, on newsstands Friday. “I was handed an opportunity to learn everything that I can about this and try to help others.”
Her first move? Going public with her battle. She announced the devastating news of her diagnosis to fellow cancer survivor Robin Roberts on the ABC morning show, where Lunden left with some valuable advice.
“Robin told me waiting for your hair to fall out is excruciating,” she says. “So I didn’t want to wait.”
Just one week after finishing her first chemo treatment, the mother of seven decided it was time to say goodbye to her trademark blonde locks. “You know it’s going to happen one of these days and you are wondering how and when, so I just owned it,” Lunden explains.
But her decision to be photographed for PEOPLE’s cover without the wig she currently wears took a bit more thought.
“I’m almost reluctant to say it because it sounds superficial,” says Lunden. “But when you lose your hair, it just affects the way that you look at yourself in the mirror. You feel less feminine, pretty or desirable, and it’s not an easy thing to go through.”
But after much consideration, the long-term health advocate – who has been sharing her experience with breast cancer on her blog on JoanLunden.com and will appear during a weeklong series of segments on the Today show – knew what she needed to do.
“I had to make this big decision about whether or not to do the cover with no hair. It certainly isn’t the comfortable way to go, but I decided I was going to try and help others and show women that this isn’t the end of the world,” Lunden says. “You can go on – and that was hugely empowering.”
The People cover was debuted on Today, with Joan stopping by for an interview. She’s going to be a special correspondent for Today throughout the month of October. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Bless her.
Photos courtesy of Getty, cover courtesy of People.
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