For those who followed my recent trip to LA, you will be aware of the fact that I had the supreme honor of visiting the Hallmark Channel Home & Family set, thus fulfilling my dream of visiting a working television set. However, this visit was more than just a simple wish come true. My primary purpose in visiting the set was to interview the phenomenal, inspirational Kym Douglas. I had been following her career and journey for several years, but having the opportunity to interview in person any industry professional is an opportunity that doesn’t often happen in my line of work. This is a visit that will be forever embedded in my mind. (I met Cameron Mathison, Ken Wingard, and Larissa Wohl as well, all whom I had interviewed previously.) I am thrilled to share the recent chat I enjoyed with Kym Douglas and her son, Hunter.

©2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: David Starbuck/Alexx Henry Studios, LLC.

RH: Kym, it is so wonderful to be here today and to meet you and your son, Hunter, in person. 

KD: It is lovely to meet you as well, Ruth. Thank you for your interest in sharing my story.

I think I’ve been following you for about three or four years now. You are so inspirational. I’m sure you hear that a lot, but I just wanted to be sure to tell you that.

Thank you, Ruth.

So how did you end up becoming a beauty expert? Isn’t that your official title?

Yes, beauty and wellness actually. They expanded my title to include that arena as well. I started my journey as a hard news reporter in upstate Michigan. I got my degree. I graduated on a Friday and started working as an anchor in upstate Michigan on Monday. I was covering hard news, but I ended up interviewing my husband, who was an actor on Young & the Restless at the time. While he wasn’t my husband when I interviewed him, eventually we ended up getting married.

So I came out here, and I was like, “Oh my gosh, how do I get a job as a hard news reporter?” I was so much younger and came from a much smaller market. So I ended up getting a job at a very small TV network at the time that was called Movie Time. They wanted to turn it into something called E Entertainment Network, which everyone thought was never gonna happen. It’s twenty-four hours of entertainment. Who’s gonna watch that?

Well, I got hired by E, and it started as a gossipy-type show. But I didn’t really want to do gossip because it didn’t feel quite right. But I thought it would be great to find out what kinds of products the celebrities use. What does J-Lo use on her skin or what does Kim K use to get that wonderful glow or whatever? So I ended up steering it that way to get away from the gossip. And it worked.

Now, I believe you were or are on the Ellen Show as well, isn’t that correct?

Yes, Ellen came after that. I’ve been on Ellen for almost twelve years. I’m her only regular who’s been on the show more times than anybody else on the show. I actually have a little “war” going with David Spade ’cause he thinks he’s been on more shows than me. But he hasn’t. I started going on Ellen’s show after E Entertainment.

So you have seen the progression of her show over all these years. She’s incredible. 

Oh my gosh, isn’t she so great?

She’s one of those people I could just turn on and know I’m not going to get all the garbage that some shows tend to have. 

Yes, and I think right now, especially with the climate of the country, to turn on a show and be able to laugh and smile and see little kids that dance and do different things or families that give to other people even though they don’t have much…talk about inspirational…she really is.

So when did you join Home & Family?

I joined Home & Family the very first time before my son, Hunter, was born. That must have been about twenty-three years ago. Hunter was actually born while I was on the show. The first incarnation of the show ended, and then we went quite a few years without this show. About fourteen, I think. And then the show came back, and I’ve been here for five or six years now.

Wow! I didn’t even realize there was a first incarnation of this show! I don’t think I’ve heard anyone talk about the old show. 

I know what you mean. The first producer had seen me on E doing my beauty stuff, and he was like, “Oh, we need a DIY-er, a gardener, and a beauty person.”

So that’s why you mentioned how Hunter grew up on the show and is very comfortable with the show.

Yes, exactly.

Were you always full-time on the show?

Yes, I was always full-time on the show.

Now, the viewers of Home & Family are very much aware of your own personal health journey. And again, that has been incredibly inspirational. I remember you asking for prayer, which I felt was really wonderful. So how did this healthy journey of yours begin?

Well, interestingly enough, it’s been just a little over a year since it happened. I found out in late April that one of my mammograms showed something they didn’t like. So you go through another couple of weeks of, “Oh, let’s have another mammogram,” and “Let’s do a biopsy.” So by the time we got through all that, we were into May. And then by May, I was diagnosed and told I needed to have a double mastectomy.

In fact, the day that I found out was the day of the Daytime Emmys. And I found out I was going to have to move forward with a double mastectomy. I didn’t want to get out of bed or do anything. I was in my room with the shades drawn and the door shut and the covers over my head, and I said I was not gonna come out for a year. That was the way I was planning to deal with all of this. My husband came in a couple hours later and said, “You know, that’s fine if you do that. You have every right to do that.” There was no judgment coming from him. But he went on to say, “I don’t think this is gonna do you any good or anybody else. You’ve got your make-up people coming.” I had borrowed a dress. And he said, “Why don’t you just get up and go?” And there was something about that. Something shifted, and I was like I was not gonna lay down. I made the decision I was gonna get up.

