Warrior

March 26 2020

Managing your New Normal with these Social Distancing Ideas

Hey ANGELS, it’s Patricia Fox, the Pink Sistah. This is a care check to see how you all are coping with COVID-19 and social distancing.

In addition to social distancing and curfews, I have been made aware that even more precautions have been implemented for some ANGELS overcoming the dis-ease called cancer. According to a letter I got from my oncologist on MyChart, visitors are restricted from accompanying us during our recovery in hospitals and even while in treatment. This has been initiated to reduce risk of those with compromised immune systems from being infected by the virus.

Young Survival Coalition – Breast Cancer Is – Philadelphia – July 2019

However, us ANGELS know all about new normals, be it temporary or life long. We are tenacious and resilient, and this temporary new set of changes is no different. Here are a few ideas to try while living through social distancing.

Stay Connected! Although social distancing is suggested to be 6 feet from each other, and there is a strong urge to stay indoors, we can still connect with friends and loved ones intimately. We now have the time to call the distant relative we’ve had good intentions on calling for some time now. Video chatting, via Facetime or Facebook Messenger, is another way to connect with loved ones and not feel so isolated – be it at home or in treatment. Also, try virtual support groups to remain engaged and in connection with others.

Read! Now is the time to catch up on some good reads, or begin a new book. It is especially helpful to choose a read that is empowering or nurtures your spirit and imagination with positivity. You can also connect with others by reading. Creating book challenges and planning group discussions is a way to encourage connection with others.

Do Something New! The busyness of life often has us to forget projects we left unfinished, or plans we mapped and never began. We may even have talents patiently waiting within us to be explored. We now have the time to finish or begin, and discover or sharpen these endless possibilities. Is there a book you wanted to write or a painting waiting? Or maybe even a business plan that turns from side hustle to success never before imagined? With this time, we can afford to explore all the above and more!

Beauty time! As an ANGEL who loves beauty, I must share that now is the time to get into all things beauty. Be it browsing the Sephora App to view the latest trends or using their Virtual Artist, to watching product reviews and tutorials – now is the time. It’s time to sort your good makeup from your expired products. Take inventory of what’s missing in your beauty routine, or what you’d like to try that’s new. Most importantly, clean your tools! So brushes, beauty blenders, mask spatulas and whatever else you may have in your beauty arsenal.

Be Present! My best recommendation is to remain present. The virus is not something we can control, nor the laws to follow. However, we can choose to remain present where we are. In this exact moment. That we are still living, breathing, safe, warm, clean are only a few things to consider to keep us grounded. Give thanks for every activity of the day. Preparing dinner? Give thanks for this moment. Resting? Give thanks for this moment. Taking a moment to read this blog? Give thanks for this moment. Gratitude will help fade out worry. This mindfulness of appreciation for all things in the moment will help keep us present. We are blessed!

This is temporary, ANGELS! In the meantime, be well, be encouraged and encourage someone.

Written by Patricia Fox, Tigerlily ANGEL Advocate

March 25 2020

Coping with MBC during the Covid-19 Pandemic

As I enter the second week of the corona virus/covid-19, the world around me is growing more isolated by the day. I am a 42 year old MBC patient in active treatment. When I started this life-saving treatment I knew all of the side-effects that came with chemotherapy. It seemed like the risks were worth it to remain alive. Most cancer patients have to learn to be ok with being at risk for all kinds things. Being immune compromised is the first thing we are told about and have to learn to manage all interactions with the outside world. Any germ or cold that is mild in the population can be severe or deadly to cancer patients.

So here I am in the midst of balancing my desire to be normal with the additional constraints COVID-19 has placed on my life and trying not to go crazy inside my house. The spring and summer are my peak times to be outside; I get so much joy in the sun and any activity that gets me out the house. Being inside my house 22 hours a day is getting old already. My normal has been to workout a minimum of three times a week. I love the gym; I can lose myself in pushing my body to its physical limits. I can’t control my diagnosis but I sure can control the weights or cardio equipment.

