Meet Sylvia Schierberl...

Well, the book has been creating and experiencing some wonderful adventures and this is yet another one!  This one is also very dear to my heart as the book stops in Sunny Southern California for a visit with a very dear friend!

Meet Sylvia Schierberl.  As you can see from her big smile and bright eyes, she is a wonderful person!  Warm, funny, helpful, always happy and just lights up any room!  I had the privilege of meeting Sylvia in Sandy Finestone support group.  It is the same support group I had attended when I was going through chemo, but had not been back to visit for a while.  With this group dear to my heart, I had spoken to Sandy and asked if I could stop by and speak to the group about finding some gals that might be interested in being in the music video that I had written and was getting ready to produce.  From across the room, I could see Sylvia and her cousin Debbie just beaming!  They were laughing, giggling and whispering back and forth and from that moment, I knew I had found the right gals for the parts and before I could even make my way to them after the group, they had caught up with me and asked to be a part of it.  The rest is history!  Debbie was in the midst of chemo and is our star in the video along with Michelle Bolden and Sylvia was an extra, filling in were ever needed and helping Debbie every step of the way!  It just warmed my heart and made the video even more special! And they have supported me since!  I consider myself very blessed.

Debbie & Sylvia paddling with the NAC Dragon Boat Team for the Video

Well, that was how we met and this is Sylvia's story of her journey through cancer.  In 2006 Sylvia was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 43. Sylvia's cancer was Ductal Carcinoma Insitu dubbed the "best" cancer ...if there is such a thing, and she was left with the option of a lumpectomy and radiation or a mastectomy.  After watching her cousin Debbie go through the same situation just three years earlier, she opted for a mastectomy taking the worry away from having cancer in that breast again.  With her husband nicknaming her remaining breast "Winky" for reason we will let them keep private and Sylvia nicknaming it "Betty Boop" life went on with their humor intact.  After a year of carrying around what she fondly called her "Boulder Holder" (her prosthesis), and having it fall out while swimming and dealing with the heat of carrying it around during the hot summer, she started her journey of reconstructed surgery.  Feeling that this was the best thing that she ever did, Sylvia got back to feeling like her beautiful self once again.

Three years passed with life good and "Betty Boop" and her new partner living life and moving forward when Debbie, Sylvia's cousin was once again diagnosed with her second bout of cancer.  This time however, things were different.  Debbie's cancer had come back more aggressive making it a tougher protocol for chemo and this time, things were different.  Debbie decided to be tested for the BRCA gene which came back positive, making it almost certain that other females in her family had the same chance, including Sylvia.

The BRCA gene is a gene mutation giving women who are diagnosed with this gene up to a 60% risk of developing breast cancer and a 55% risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Sylvia, with the support of her husband and Debbie, was tested for the BRCA gene having the test come back  positive.  After eight long months of deciding the best approach to dealing with this news, Sylvia and her husband decided a prophylactic mastectomy or preventative surgery was the right decision for them.  So after singing "Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie" in the O.R. with the nurses before her surgery leaving Nurse Christy to say "In my 25 years of being an O.R. Nurse, no one has ever belted out a tune like that before surgery, I will always remember you", Sylvia said good-bye to "Betty Boop" and is currently doing just fine. This surgery has taken Sylvia's chances of getting breast cancer from 60-80% down to 1% taking an incrediable load off of her shoulders! I know as with everyone that this book comes across, we wish Sylvia well and a life filled with happiness, and of course... I will keep you posted on the nickname of the new addition to their family!

Much Love, Support, Laughter and Well Wishes for a Beautiful Lady and Friend!

Meet Sharon Clephane

and her Non-Profit

BIGPINKHEART

Sharon (top left corner) with the Young Adults in the Community at their RESPECT Event

    5th Stop on its World Tour.....


                                   2nd Stop in ENGLAND....

When I first started my journey in writing my book and wanting to write and direct a music video, I was looking for a way to get in contact with KT Tunstall in order to use her song "Suddenly I See".  As I was searchng the internet using KT's name, BIGPINKHEART came up and I took a look.  I was so impressed with their whebsite and what they were trying to accomplish I decided to sign-up as a follower (something you can do on my blog...hint, hint). Well, I received an email back asking why it was that I signed up and why I wanted to join.  I responded back and from that moment on was the start of an amazing friendship!  Sharon Clephane and I became instant friends and began a journey helping each other and supporting each other in our causes. 

I will have to say when she did respond and I replied, I did have to tell the truth and say that in all honesty, in the beginning I was just looking for KT's information, and KT along with other artist support BIGPINKHEART.  Well with that, we talked some more and Sharon put me in contact with KT's manager, thus getting me started with my dream.  I am sure you can understand now, why this blog is so special to me.  Not only do I like their ideas, dreams and the actions they are taking to make our world a better place, but I can see how it got started with such a wonderful, kind person at the helm!  It is amazing what we accomplish when we are honest and we take that one leap, that one step, that can change our worlds in an instance.  Not only was I able to get the information I needed to use KT's song, but I made an amazing friend in the meantime, one I know I will have to the end of days.