Does cancer run in your family?

No, my mom’s ninety, and she’s as healthy as a horse. She’s never had a thing wrong with her. My husband is twenty-five years older than me, and he’s great. We don’t have any cancer in our family. I haven’t eaten meat in thirty-five years. We work out. We run. We try to do everything right. I don’t drink; I don’t smoke.

Oh my goodness!

I know. We’ve been stacking the deck.

I don’t think I even realized that. Of course, people always think it’s never gonna happen to them. It doesn’t run in their family, and they’re doing all the right things. And here you are doing all the right things…

Yes, so true.

Wow, well thankfully your husband was there for you to help snap you out of it. I know sometimes it takes something like that.

Yeah, it’s just that switch at the right time at the right moment. And also God revealed Himself to me in a very special way. He told me He was gonna be there for me and that I was gonna get through this. He invited me to let us do it together.

Something that the fans and I appreciate is the fact that you, Kym, always bring God into the conversation. Not everybody in this business is willing to do that. We know it’s not always the coolest or safest thing to bring up God in conversation. I am even sometimes hesitant to ask people about their faith unless I know they are outspoken.

Again, it’s very interesting in this climate. I think people are very open to tell their political stance and their stance on so many things. But when it comes to faith…oh let’s not talk about that or ruffle any feathers. But you know, my faith is what gets me through everything. So I have to talk about it. It’s the only way that I can keep going and why I am where I am right now.

When you were diagnosed, didn’t you keep going with the show as much as you could?

I did. Pretty much the only time I wasn’t on the show was when I was recovering from my surgery. But this show was so, so gracious to me. One of the first things they said–and I have to be so grateful for this–our executive producer, Bill Abbott, and Michelle Vicary and all of them at Crown Media…the first thing they said to me was, “Your health is number one. You take care of you, and this job is here whenever you come back. If it’s six hours, six days, six months, whenever you come back, you’ve got a job here.” And just that, Ruth, gives you so much peace that you can go on and fight this battle and not be like, “Am I gonna have a job? Am I gonna have work again? Am I gonna be able to pay the bills?” I know that so many women and men are not necessarily in that situation, and I am so grateful that I was and am.

So, Hunter, how did you deal with all of this?

Hunter: Well, definitely, I remember it all happened about a year ago. I was back at USC on campus, and my dad called me. He told me that he had some news. He never really calls and tells me that there’s a serious thing going on. Usually, it’s, ” Hey, Mom’s doing this thing on the show today. Be sure to watch her.” But I knew that he was going to tell me something serious. But I never thought in a million years that my mom would have cancer. Just because of what she said. She’s so healthy and it doesn’t run in the family. So I just remember hearing that, and it literally brought me to my knees. I sat down and realized I would have to watch my mom go through this. So that was my initial reaction. And from then on, it was being there to support her and to show her how much I love her. It was our little family, and we love each other so much. We’re always there for each other. So from then on, it was how we were gonna fight this. Just seeing her strength and how she relied so much on her faith and who she truly is as a person. Everything really came out when she was tested, and she just blew me way along with everybody who was watching and who was following her journey…I’m sure of that.  

I remember when you, Kym, were asking for prayer right before your surgery. Some people in your position would have possibly drawn back and decided to take a social media break. Some decide just to withdraw and not publicly share their stories. And I know everyone has to deal with this situation in their own way. But why was it so important to you share your story every step of the way?

It was important because I think a lot of times in life, we look at people in the media, and we think, “You know, they don’t really have any problems, and they don’t have anything they are really going through.” It seems like everything is sunshine and moonbeams. And you know, over the course of my life, if I am really honest, I’ve had a pretty charmed life. But I think it’s important that we do show the wounds and the battle scars and the things that are rough. Because if you don’t go through any of that, how can you have empathy towards anybody else when they have something they want to share with you? If you’ve never struggled or had anything hit you, I don’t know if you have the same empathy and compassion. So I think it’s important to share those things. I think Hunter said it best. It took us all to our knees. When you get that kind of news, you face your own mortality. There isn’t anything that is any deeper than that. I think if you can fight that and battle through it, you can hopefully help other people who lose a job or lose a love relationship or lose a spouse or go through a divorce or whatever it is in their lives. We never get through this life without some kind of struggle.

That’s really powerful. If we followed your journey, we know you had surgery. And while I know you followed your doctor’s orders, it seems like you came back to the show fairly quickly. How long were you in recovery?

