Joy Lambert (Jiras): I Chose Life!

After learning about her hereditary risk of cancer when she was working in Montgomery as weekend anchor for WAKA-TV (where we got to know her), Joy made the decision to undergo a series of preventative surgeries to lower both her breast and ovarian cancer risks. As she puts it “I’ve spent much of my life watching those I love battle cancer, many wins, some losses. I consider myself fortunate to know that battle runs through my genes.” A double mastectomy and full hysterectomy later, she still experiences discomfort along with the scars that chronicle her journey. Through it all, she has not shied away from sharing her struggles publicly. So why did she choose this path?  “It was an easy decision,” she says. “I chose my husband, I chose my kids and hopefully a long healthy future with them. I am so thankful to have had this choice to make.” It’s is a story about family, courage and making those hard choices that define you.