I’ve created a special section titled “CALLING ALL SURVIVORS”. I wanted a place to post other people’s stories, in the hope that they might want to share how they dealt with the biggest fight of their life. I wanted people to jump in, share their stories, pictures, journey, poems, inspirational ideas, good reads, and yes even jokes. Anything at all that might life the spirits of anyone else dealing with a personal tsunami, and help them get through the storm and go on to build and celebrate a beautiful NEW LIFE!
Every day we hear about another person getting attacked by TAZ. But the good news is, we also hear from people that are celebrating survival, some for the second, third, and forth time. And many of these people seem to be the most upbeat and energetic of all.
And the one constant I’ve found with most survivors, is they all want to “GIVE BACK”
I cannot emphasize enough how sometimes the power of one word, one sentence, one experience, one book, one song, one poem, one piece of ART can resonate so strongly with another individual that it will change their life.
We’ve all read a book, seen a movie, or watched a TV program, that has left a tremendous impact on our life. Sometimes it’s something so powerful, it changes our thoughts, our feelings, and ultimately our whole direction in life.
So let’s face it, most of us can’t write a million dollar check donation, most of us can’t become full time volunteers, most of us do not have the medical or scientific ability to cure cancer, but what most of us “CAN” do is help thousands of people with some form of hope, or faith, or LOVE with just small gestures.
We can share our experiences and let others know that no matter how rough things get there is always hope. So spread the word, let people know, there is a place to go for inspiration.
Remember, “Through him all things are possible”
Hope fully, we can lift their spirits, or maybe even make them laugh out loud for a minute.
This was one of my life changing experiences. On June 12, 2016 I attended my first RW Johnson Survivor Celebration Luncheon at the Hyatt Regency. I didn’t have any particular expectations and I didn’t even know there were any guest speakers.
As the lunch was clearing down, they introduced a TV celebrity that I had never heard of because I don’t watch much TV. As I started to read the small Bio, I learned that the speaker was from one of the reality shows, Housewives of NJ. Her name is Amber Marchese.
At first I thought she was going to talk about someone in her family or someone she knew that had cancer. Not to be naïve, but she in no way looked like someone battling TAZ.
Well was I surprised, not only had she gone through one TAZ Journey, she was currently on her “SECOND JOURNEY”. Here was this young beautiful TV personality, wife and mother with a successful career taking time out to essentially “GIVE Back” Maybe she was paid, maybe not, I don’t know and I don’t care. All I know is she was definitely an inspiration to hundreds of people in that room.
I felt she was so honest and authentic. She laid everything out about her journey. I don’t remember all the details, all I remember is that if she could come through a second journey with TAZ and have that kind of energy and inspiration, then I had nothing to complain about.
Her issues weren’t about having more money, more resources, more friends, more support, more anything. It was about her personal determination to fight back and continue to live her “best life” now for herself and her family.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, sometimes all it takes is one word, one sentence, or even one smile to take a person from very negative place to a very positive place. And it only takes an instant, because that’s what she did for me.
I was so inspired, I felt like a real person again. I felt uplifted, not tired and on the sidelines of life. I was now a member of this club of beautiful SURVIVORS that were fighting back hard with purpose and dignity.
Beautiful people like Amber.
This was not just about surviving, this was about THRIVING!
I was a “THRIVING SURVIROR”!
Hooray for Me AND hooray FOR ALL THE REST OF US!
I didn’t get a chance to have any kind of dialogue with Amber, but I did manage to get a picture with her.
She was extremely gracious in trying to accommodate everyone in the room, but there were so many people trying to get to her, it just got overwhelming.
Thank god there are so many individuals out there with celebrity status, like Amber willing to put themselves out there and share their experiences. The impact they have on people is incalculable.
Thank You Amber