So in a quick nutshell…I went in with this stage zero, had the surgery, and came out a stage 3B. Quite a shock right there. Then we knew after that I would have to go through eighteen and a half weeks of heavy-duty chemo. And then I’d have to go through six and a half weeks of radiation. That entire process took a little over six months.

I will tell you this. The show also provided for me a lovely man that would drive me because it was kind of crazy to get from my condo in Brentwood to St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica. Do the radiation, get hit with radiation. Get redressed. Jump in the car and get out to Burbank. Just logistics were a little bit difficult. Parking and traffic in LA is its own issue. So they provided a car and a driver for me that would get me back to set really fast. Ron would come every morning. We’d drive to the hospital. He’d sit at the hospital. I’d go get hit; I’d get burned. I’d jump back in the car and we’d run back here to set.

I think there was something, Ruth, about staying on that routine of normality that kept me sane. You know, there’s nothing normal about getting your whole chest burned to a crisp, but what is normal is being back at work and doing what I normally do. You just keep with that flow. And Ron was so sweet. There were times when we’d be on the 405, a crazy busy highway many people have heard of, and we’d be driving along and all of a sudden, I’d be like, ” You know what? Things aren’t staying down in my tummy. Can you pull to the side of the road, Ron, really quick? I mean really, really quick!!” He would just pull to the side of the road and act like nothing out of the ordinary was happening and we’d be on our way again. He never made me feel like this was bad or I wasn’t well. He’d just be like, “Come on, babe, get back in the car. Let’s go. See ya tomorrow morning.” I think for me keeping on the path of normality kept me going.

I kind of understand what you’re talking about, Kym. I went through a very painful divorce, and throughout that ordeal, I kept going to work. It was nine agonizing months, and I know that keeping up my normal schedule did help me during that time. So then what is your prognosis?

Cancer-free. A hundred percent cancer-free. I’m healthy, and the next time I go back is about six months from now to get a blood check-up and just make sure everything’s all staying where it should.

So let’s move on to talking about your new beauty products line and how that came about.

Oh, yes, two quick things as we jump into that. Ellen had me on her show to talk about my journey. And right after that, I got a book deal. I’m actually in the middle of a bidding war with three top publishers in New York. Whichever one I end up choosing, my book should be out in about a year. That will be my actual story, so I’m looking forward to that.

Secondly, because of what I told you how I didn’t do any of these things that seem to be indicators of what would cause this, I’ve decided to completely immerse myself and my family in a super healthy lifestyle. I take walks out in nature because you know how it feeds you. And we go and get our green juices all the time. Hunter and I make overnight oats. And Hunter has been at school studying things about the Mediterranean diet, how people that eat that way and who are from that part of the world actually have a lower risk of getting cancer. There’s a lot of research that confirms that. It’s something that makes them feel good. It also emphasizes how having family meals and sitting down and eating together is also a very good practice. So it’s not just a diet; it’s a lifestyle. And we have embraced that. I mean, we’ve always been together and have been close. We always tease that we’re small but mighty ’cause there’s only three of us. We’ve always been a very tight family, but now…you know, there’s a basketball game on every night at dinner, but what we do is we pause the game during dinner. We sit and eat together, and then the guys go and watch the game. But before, we were just kind of like watching the game during dinner and eating dinner in front of the TV. But now we’re much more aware of spending time together as a family and making sure we know what we’re putting inside of our bodies.

Because of my physical journey, I now am also more aware of what I’m putting on my body. Because of this, I have developed my own line of organic skincare line where I have a body wash. Because I tell you, Ruth, after being inundated with all these chemicals and stuff going into my body, my skin was just yellow and I was losing my hair. I wasn’t even me. So after all those treatments, I was actually going to use a body wash with perfume and chemicals going into my skin. That was the last thing I wanted to do. So I’ve partnered with a company in upstate Michigan, and it’s gluten-free, cruelty-free, certified organic, and I know with using this body wash that everything that’s going into my pores is healthy for me. And I use the right shampoo–organic, sulfite-free–and the right moisturizer and even my foundation and my sunscreen are like that. Whatever you can do to stack the deck again in your favor. It’s all about not letting your largest organ absorb chemicals, so why not do it?

So I understand you introduced this skincare line on the show. 

Yes, that is true. All of the products are chemical-free. On Home & Family, I have talked about this skincare line, but I also show the viewers DIY versions of these products. If they don’t want to invest in these organic products which are a little pricier, there are at-home alternatives they can make with things they probably already have at home. I think it’s all about trying to do whatever you can to prevent cancer, and whether you use my skincare line or do-it-yourself, it makes sense to do all you can to prevent this disease.

