do a lot with our life. We
can be a mom, raise kids,
and do other things.”
I was relieved to hear
them say this — you’re
always worried that you
screwed them up.
You’ve had an amazing
career. What are
some highlights? It
was thrilling to cover
the royal weddings of
Diana, Fergie, and Kate,
to cover presidential inaugurations,
the Olympics,
and do things like
fly in a fighter jet that
landed on an aircraft
carrier. But then there
are stories that I still
carry with me. One of
them was a story with
the American Lung
Association. In the segment
a pregnant woman
who was a smoker
was hooked up to an ultrasound
machine and
when she took a puff,
we could see the baby
cringing. We saw how
a baby feels when it’s not getting oxygen. We
got boxes of mail about that show. That was
more than 20 years ago. Back then the dangers
of smoking when pregnant weren’t well
known. It brought home that you can’t smoke
and drink when you’re pregnant. Another
story was about a woman whose daughter
was killed by a drunk driver. We interviewed
her on the day the driver was being put to
death. She said the first few years after her
daughter’s death she was filled with hatred.
It consumed her so much that her marriage
fell apart and she got a divorce. We asked her
how she felt about him being put to death. She
said she forgave him. She said something I’ll
never forget. “A heart filled with anger has
no room for love.”
You’re a longtime health advocate. In 2014
you had to fight for yourself when you were
diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer.
How did your life change? Breast cancer
is viewed as a horrible thing, but within 24
hours of my diagnosis I realized it was an opportunity
for me to carry on my dad’s legacy.
He was a cancer surgeon. I didn’t become a
doctor, but I could pass the baton. I could help
get information to women and offer emotional
support. Breast cancer changed the trajectory
of my life and career. When you survive
a crisis you get a new appreciation for life.
Getting cancer pushed me to learn about my
body. I felt empowered by what I found out
and I wanted to share what I learned. It gave
me new purpose.
What inspired your latest book, Why Did I
Come Into This Room? After cancer I wanted
to age successfully. I like to write about what
I want to know more about — that’s my North
Star. It took six years to write because something
“When I make the drive between my home and the office, I notice
the sun coming through the trees. In my 30s
I was too busy to see the sun.”
always got in the way. But I had to get this
done. This book is for all my sisters. We age differently
than men because of estrogen. We don’t
talk enough about aging. I want the book to be a
conversation starter. I went there, talking about
what’s frustrating, annoying, embarrassing as
we age, everything from a decrease in libido,
leaky bladders, the forgetfulness, and expanding
waistlines. I mean, I know I didn’t eat more
Tostitos last year. Women need to know that
what they are going through is normal, otherwise
they think what the heck is happening
to me and go down the path of thinking, I am
less relevant, less sexy. That’s a terrible path.
I want them to know what to expect and offer
fixes, small tweaks they can make in their life
that will have a big impact.
Speaking of aging, you just celebrated your
70th birthday. What was it like to hit that
milestone? I like to say I got off the age train
at 45. When I look in the mirror and how I
feel, I’m between 45 and 50. But I was a little
freaked out. We grew up thinking 70 is old.
Back when my mother was young, 59 was the
average life expectancy. We grew up hearing
our parents talk about helping Uncle Charlie
who can’t keep up, so in the back of our
minds aging means decline, and that can be a
self-fulfilling prophecy. It doesn’t have to be.
It’s about attitude. You can extend that third
stage of your life if you’re willing to do the
work.
Are you slowing down any? Not at all. I
don’t want to. I’m incredibly busy and there
are a lot of opportunities. I play tennis and
hike. During summers in Maine I’m into the
climbing wall. I’m good at it. I pride myself on
getting up that wall. The first time I did it my
arms hurt so bad it hurt to brush my teeth.
I learned the trick is using the lower half of
your body for strength. But what has changed
is how I view the passage of time. From my 30s
through my 50s I was gunning at a rapid pace
against the clock. I don’t do that anymore. I’m
not in a race. I do what I damn well please.
When I make the drive between my home and
the office, I notice the sun coming through the
trees. In my 30s I was too busy to see the sun.
I have a sense of freedom.
Joan Lunden remains active into her 70s.
December 2020 ¢ NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER 25