Joan Lunden Discussed Late Motherhood in Her 50s, Raising Two Sets of Twins, and Overcoming Cancer

• Joan Lunden, former "Good Morning America" co-host, discussed late motherhood in her 50s and raising two sets of twins.
• Despite facing backlash, Lunden embraced being an older mother even as she battled and overcame breast cancer.
• After her cancer battle, she became a health advocate and continues to prioritize family and joyful life at 73.

Joan Lunden is a talented journalist best known for co-hosting "Good Morning America" (GMA) for nearly two decades. Born on September 19, 1950, in Fair Oaks, California, Lunden started at the ground level in the news business and rose to high ranks.

She joined ABC's "GMA" as a contributing consumer reporter, and in 1980, she was taken on as a full-time co-host. While on "GMA," the journalist covered significant news events, including Prince Charles' wedding to Princess Diana in 1982 and the 1994 Olympics.

When Lunden's co-host, David Hartman, retired, she started co-hosting with Charles Gibson. The audience admired the pair, and their knowledge and charisma propelled the show to become the one to beat in the morning rating race against other shows, such as NBC's "The Today Show."

The journalist has also written books, including 1996's "Joan Lunden Healthy Cooking" and 1997's "Joan Lunden Healthy Living: A Practical, Inspirational Guide to Creating Balance in Your Life." In June 1997, Lunden departed from "GMA," disheartening her fans.

Aside from her career, the journalist also underwent some changes in her personal life, some of which were challenging. Lunden and her husband, Michael Krauss, divorced after 14 years of marriage. The journalist is now married to Jeff Konigsberg, with whom she tied the knot in 2000.

Lunden is also a mother of seven and has been tackling motherhood in her older years. She and Krauss share three kids: daughters Jamie Beryl, Lindsay Leigh, and Sarah Emily. When Lunden and Konigsberg expanded their family, the journalists' daughters were already on their way to independence.

The couple welcomed two sets of twins via surrogate in 2003 and 2005. Kate and Max are now 20, while Kimberly and Jack are 18. Lunden had tried carrying her babies full-term before using a surrogate, but she kept miscarrying.

The pair were glad to find their surrogate, Deborah McCoy, who had three daughters almost the same age as Lunden's girls. She had already been a surrogate to twins for another couple. She carried the two sets of twins for Lunden and her husband. Lunden and Konigsberg were also glad to find a financially stable surrogate that wasn't doing it only for the money.

When news broke that Lunden was having kids via a surrogate and in her older years, she received a lot of backlash but held interviews to address the issue. The comments didn't matter much to Lunden, who settled into the role of being an older mother. She said only a few things felt different than the first time around.

The journalist also pointed out that for years, men have divorced their wives, remarried younger women, and went on to have kids in their 60s and 70s. So, she questioned, "Why is it OK for them? And it's not OK for me?" Lunden couldn't comprehend why society found it okay for men to have kids in their older years, and yet it criticized her.

Furthermore, Lunden had her set of twins when she was already a grandmother, and she had a full career in media, on public television, and writing books. The journalist was also healthy, had good genes, and had been declared cancer-free after a bout with breast cancer.

Lunden opened up about her cancer diagnosis in 2014. Doctors didn't discover the cancer in her annual mammogram as she had dense fibrous tissues. However, they found it in a routine follow-up ultrasound in addition to the mammogram.

The journalist underwent a core biopsy, and the doctors diagnosed her with an aggressive and rare form of breast cancer. "I heard those words that every woman fears and never wants to hear, You have breast cancer," she recalled. She was required to undergo chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation but expected to make a full recovery.

Lunden had the support of family as she underwent treatment. Her daughters went with her to every appointment, and her husband became her rock. "I have just one of the best husbands anyone could ever ask for. He is there every step of the way and he just gives you so much strength," she said.

In 2015, Lunden emerged from her treatment cancer-free. She became a health advocate and used her position to reach as many women as possible. Lunden said her late father, Dr. Erle Murray Blunden, was a cancer surgeon who inspired her to come forward with her diagnosis.

Blunden was killed while in the family's private plane as he flew home from a cancer conference when Lunden was only 14. "I always wanted to grow up and be a doctor just like him, because I so admired him," she added. Now, if her dad is looking down, Lunden believes he'd encourage her to go out, inspire, and change lives as she doesn't need a scalpel to make an impact.

Even after battling cancer, Lunden still had the energy to parent her kids, who were still young. She would get back home from work and interviews to attend their soccer games. Lunden found parenting energizing as she had always taken life at full speed.

Still, she noted that parenting wasn't for everyone and that raising kids in the smartphone era was more demanding than when they'd go to a party to see their friends.

Lunden went into cancer treatment and came out as a new person who is appreciative of life and of the people who helped her through it. She also changed her life, including nutrition, by cutting out dairy, eliminating sugar, and eating as little wheat as possible.

The journalist termed sugar a fertilizer for cancer cells, which she tries to avoid. However, she still goes to pizza joints to eat with her kids and live a normal life as much as she can.

Even in her older years, people are still surprised by how radiant Lunden looks. When they ask her what lotion or laser treatments she uses to maintain her gorgeous appearance, she answers, "I'm the attitude girl. To me, nothing is going to make your face prettier or look younger than happiness."

Joan Lunden enjoys her days away from "GMA" with her family. She doesn't miss hosting the show because now she can stay up as late as she wants without worrying about waking up early. Still, retirement scares the journalist, who says she'll maybe retire in her late 80s and spend the time reading books and doing jigsaw puzzles, Pilates, and yoga.

Even then, she insists, she will still be loving her life. The 73-year-old also advised people to plan their lives and not just let things happen to them. Lunden, who finds joy in her work and family, noted that this is the overriding lesson life has taught her.