And in regards to the Foundation BIGPINKHEART, it is what all of us should be striving for.  They are working hard to create positive changes to social behavior and lifestyles.  They are working hard on getting their small corner of the world to realize just how important Acts of Random Kindness' are and Bridging the Gap between young and old, and community to community.  How could we all not want to strive to make our worlds better, to be kind, to have the young help the old; who so deserve it for living a life and seeing the world from beginning to end, and in turn have the old help the young; with so much information and enlightenment...so much to learn from each other. 

Sharon's Daughter Olivia, with some of the Gals from

BRIDGING THE GAP Event

That is how it starts you know....one small act of random kindness and a moment, a situation, a life can change, and it does not take much.  Our world's are so busy, we do not know what each other may be going through, or struggling with.  Until my diagnoses with cancer, I had no idea what women, men, children, grandparents, mom's, dads, daughters, sons, brother, sisters, wives, husbands, friends, lovers, partners go through dealing with this disease.  I do now. But if I had taken a moment prior to my diagnoses to be more aware, to be more knowledgeable, I could have been a better person to someone I might have met in passing.  I might have had a better understanding of the struggle, the stress, the worry and hardship that someone goes through on a daily basis dealing with a monster that is never asked for, but is fought daily to survive and conquer.

So in keeping with BIGPINKHEART, I try everyday to accomplish a act of random kindness.  Maybe I help someone elderly with bringing their trash cans up the drive, maybe I help someone carry their groceries to the car, or maybe I just smile and say hi.  All small, all take up very little of my time and all show others we care.  I have tried to take this one step further with the book and the video to help those with the battle that I fought, and Sharon has helped with that as well.  Sharon has my information posted on her website spreading the word in England and to her readers and I have tried to help in return.  Living in the States, I believe her non-profit could help so many here that I have registered with the State of California to start a BIGPINKHEART non-profit foundation here in hopes that someday we can reach across the pond and see that we have changed our behavior, our lifestyles, and helped those who have needed it, stretching across to both our small corners of the world!

Once again, it is my honor and priveledge to have the book signed by such a wonderful, kind, friend and Supporter!!

 http://www.bigpinkheart.co.uk/

4th Stop on its world tour......ENGLAND!

With Verite Reily Collins

The book has made its fourth stop on its world tour!  How amazing and eye opening!  This has turned out to be quite a journey not only for the book, but for me as well.  The people I have met, the wonderful stories, the help and support; are a blessing, a learning curve, and truly wonderful!

Upon writing the book and my process with it, I was looking up different cancer sites on the web when I came across Having Fun After Cancer.  Well of course with my approach and trying to get some humor out there just the name caught my eye.  I thought..great someone else who is just trying to shine some humor on a bad situation.  Upon looking up the site, I got more than just that.  I was impressed by all the information, the honesty and hard work that was put into finding answers, addressing questions and helping with just  the everyday experience of cancer. For those of us who have gone through the disease, this is so refreshing.  It is hard to get answers at times and equally hard is answers to what to really expect. Not everyone likes to hear the hard brutal truth and because of that we get the "sugar-coated" end or sometimes even worse, we are just expected to deal with what is sent our way.  Not with Verite Reily Collins!  Ms. Collins tackles some of the tough questions, and the biggest one of all Tamoxifen!  For those who do not know, in simple terms, Tamoxifen is a hormonal drug that is given to breast cancer survivors to inhibit their hormones and to help fight off the cancer, prolonging our life.  It is a drug that is taken for five years after your completion of chemo, radiation, or the measures taken that were specific to your cancer.  It is a very hard drug to deal with.  It has incredible side effects, that may not address everyone, but in my experience most.  But... for example in my case, by the time you are beat up with chemo, surgeries, radiation and you finally make it through to the end just the words, it will help the cancer to not come back and prolong your life...I just dealt with what came my way, no questions asked. 

But Ms. Collins, who lives in England and explains that their medical systems may be a bit different than ours, decided she was not going to stand for it.  She was not going to just take the side effects and the un-answered questions any longer and started her research.  Through her research she looked at different countries and for information they may have and were given.  She looked at the web, asked Doctors and found answers.  With this information, she decided it would best distributed on the web, were millions could view it in hopes that they might get answers to questions, information and the realization that they were not alone and had the same effects and feelings.

By no means did Ms.Collins suggest or decide not to take Tamoxifen, quite the opposite.  Of course you want to take a drug that will prolong your life; you just need to figure out the "nasty" side effects.  This is her philosophy "But for every "nasty" that comes up, there is probably a gorgeous treatment or super product that helps with side effects - these make life easier and more fun.  I call these Having Fun After Cancer".

Ms. Collins is not a Doctor, and does not claim to be an expert, but she has an abundance of information so you can find your own answers, look up information on different subjects that might be helpful to you, and move forward well educated and in hopes of a better understanding. Plus to have fun with some of the things you can do to take care of the side effects!  It is a wonderful site and definitely worth the look!

