by Joan Lunden
First published 2016
Joan Lunden receives a breast cancer diagnosis that changes everything. The former Good Morning America host faces the disease head-on, determined to survive for her seven children who depend on her. She announces her condition publicly and transforms into what she calls Warrior mode. Lunden loses her hair during treatment but appears bald on People magazine's cover, refusing to hide from the world. The Today show brings her on as a special correspondent to document her journey. She develops a comprehensive battle plan against both the cancer and its treatments. Lunden adopts a clean eating approach that helps her lose thirty pounds and avoid many chemotherapy side effects. The experience forces her to reconsider what beauty really means. She discovers that attractiveness comes from inner strength and character, not external appearance. Her fight against cancer becomes a journey of self-discovery that reshapes her values and priorities.
Genres: medical, non-fiction, biography-memoir, health
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: overcoming-adversity, personal-transformation
Setting: Good Morning America, People Magazine, Today Show
Period: 21st-Century
320 pages · Paperback · HarperPb
Content warnings: medical-trauma