As more information was given about the transmission of COVID-19 and the at risk populations were identified, I had to heed common sense, medical professionals and the advice of friends. I decided to practice social distancing which majorly disrupted my gym routine. I started working out every other day as was my routine but as each day passed I was getting more anxious and restless. I tried to watch TV or read but I just couldn’t focus. Working out usually brings me so much joy that I thought “hmm… workout more”. Every other day workouts became daily workouts sometime twice a day workouts. Finally, I started to feel better.

Studies do show that being physically active helps to mitigate some of the side effects of treatment and I have found this to be true for me both during my early stage diagnosis and now as an MBC patient. Every person is different so please check with your physician before starting any workout plan. Another benefit of working out is that it also releases endorphins in the body. Endorphins are hormones that relieve stress and pain. I don’t know about you but I will take all the natural happiness I can get.

While it’s still early in the Covid-19 pandemic, making sure I incorporate some type of physical activity every day is the best coping mechanism for me. Be safe and WASH YOUR HANDS!!!

Written by Chawnte’ Randall, Tigerlily MBC Disparities ANGEL Advocate

September 20 2019

Something is wrong: An unlikely diagnosis

“Something is wrong,” I said to my mom on the phone, standing in front of the bathroom mirror.

While my left breast had felt heavy and painful for several weeks, wearing a striped tank top it was obvious it was also rather swollen.

I took off my shirt and began to work my fingers in a circular motion around my breast. It was tender, sections were hard and upon caressing the bottom, yellow discharge expelled.

Yes, something was wrong.

A trip to the hospital resulted in a quick dismissal. I didn’t fit their profile. I was “too young.” They did not feel a lump. My breast was not red.

“We don’t do breast screenings in the ER,” they said. “Talk to your primary care doctor.”

What came next was a mammogram, an ultrasound, a negative result and ultimately, a misdiagnosis; antibiotics for a breast infection with no probable cause or related symptoms.

More than six months went by, the pain continued and so did the discharge. Something was still wrong, but it wasn’t cancer, right?

At the appointment with my OB/GYN to officially start trying for my first baby, I mentioned my painful breast. She agreed more screening needed to be done.

I was referred to an incredible breast surgeon who was not satisfied with inconclusive results. She recommended a different mammogram and another ultrasound — still we had no answers. But it was her recommendation for a breast MRI that saved my life. Suddenly, what we were unable to see for months was brightly displayed on film in the form of almost an entire breast lit up with contrast.

The look on her face was concerning.

A biopsy was scheduled soon after. And on December 30, 2016, with my mom and my husband by my side, I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 26.

I remember looking around the room, searching for the person who was just diagnosed with breast cancer.

It could not have been me? They said I was “too young.” My mom told me to think positive and I did.

I remember my breast surgeon drawing pictures and explaining the science of breast cancer. I heard nothing.

“Okay,” I said after my hysterical laughter turned into tears. “What do we do now?”

In the months that followed, I tackled a bi-lateral mastectomy, five weeks of proton therapy radiation, two hospitalizations due to soft-tissue infections around my expanders and the following year was no easier. 2019, was the first year in two, I didn’t land in the hospital for one reason or another.

My body has been through a lot, but it is stronger and more resilient than I ever knew it could be. And because it continues to keep going strong, because I have been given more chances than a few to continue going strong, I’m determined to turn my wounds into wisdom.

Written by: ANGEL Advocate, Jasmine Dionne Souers @bravebeauty26, co-founder of For the Breast of Us @forthebreastofus

September 11 2019

Conquering Breast Cancer – Tiffany’s Story

I was initially diagnosed with breast cancer— invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) on August 23, 2010. I was 26 years old. I was a newlywed, who’d only been married 4 short months. I found a lump in my right breast in the shower one day in July. I shrugged it off and went on with my day. The next morning, I casually mentioned it to my mom. We both agreed that it was probably nothing to worry about. I was young and healthy, with no family history of breast cancer so there was no reason to think otherwise. Still, I decided to have my doctor check it out. At my appointment a week later, she agreed that it was probably a cyst, but referred me to a breast surgeon for a biopsy just to be on the safe side. Thank God she did. I went for my biopsy and a few days later I was sitting in an exam room with my mom waiting for the results. That’s when I heard the words that changed my life forever— “it’s cancer.”