Having Fun After Cancer 

She is kind, funny, and has been a delight for me to come in contact with.  It was my pleasure to send Ms. Collins my book to have it signed and reviewed.  And with that said, I hope to honor her with this blog for all the help. I am sure with her website she has given millions of women in Great Britain as well as women around the world help in having fun and a look at the brighter side of dealing with the effects of cancer!!

My hats off to a Lovely Lady ...across the pond!!

Read Ms. Collins review of the book!

After-Cancer Blog

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.

Second stop on its amazing journey....

When I decided to send Mirror Makeovers & Savvy Insights around the world for survivors and supporters signatures I had no idea how wonderful it would turn out. Not only is it making its tracks, and brightening survivors days and helping supporters with a little more understanding of what the ones they love are going through, but I am learning too. I thought I had learned all I could about cancer, about myself and living life, but this book has brought so many wonderful people to me, and with these new people their stories, their journeys, words of wisdom and triumphant battles. It breaks my heart to say that not all of the stories have a happy ending, not everyone survives but when they don't, they leave behind those who love them, who remember them and who share their stories, so even though they are gone, they will live on in those who loved them and their memories.

So my journey of learning came with the second stop for the traveling book. While in Houston, Texas at a show with Vicki from Dinkybaby.com, designer of "Peggy the cheerleader doll", we stopped to see a friend of hers who was going through treatments at MD Anderson's. Her friend was our second signature.

Paula Wirth was one of the founding member of The Desert Cancer Foundation of Arizona, which is a non-profit, 501c organization dedicated to serving uninsured women and their families who are in need of cancer care and treatment.

The foundation is a grass-roots, all volunteer organization whose objective is to bring together coalitions of corporations, community and service organizations and private citizens in developing resources for cancer screening, diagnostic and treatment options for our medically under-served population. Paula's board strives to maintain the highest degree of accountability, ethics and professionalism in their work.

Even with all the great work and support that Paula has passed down to the community, she was unfortunately diagnosed with cancer and has been battling to survive.

Paula and her husband Joel moved from Arizona, temporarily leaving their home, friends, family and dogs, so Paula could have the best care at MD Anderson's in Houston। It has been a tough road, Paula being diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer that leaves MD Anderson treating Paula and only 18 other cases they have ever seen of this type of cancer। But our visit was wonderful, Paula looked beautiful and I can only hope that our visit and the book lifted her spirits and brightened her day.

When Vicki and I left Paula's and the next day headed back to our show in Houston, we were surprised to see the "Pink Heals Tour". "Pink Heals" is a beautiful Pink Fire Truck that travels the states, making appearances and visiting survivors to bring joy, love and the fight to cure cancer with awareness। The Pink Fire Truck is run by Dave Graybill and other Fireman who travel, who wear pink fire suits and are so kind and warm, it made my heart melt। I had some of the best hugs, kind wishes, warm thoughts, then I have had in a long time। It was amazing! All you have to do is shake Dave's hand and you can feel the warmth and the kind soul that he is. And with all this said, I even got to sign the Pink Fire Truck itself. The truck is signed by all survivors and it is almost hard to see the pink through all the signatures, again it is truly amazing! But it goes one step further on the amazing level. Vicki told Dave about Paula and how she was in Texas, missing her family and receiving treatment, well that was all it took, that very afternoon Dave, his fellow fire fighters and yes...the Pink Firetruck headed right to Paula's door to visit, cheer her up and have her sign the truck for all future survivors to see!

What an amazing world we live in! So again, I have learned in my journey to give back, that people from all walks of life, all corners of the world, all different backgrounds, they care and they strive to make a difference! All I can say is THANKS .... and it did my heart good!!

Go to YouTube and watch the amazing videos on the "Pink Heals Tour" and go to their website at http://www.pinkhealstour.com/ and purchase a t-shirt to help these men pay for gas on their travels around the states! I bought TWO!

Next Stop for the Traveling Book....Egypt!

First Stop on it's journey....

Mirror Makeovers & Savvy Insights has begun it's journey! I thought to get the book started with warmth and love, the best place to start was the support group that helped me through my journey, and helped me to create my music video, I could not think of a better place!

So the book began it's journey in Newport Beach, California with the support group directed by Sandy Finestone. This group and this coordinator are who got me through some long days, some hard days, and filled them with laughter, strength and love. Everyone needs support on this journey and other than my family and friends, this group has always been there for me. Even now, when I have gone to do other things; write a book, paddle on a team, when I pop back in for visit, I am always welcomed with open arms, no one could ask for more then that! How blessed am I?

The book and I went to visit the support group, I told them my idea for one of my books traveling the world to raise spirits and to help a wonderful charity, and again, I was welcomed with open arms!

Just take a look, what a beautiful group of Gals!! So my heartfelt thanks to this wonderful group, who are always welcoming, who show each other great love and support, and who are sending this book off with arms wrapped around it with hugs for it's next visit.

Stay posted, next stop...... the Great State of TEXAS!!

View the Video with the Support Group: