Former Good Morning America host Joan Lunden returned to the ABC morning show on Tuesday to reveal that she has breast cancer.
The journalist and author opened up about her diagnosis to GMA host Robin Roberts who, along with GMA news anchor Amy Robach, has battled the disease.
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Lunden’s treatment will include a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation and she is expected to make a full recovery, her publicist Stan Rosenfield said in a statement.
Lunden also shared her reaction to her diagnosis on her website. She revealed that an ultrasound discovered a tumor in her right breast which was later found to be cancerous.
“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,” Lunden wrote on her blog about her reaction to her diagnosis. “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.”
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She also explained why she decided to share her news.
“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… I have shared my journey,” Lunden wrote. “So it certainly didn’t feel right keeping this part of my journey a secret.”
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Lunden added that her father, a cancer surgeon who died on a flight home from speaking at a conference when Lunden was a young girl, would want her to use her experience to spread the word about the importance of cancer screenings and early detection.
“I consider myself fortunate that I found this in the early stages and the prognosis is so promising,” Lunden wrote, explaining that she has already begun her chemotherapy. “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. “
Lunden was the longest-running host of Good Morning America, hosting the show from 1980-1997, and is currently a health and wellness and family caregiving advocate.