My world stopped and at that moment I thought my life was over. I was then thrown into the world of oncology. I had to have discussions about things I’d never thought about in detail. Did I want children? There was a possibility that chemotherapy would leave me with reproductive difficulties. And since my tumor was hormone positive, egg harvesting wasn’t presented as an option for me. How would I pay my bills? I am an RN by profession and I went on medical leave during chemotherapy. I would need surgery. I would lose my hair. It was all overwhelming.

I went through 6 rounds of chemo, and had a double mastectomy with reconstruction soon after chemo was complete. I was treated for a full year with Herceptin and finally had my port removed in November 2011. I started Tamoxifen and went back to work. My life had gone back to “normal”. Three years after my initial diagnosis at a routine visit with my oncologist, the topic of children came up again. This time with my clean bill of health, I was given the green light to try and conceive.

I found out I was pregnant in February of 2014, after suffering a miscarriage in December. I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl who my husband and I named Eliana; which means God has answered. In December 2017, I had another baby girl and named her Isabella. My husband and I couldn’t have been happier. Shortly after my second daughter was born, I restarted my tamoxifen just as I’d done after the birth of my first child. I saw my oncologist who again gave me a clean bill of health. I felt great and my labs were perfect. Then in the spring of 2018, I came down with a cold. It kept getting worse and worse. I have asthma and get frequent sinus infections, so my cough was nothing suspicious for me. I made an appointment with my primary care doctor thinking it was an asthma flair up caused by the cold/sinus infection. I was given a steroid shot, an antibiotic, and a nebulizer treatment. And I got better, but only for a short while. It all came back and it seemed like nothing was working. I made an appointment with my allergist, thinking he would maybe have a solution. Still nothing. Finally, I suggested to him that perhaps I needed an X-ray, so he wrote a prescription. The X-ray showed that I had a pleural effusion, which is basically fluid around my lung. I was referred to a pulmonologist. I then had an outpatient procedure done at the hospital to have it drained and sent off for pathology. He also ordered a CT scan given my history. And just as before, a few days later I went to the pulmonologist’s office for the results; this time with my babies in addition to my mom. And once again I heard those same words, “it’s cancer.” Cancer had invaded my lung, my hip, my spine, and my liver. This time I wasn’t afraid. I knew what I had to do. As I sat in that office and listened to those results, all I could see was my children’s smiling faces. They had no clue what was happening. I knew I had to fight, not just for myself but for them and my husband. And I’ve been fighting ever since.

I was hospitalized shortly after that because the fluid surrounding my lung returned, and I required the use of oxygen. I started chemo in the hospital and had an anaphylactic reaction to the drugs. Because it was a severe life threatening reaction my chemo was stopped indefinitely. My oncologist would have to come up with another plan for me. I was discharged home with a drain coming from my chest that I used to release the fluid from around my lung. A week later I started a new chemo regimen. I completed 16 straight weeks of chemo, and was able to have the tube removed from my lung. My scans have been good and there is no new evidence of disease in my body. God only gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers and I have been up to the task. I still go for my infusion of Herceptin, Perjeta, and Zometa every 3 weeks, and may be on some sort of maintenance therapy for the rest of my life. I also get Lupron injections every 3 months along with CT scans and take Femara daily. But none of that matters to me. I am just blessed to be here. I thank God that I get to wake up each day and kiss my little girls’ foreheads. I get to laugh at my husband’s silly jokes. I am alive and will continue to fight to live.

Written By: Tiffany Kinkhead, Tigerlily ANGEL Advocate

August 23 2019

Through the Fire with Patricia Fox

With a newly clear mind and sun shining throughout my entire studio apartment, I began to shower in more delight than usual. Only a couple months prior I had overcome an attempt on my own life and was taking life day by day, dealing rippling emotional effects that followed. However, this particular morning was exceptional. Until, uh-oh. “What is that”? Immediately my eyes welled with tears. “I’m too young”, I tried to convince myself. But anxiety would cue the tears to flow. Without hesitation, despite having just turned 26 years old only a month ago, I called my doctor.

“Patricia, you are so young. This may just be a cyst”, the physician suggested. “But, we want to do a biopsy just to be sure”. Black Friday morning, while consumerism and its chaos swept the nation, I was dealing with the chaos in my mind. My former boss whom I had a professional and personal relationship with, as well as another close friend at the time, accompanied me to my appointment. The biopsy was extremely invasive and painful. I cried all day. Waiting for the results felt like forever. Finally, my doctor called inviting me to her office. She shared with me that I would be a breast cancer survivor, and ironically I had no tears. Instead I laughed hysterically. This would mark my first day as a survivor.

I felt everything happened so fast between December 5th, my diagnosis date and February 16th, the date of my surgery. I would meet my oncologist and learn I needed to collect family medical history of which I had not known much about. To follow would be the egg harvesting process. This process would inquire about my physical, mental and sexual health. The span of injecting myself in the abdomen with hormones at specific times lasted a couple weeks. I had never been pregnant, but surely looked it! I experienced ovarian hyperstimulation afterward in which I was forced to sit up to rest because laying down was painful and I couldn’t breathe. Lastly, before chemotherapy, was surgery. Before cancer, I never had surgery in my life! A lumpectomy was thought to be the best option since my results for the genetic test was negative. I wore a surgical bra for a couple weeks to secure my breast in place and was advised no heavy lifting. It was painful moving around, but what was worse was the implant of the chemo port. I was advised by my pink sister that this was the best option to avoid chemicals of treatment collapsing veins in my hands and burning my skin. A treatment plan had been prescribed that was suitable for the stage and type of cancer I had. The margins were clear, the size and rate of growth declared the cancer stage IIA, and it was revealed to be ER+. The saline flush tasted awful and is unforgettable. The red liquid injected would make me hate red for a very long time. The sight of red would make me nauseous almost immediately. After my first treatment I was extremely sick, experiencing indescribable fatigue, vomiting and flu like symptoms. I was to report back to the treatment center the next day for a neulasta shot. This induced my skin hurting and extreme sensitivities to smells, and worsening of other symptoms. Antihistamines and zofran alleviated these gross reactions. I remember feeling I could not do this another 15 times! But with much encouragement from the nurses team, I would. All this would begin not just a cancer journey, but a new way to navigate my emotions and life itself.

To start, I had always felt that my life experiences from childhood into adulthood were very difficult. I was always in the fire! To bear the scorch of life’s flames, I would become emotionally unavailable to it. However the gas life would pour on me called cancer made the flames bigger hotter and raging. Chemotherapy would burn away the stoicism I boasted. Chemobrain would have me to forget the simplest things, but expose all that was dormant. My emotions were no longer flame retardant and I was a vulnerable mess with no know how on healthy coping skills. So, I sought help. Alongside chemotherapy, I would introduce myself to an actual therapist. The expertise and passion of my therapist would help to realize how past traumas had affected who I had become until that present time. In this time I would also learn about boundaries. This helped me gain a new sense of confidence in myself to discover who I was and what I wanted. As chemotherapy ended and segued into radiation treatments, my life shifted. A new sense of self from the experience of cancer began to arise from the ashes of my former being. Shortly after my first cancerversary, I resigned from my promising insurance career and pursued a career path I felt would make a difference in the lives of other survivors. Beauty!

Beauty is not just an act of cosmetic application. It is an inner essence and a language. While I did not have hair, lashes, or nails even during treatment, I would learn how to disguise my battle. I would often flaunt my bald crown and grew to be a turbanista! People often assumed my bald head was a choice of style and would compliment that I wore it so well. One thing I couldn’t mask for long was the damage done to my nails from treatment. Initially ashamed, I would later grow to make the discoloration turned raw flesh of my nails an awareness piece. When confronted with ignorant comments, or inquiries I’d share that I am a breast cancer survivor and these are the side effects of treatments. After much trial and error, I had perfected brow placement. None of my external beauty efforts however, could compare to the work that was happening within. I learned that beauty was not just what I looked like. It was who I was. It was my strength, my tenacity, my kindness and ability to connect with others.

