See Breast Cancer Survivor Joan Lunden's New No-Wig Look: This Is My 'New Normal'

Joan Lunden goes wig-free and embraces her "new normal"

Photo: Kipp Burgoyne Photography

Joan Lunden is ready to put her battle with breast cancer behind her and embrace her “new normal.” The former Good Morning America host showed off her new no-wig look at Tigerlily Foundation Young Women’s Breast Health Day on the Hill on Wednesday, in Washington, D.C.

“[Taking off my wig] rattled me but it also empowered me,” Lunden told PEOPLE. “There’s a new person that’s emerged and it’s a person who I think can affect change in a really positive way and I think I can be more affective if I let people see that.”

Before heading to Washington, Lunden first tried her new look at her son’s soccer game where she was surprised when a few parents didn t recognize her at first.

“Now everybody just has to get over the ‘oh my god’ stage,” said Lunden.

But she quickly found people were encouraging and embracing of her new look.

Lunden – who recently launched Alive with Joan, an online TV channel for cancer survivors, patients and families – is now using her new look as motivation to embrace the positive side of her experience with cancer: the ability to make a change.

“This battle has turned me into an advocate and an activist. I used to come to Washington to interview people, now I m coming here to try and affect change.”