to create inspired healing, wellness & live out loud joy beyond cancer
All of a sudden, I'm feeling the need to slow down and get cozy. Of course, that means hot chocolate, marshmallows, a comfy throw and my favorite holiday movies. What brings you comfy, cozy happiness? Whatever it is, make sure to allow yourself to luxuriate in it this holiday season. Don't think of it as goofing [...]
What does it take to move beyond traumatic life experiences? Because we're all different, there is no one answer. Each of us brings our unique strengths to survival and hopefully, by sharing our stories, we provide each other with hope, encouragement and inspiration. That's why Melissa Wilson and I got together recently on a new episode of her The Grass Gets Greener [...]
The triumph can't be had without the struggle. Wilma Rudolph In the five years since my cancer diagnosis, I've struggled with a lot. At first I struggled alone with loneliness, anger, survivor's guilt, fear, body image and grief. Even though I had supportive friends and family, no one really understood what I was going through. It took some time but, eventually, [...]
Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. Philo The other morning, I spent some time talking with four young women in the physician assistant program at Seton Hall University. I was there to give them the truth (mine) about what it is like to be a cancer patient. As a patient [...]
If you're in the USA, I hope you enjoy the three-day 4th of July weekend. There is a special place in my heart for small town 4th of July parades and fireworks. They bring me back to my youth and are just the sweetest things. Which, in addition to the fact that I just celebrated [...]
It's been a great week getting out and meeting other survivors! Last Saturday, I was a survivor speaker at the Allendale, NJ, Relay for Life. On Tuesday evening I gave the keynote talk at the Celebration of Life event at Lourdes Regional Cancer Center in Binghamton, NY. Jody, an 11 month survivor, and I met at Relay. [...]
How often have you slammed the door against what you want, because you let fear trump desire? How many times did you not ask, because rejection hurts like hell? How easily have you given in, because making others happy is safer than finding your own happiness? Say "Yes" to yourself because it's what you want, [...]
"She got her looks from her father. He's a plastic surgeon." Groucho Marx It's not easy to walk into a plastic surgeon's office for reconstruction after breast cancer. On my first visit, I sat in the waiting room and fumed. All around me were glossy pamphlets and posters promising "enhancement" and "transformative" procedures that would [...]
Where We Go Now 