Finally, I was no longer in the fire. I had come through it.

May sound bizarre, but maybe cancer was the scorch I needed to see the beauty in even the ugliest experiences I have had with other people. How all of it made me who I Am. Further, that although they flames of life were raging, I have the power to extinguish it. The fiery experience called cancer would burn away all that I was not and reveal all that I Am. That I Am compassionate, patient, genuine and loving. And how to lend these virtues not just to experiences with others, but toward myself.

July 15 2019

My story of Breast Cancer and what I learnt from it turned me into a more positive person

Hello Lovely Ladies, out there! My name is Anna Wassman and I am 25 years old. I would like to share my story of Breast Cancer; I was recently diagnosed at such a young age. Though I never wanted my cancer diagnosis to come in the way of life but then I would like to raise my voice to create awareness specially among young women. Through this experience, I have learned to become more patient and the little things don’t bother me as much anymore whether it is waiting at a hospital or undergoing treatment for cancer. I really developed empathy for others realizing what I am going through may be hard, but I know everyone else too is facing some type of hardship in their lives.

Honestly, I was blind to the realities of breast cancer since it wasn’t in my family history at all. Its only after diagnosis that I realized that it requires staying at the hospital for long hours every day and going through every type of imaging test and fuel your body with chemicals to avoid chances of reoccurrence. Breast cancer is so much more than a simple treatment to help fight the disease, it really means losing your entire identity as a woman and still trying to stay mentally and physically strong.

I have been so lucky to have survived after the diagnosis due to the support of so many amazing non-profit groups like Gilda’s Club Chicago, Imerman’s Angels, Susan G Komen and so many more that I felt like I have found a whole community around me. Each organization has helped me find a group of young women who has a similar story, or gift me a beautiful scarf to have during my treatment. Most importantly, I thrived by not giving up on the education and career goals I had set for myself before diagnosis while I was in treatment.

I think breast cancer has made me more mindful like doing self-care: meditation, yoga and change to a healthier diet to take a better care of myself. I do understand when we are diagnosed at such a young age, it really changes how we develop, our career paths, our relationships, and our families. I really think if we talk about it, we can help each other get through this and instill hope in their lives to overcome this situation and feel better. Thus, I would advise other young breast cancer survivors who had undergone breast cancer treatment to keep going and give yourself that time and space till your body feels completely normal. This would help you to find your own personal strength and sense of love for yourself even in this critical condition.

May 30 2019

I’m not just Lucy with cancer. My cancer diagnosis is just a chapter. 1 of 4

Hmmm, how do I share the story of a diagnosis that happened ten years ago? Well, for starters I was way too young and breast cancer wasn’t in my family history at all. I was diagnosed in October 2009. Wow, TEN years ago!

Here’s what I have come to realize over the years…
? There’s no point in asking “Why Me?”, because truthfully, why anybody? I know that my diagnosis isn’t a punishment for something I may have or haven’t done. Honestly I don’t know why. Perhaps there’s a scientific reason, or maybe not even. I’m not sure I need to know at this point. But I will say that although I don’t know the grand purpose for being diagnosed with cancer, I’m confident there is one.
? Some memories, the ones of physical pain or emotional betrayal just seem etched in my brain and not easily forgotten. Yes, there’s mindful healing and forgiveness that can take place, but sometimes it just what it is. It’s not controlling my life and that’s okay.
? Being angry or emotional doesn’t mean I’m not a “positive person”. It simply means in a given moment I’m angry, or I’m sad. I read once that emotions are much like laughter – when something is funny we laugh, but we don’t laugh forever. So when I’m upset, I sit with it and find comfort in knowing it won’t last long. My emotions don’t change the essence of who I am.
? We often identify post cancer treatments, surgeries, life after a cancer diagnosis as the “new normal”. But isn’t change in general a new normal? It’s not always easy to embrace alterations in our lifestyle or the way our bodies look, or a shift in our careers or how our idea of “fun” evolves, but isn’t it possible that some change, whether forced or chosen, can be a good thing?
? It’s not all bad. Yes, the treatments were horrible and the side effects linger longer than I’d like them to, but in this entire process, over the years, I’ve found support, I’ve made new friends, I’ve evolved in my own personal and spiritual growth and really gotten to know myself better.
? I’m not just Lucy with cancer. My cancer diagnosis is a chapter (perhaps several) in the story book of my life. My life didn’t go according to my “plan” (or fantasy), but I’m taking the life I do have and striving to make it the best I can.
? I share my story so you can feel empowered to share yours. I share the difficult parts to reassure you that you’re not alone. Although you may feel that way sometimes, trust me, someone on their journey can relate to your age, your lifestyle, your family, your work, your fears….you are not alone.
? There may not be a “cure” just yet, but it’s been 10 years and I’m still here! And I want to celebrate that! I’m inviting you on a wellness retreat with me, so that you too may celebrate all of the steps that have brought you to this point. Come join me! (Email me for more details: Lucy.santoro08@gmail.com)

Written by Lucy Santoro, Tigerlily ANGEL Advocate

May 30 2019

Turning Pain Into Purpose: One Breast Cancer Thriver’s Story 1 of 4

Hello there, lovely! I’m Lauren – a breast cancer survivor turned holistic nutritionist. I founded my company Nutritious Delicious Life to bring attention and awareness to the tremendous power that making holistic lifestyle changes can have on a woman’s breast cancer risk. For years, I immersed myself in research learning everything I could to prevent my own breast cancer recurrence. When I emerged from behind my mountain of books, I was frustrated that this life-saving information wasn’t easily accessible to the women it could help the most. Ever since being diagnosed with breast cancer at 26 and discovering the healing benefits of holistic health, it’s been my mission to connect, inspire, and empower other breast cancer survivors to live their most nutritious, delicious lives. Now, nearly 5 years after diagnosis, my life is radically different in the best possible way. I’m a health coach and I work closely with breast cancer survivors to transform them into thrivers! First and foremost you need to know that you are not alone in your pain, struggles, worries, or fears. Rather, you are part of a community who understands, loves, embraces, and supports you. Whether you are newly diagnosed or well into survivorship, I hope that reading my story today provides you with information as well as inspiration. I’ll be sharing a blog post each week with the Tigerlily community on topics that help me live my best life after cancer and my hope is that they inspire you to do the same. I can’t wait for us to get to know each other!

Let’s start at the very beginning. I was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 26 (I’m 31 now!) At that time, I was living a life that was everything but holistic. I was a chartered accountant and the hours I worked invariably took a toll on me and I was stressed out and burnt out. I was eating what I thought was healthy according to mainstream media, but really eating this way wreaked havoc on my already stressed hormone levels. I was also exercising excessively and destroying my body at the gym. On the surface, I was living a “healthy lifestyle” but deep down I was in a lot of pain. I had a really negative self-image and nothing I did was ever good enough. I created impossible standards to live by, and I would punish myself for not being able to reach them. In spite of all this, I was still very aware of my body. For this, I am eternally grateful, because I felt the lump in my breast when it was still very small; otherwise I may not have detected the lump until it was much too late.

One morning, while showering, I felt a small lump in my right breast. It’s interesting because I was such a stress case about everything in my life at this time – I stressed about my career, I stressed about not being able to find a “good guy” to settle down with, I stressed about money… I was a straight up emotional basket case who stressed about everything, but for some reason I didn’t stress about the lump in my breast! The conversation in my head went something like: “Ok, if it’s still there next week I’ll go to the doctor, but there’s no way this can be anything serious!” A week later, I went to my doctor, who sent me for an ultrasound; the ultrasound came back “suspicious”. You’re probably all familiar with these steps and how exhausting and unsettling it is going for tests and waiting for the results! I continued to tell myself that everything was going to be fine and that there’s no way this could be anything serious.

Because the ultrasound was suspicious I was sent for a biopsy. It was while I was laying on the table in the hospital waiting for my biopsy procedure that the thought of having cancer overwhelmed me. I could feel it with every fiber of my being. I couldn’t deny the thoughts anymore and I just broke down crying. I cried during the entire biopsy (which took forever!); then I went into work and pretended like everything was fine. When I came home from work I bawled again. All. Night. Long. It was a very emotional and frightening time for me and I didn’t share any of this with my family or friends. I didn’t want to worry anyone or burden them until I knew the results of the biopsy. That’s actually a huge regret of mine and something I’ve spent the last 5 years working on – I’ve learned the value and power of leaning on others for support, and asking for and accepting help when I need it. Can you guys relate?!

Well you can probably guess what happened next. The biopsy confirmed I had cancer and thus began the seemingly endless emotional roller coaster ride of doctor appointments and treatments. I chose to have a lumpectomy and after my surgery, I learned that my cancer was grade 3 and very aggressive. My oncology team recommended I have 8 rounds of dose-dense chemotherapy followed by radiation, and hormone treatment on tamoxifen for 10 years. And THIS is where my story gets interesting!

During chemotherapy, I was confronted with some pretty hard truths. Let’s just say for now that losing my hair and seeing myself so bare for the first time was both eye-opening and humbling. I lost my hair, but I also lost my insecurities, negative self- image, and self-doubt. I gained perspective, self-confidence, and a whole lot of self- love. This was such a turning point in my life that I’ll explain fully in a separate blog – stay tuned for next week!

Just before starting radiation, I learned about naturopathic medicine. I had never heard of a naturopathic doctor before and couldn’t wrap my head around using vitamins, minerals, herbs, and plants to protect my body from cancer let alone using them as a form of complementary treatment. I was very intrigued though by this branch of medicine and I started working with a naturopath. I’ll be the first to admit it; I was skeptical at first. This was all new territory to me and it took me some time to acknowledge this form of medicine as legitimate and accept that it could work. But my energy level improved significantly (I even rode my bike to some of my radiation treatments) and my very fair skin didn’t burn at all from the radiation. I couldn’t deny these results and this propelled me to learn more and more about natural medicine which employs non-toxic natural therapies to treat people. I eventually took myself off of tamoxifen and I now manage my entire prevention strategy completely naturally.

I wanted to be able to do more for myself when I wasn’t seeing my naturopath and this is what brought me to nutrition. I wanted to feel like I had some control over my health and the way I chose to take that power back was to show up for myself in the kitchen. I learned what foods could harm me and which ones could help me. The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn and I realized my true calling in life. I left my career in accounting, moved to a new city where I didn’t know anyone, and enrolled in holistic nutrition school.

Now, I lead the cancer nutrition program at a leading naturopathic clinic that specializes in oncology. I have my dream job where I get to be of service everyday, doing what I love. My practice isn’t just about nutrition. As important as the food we eat is to our overall health, THRIVERship is about so much more than physical health. I can’t wait to dive deep into some of these topics in future blog posts. But for now, I hope you gained some insight into who I am as a person and your take away from reading this blog is feeling lighter, happier, and inspired.

I’d love to connect with you outside of this blog! If you have questions, comments, or want to hear more from me, connect with me on Instagram @Nutritious_Delicious_life, on facebook Nutritious Delicious Life, or through my website www.nutritiousdeliciouslife.com.

Until next time!

Lauren, Tigerlily ANGEL Advocate

March 8 2019

Triple Bite: Badass, Passionate, Stubborn (3 of 5)

Received from Sarah Kelly, Co-founder of SaltyGirlBeauty, www.saltygirlbeauty.com

In 2015, Sarah was diagnosed with Stage 3 Triple Negative Breast Cancer, at 36 years old and 32 weeks pregnant. When something like this happens, it turns your world upside down. During this time, she and her sister Leah, who is an oncology nurse, started diving into the food they ate and the products they put on their bodies. Our skin is our largest organ, and everything we put onto our bodies gets absorbed into our blood stream and organs, so Leah and Sarah became incredibly passionate about doing the research and understanding the ingredients our bodies consume daily.