I am also very particular about the products that I endorse. People are always sending things for me to try, and the companies are hopeful that I will introduce the product on the show. I will tell you right now that I am picky and not all of these products are a good fit for me. I examine the ingredients, and I will not endorse anything to the viewers that is not healthy and organic. I want it to be a product that causes you to thrive, and if there’s junk or ingredients I cannot pronounce, I am not going to introduce it to the viewers. I know many celebrities have a mindset that you can get paid for promoting these products, so why not do it? It’s an easy thing to do. But I am not doing that anymore. My life depends on it. What I’m going to put on my body is going to be pure, and the viewers know that because of what I’ve gone through.

I had noticed you were releasing this new skincare line, Kym. 

I’m so glad you noticed, Ruth. Yes, it is a grapefruit body wash, and it actually sold out rather quickly when I first introduced it. It is available again on the website. But I am very proud of this product and happy to recommend it to the viewers.

Kym, I cannot tell you just how wonderful it was to get to chat with you and meet you today. And to meet Hunter as well. You regularly talk about him, so we viewers feel like we know him.

He is a blessing. In fact, Hunter, why don’t you tell the story about what you did to celebrate your twenty-first birthday?

Hunter: Sure. Well, my mom was going through chemo at the time. My friends knew about this, of course, and typically for your twenty-first birthday, you go out and have a big party. Well, I wanted something a little bit smaller. I wanted a little basketball party, and so all my friends and I got together and raised $2597.74.

We presented that to my mom on my birthday. Everybody had chipped in and donated to cancer research. And I think that shows just how much my mom means to me, but also to every person that she touches. She has touched all of my friends’ lives in a special way, and she truly makes everybody’s day when she smiles. She is a light to all who know her. So it was great that on my birthday that my friends and I got to do something for her ’cause she does so much for us all the time. So while most people don’t do things like that for their twenty-first birthday, I was sure glad we were able to.

Hunter, that is truly amazing. Easy to see why you are such a blessing to your mother. And thank you both for sharing as you did. The viewers and I look forward to continuing to follow your story and see what God brings about in your lives.

Now, let me take a moment to say that Kym must be one of the most authentic, revitalizing, benevolent, down-to-earth women I have ever met. I sometimes struggle to make connections with other women in this industry, but Kym was welcoming and caring from the moment she saw me on set. She immediately came up to me, introduced herself to me, and began chatting with me as if we had known each other our whole lives. That sort of connection is not one that can ever be forced or fabricated. I watched her film the segment with Cameron and Hunter (it was the segment that was seen around the time of Mother’s Day), and then she brought me to her trailer (the first time I have ever been in an on-set trailer!). She apologized for the mess..um, Kym, did you really think I cared about that? 🙂 I promise I did not even give it a second thought. She proceeded to open up about her journey, and at the end, I received the last bottle of that grapefruit body wash she mentioned within the interview! (I mean, could I feel any more special??) I thanked her, she gave me a warm embrace, and one of the sweetest gestures ever…she kissed my cheek! (Trust me, I was practically thunderstruck by this point!) And at the end of the day, we both knew that this moment had been a divine appointment. It was all I could do not to burst into tears as she shared from her innermost being, and it is unquestionably a memory I shall cherish as long as I live.

As far as Kym and her career are concerned, I don’t think I need to encourage my readers to visit her links below and watch her on Home & Family because after all, what more could I say to convince you? I hope you do give her grapefruit body wash a try. I have been using it since I got home, and not only is the fragrance one of my favorite scents on earth, but this body wash instantly restores the moisture to my skin. I never really considered the fact that the normal body washes out there tend to strip the skin of the good stuff right along with the bad stuff, but how wonderful is it to use body wash that actually has restorative powers! I understand why this sold out as quickly as it did, and I sincerely hope everyone who is able to will give it a try. (It is back in stock, by the way.) Moreover, you never know what you may see on Home & Family, but you can bet your bottom dollar that if Kym is on the show, it will be educational, fun, and more importantly, from her heart. I feel as though God has granted me a truly extraordinary connection in this business, and I will always treasure that short, sweet time I spent with Kym and her amazing son, Hunter. I praise God for the healing that has occurred within Kym’s body, and I pray that she and her family will continue to be a force for everything that is good, wholesome, uplifting, and pleasant in this world, while continuing their quest to live as healthily as possible and train others to do so as well. There is no doubt in my mind…God couldn’t have picked a better ambassador within this business where far too many are tight-lipped about their faith and other things that really matter. I am convinced that for whatever reason, God has chosen Kym for a heavenly purpose, and I pray for a long life for her and her family. As Kym’s publicist stated, not only does Kym talk the talk, but she walks the walk! And I am honored and privileged to know her!

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