Today is a special day in my family’s world, for today we celebrate my dad’s birthday. And reflect on many life lessons from Dad. Despite cancer taking him many years ago, his love and advice still influence me in my daily life. It’s been 15 years since his death and I miss him every day.

I’ve always enjoyed being outdoors. From hiking in the woods to biking to camping to reading a book on a blanket under the trees to gardening and so much more, I love opportunities to be outdoors. And that’s good because there are many benefits of spending time in nature. Growing up, my sisters, friends and

October. The month of welcoming fall, orange and black for Halloween and……pink. October is breast cancer awareness month, a focused attempt to ensure women get their preventive breast cancer screenings and raise awareness of the need for research and new treatment options. Did you know that one in eight American women with develop breast cancer

Do you live fearlessly? Do you open your arms and mind to new experiences? Are you open to love? Afraid of change? Appreciate each day? Are you living your best life? I’m always looking for motivation and tips for living my best life. As a bone cancer, melanoma and now breast cancer survivor, I try

I love being outdoors, especially on the hiking trails. I try to pass that love to my nieces and nephew by hiking with them whenever I get the chance. They all thankfully appreciate the outdoors too, which makes me very happy! We have lots of fun hiking together and I love teaching them tips for enjoying

People often don’t understand that although cancer treatment ends, it doesn’t really end. What does that mean? Many of the drugs that work to save your life from cancer can cause other side effects – heart issues, bone degeneration, hearing loss, hot flashes, whatever. So you’re always on your toes, being proactive or managing some

Last week I attended the awesome American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Leadership Summit & Lobby Day in Washington, DC. It’s one of my favorite cancer advocacy in action events. Our goal: fight cancer. We achieved that – 588 cancer advocates from all 50 states and Puerto Rico attended more 400 meetings with our federal

Today is my birthday. The start of a new year. An opportunity to refocus on life’s wishes and dreams. A day to enjoy my life. A thousand moments to feel gratitude. A time to reflect on life lessons learned and birthday wishes. As a three-time cancer survivor, birthdays are not something I take for granted.

Most of you know my personal connection to cancer. A few months ago, I finished treatment for my third cancer. My younger sister is a melanoma survivor. Our dad died 15 years ago from multiple myeloma. Too many of my family and friends are affected by cancer. With more than 16 million cancer survivors and

Traveling has always been a favorite activity. I love exploring new locations, learning new cultures (even those local cultures in the U.S.!), trying new activities, meeting new people, making memories and simply escaping for a bit from everyday life. I love traveling so much that I have a dedicated budget line in my annual financial