While going through chemo, Sarah lost all of her hair. When this happened, she felt like she lost something that made her feel beautiful and confident. As a way to endure this emotional hardship on top of her physical one, she discovered the power that beautiful scarves and lipsticks have in helping her rediscover her groove, confidence and saltiness. Thus, the idea of SaltyGirl Beauty was born…

Sarah and Leah wished there was a beauty brand that focused on organic, nourishing ingredients but also stood for something bigger than beauty! So, using their own experiences as their guide, their goal for SaltyGirl Beauty is for women to feel Beautiful, Confident and a little Badass!!!

Here’s a A Day In Her Life:

5:00 am – 6:30 am: My 10-month old wakes me up around 5 am (my husband and I take turns). Or I wake up around 6:30 with our 3-year old and 5 year old.
6:30 am – 7:30 am: All hands on deck getting ready for school and day care. Dad takes the 5 year old to school and I drop off the other two at daycare.
8:00 am: I head to SaltyGirl/Foundationd4Love offices.
8:00 am – 2:30 pm: I work on orders, communicate with customers and connect with cancer organizations. We are starting to work on our 2nd annual conference that focuses on Cancer Wellness and Selfcare, so that is a big focus on my plate right now. We also have our 4th annual Foundation4Love Gala in June so I am busy planning this event and working on the logistics.
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm: I pick up my son from school. We go home and work/play for about an hour then I pick up my other two kids.
4:30 pm – 8:00 pm: I make dinner, play and connect with the family. Story time and bedtime stories start around 6:30. The kids are all asleep by 8.
8:00 pm: My husband and I connect on our day. We may watch TV together — we are in Season 3 of the Americans! Or if the Celtics are playing, I lose my husband to the basement and I normally use this time to catch up on emails or to be creative (I am a night person) while catching up on my Bravo TV!

The only way to live life is to badass through it! I love what I do, not only because it’s making a difference in a positive way, but because it allows me to channel my fears, worries and positive thoughts into action that can help others change their

February 25 2019

My Diagnosis & Discovering my Jenfluence

By: Jen Hoverstad

Before March of 2018, I led a seemingly vanilla life in Raleigh, North Carolina – the same city where I was born.

I’m 34 and married my high-school sweetheart. We have two daughters, Elin, four, and Halle, one.

However, on Sunday, March 25, 2018, after a hot yoga class, I noticed discoloration on my left breast. It was a blueish purple and slightly raised – kind of like it was a scar that was healing.

But, I had no reason to have a scar.

After noticing the discoloration, I did a breast self-examination and immediately felt the mass. It was dense and distinct. I did not have the same mass or discoloration on my right breast.

I saw my OB/GYN the very next day. By Tuesday, I was sent to see a breast specialist.

On Wednesday, I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, HER2+. The tumor was 6cm, and one lymph node tested positive.

Days later on April 10th, my daughter’s first birthday, I had my port placed.

And just two days later on April 12th, my 10th wedding anniversary, I started chemotherapy.

After completing chemo and my bilateral double mastectomy, I learned that I had a complete response to the chemo – both my tissue and lymph nodes were clear of cancer at the time of the surgery.

Immediately following the completion of my chemo, I started six weeks of radiation.

Genetic testing confirmed my cancer was not handed down from a prior generation, which gives me some hope that, perhaps, cancer will not find my girls.

I’m an attorney by trade, but currently taking time off to focus on healing.

Looking back before my diagnosis, I worked out nearly every day and ate in moderation. My physical in January 2018 showed no signs of what would come later in the year – I was considered in “good health.”

Now, it’s time to get back to that good health.

I’ve blogged about my journey on my website: www.jenhoverstad.com.

I created the term “Jenfluence” to remind myself that by sharing my story, I can have an effect on the character and behavior of others.

Whether it’s interacting with people in person or writing a post on Instagram, I’ve become hyper-intentional in hopes that my positivity and perseverance will transfer to others.