Third Stop on its Journey........

And what a truly amazing stop this was! Where to begin.... Dr. Sandy Finestone has long been a Facilitator, Teacher, Counselor and Support Group Leader. I can honestly say that you would be hard pressed to find a women in Orange County and for that matter, all of Southern California that Dr. Sandy Finestone has not helped in their jouney through cancer. Not only has she lead support groups, and brought information, knowledge and understanding to women going through cancer, but she has held hands, prayed and visited every patient newly diagnosed on their first step through a world they never asked to be in. She is honest, staightforward, and tells it like it is with grace, wisdom and patience. Dr Finestone is the right person for this job, not only because she has the degrees, but because she has first hand knowledge, as she herself is a cancer survivor and has gone through the journey and its trials. She was also my support group leader, my cheerleader, and helped a very frightened young lady and her Mom make it through to the other side.

But Dr. Finestones path does not end there. Even after all these years, all the help she has given countless women, she is now moving on, continuing to grow, and has taken an even bigger step to help not just here but around the world.

When the Traveling Book went to Egypt and Jordan, it went with her. She was sent on a journey and the book went with her. Dr. Finestone's trip to Egypt was not just a visit or a vacation, she was sent by the National Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. She was sent to Alexandria to the Susan Mubarek Women's Center to train and establish support groups and support services for breast cancer patients. Those in attendance included Doctors, Nurses, and Health Care Professionals from Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Baharan, Yeamen, Palistine, Egypt, United Emerites, and Abu Dabi. Not only was this an amazing, impressive trip for Dr. Finestone and the outcome of her shared knowledge a success, but the book (and its owner...that would be me) was tickled pink! Dr. Finestone, in her busy scheduled of helping others, got some wonderful signatures in the book from women she met and supported. Women in a country far away from here, with different back grounds, different beliefs, but going through the same journey, the same battle as all of us all over the world, who have battled cancer. It makes me not only proud that my book went with someone whose kind soul has personally touched my world, but sincerely speechless, that my small book reached across this vast world to say to someone else, someone I have never met, that we care, that we are fighting the same battle, and that we understand and are in this journey together! This, this was my purpose for the Traveling Book, this was my goal and this was given to me by Dr. Finestone.

But alas, the journey took her one step further and she was able to be present for the first Race for the Cure in Cairo, Egypt. To her delight and amazement, the pyramids were all lit in pink! Truly an amazing site! At this time, she was not able to forward pictures to me for this site, but when able, I will post them on the blog for all to see.

So, as the Traveling Book comes to the end of its Third Journey, I am left with the belief that someday we will win this battle and when we do, it will be as a whole, as a world fighting together in the Race for the Cure!

You have the opportunity to meet the amazing Dr. Sandy Finestone and her colleague Dr. Nicki Pike as they have now opened a new Wellness Center. At this center, both Dr. Finestone and Dr. Pike plan on having seminars, lectures, support programs and a Breast Cancer 101 Series as well as a Cancer 101 Series. Dr. Finestone will also be doing patient navigation; helping newly diagnosed women sort through all the information they have in order to make decisions they are comfortable with. In addition both Doctors will be doing individual and family therapy.

You are all invited to their Open House, this Sunday, January 31, 2010 at the following address:

HOPE WELLNESS CENTER

2900 Bristol Street

Building G, Suite 103

Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 957-2900

Please click on HOPE WELLNESS CENTER for more information.