Ten years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer. When this event occurred in my life, somehow I had the fortitude to prepare myself for what lied ahead. After the surgeries and in preparation for the upcoming chemo and radiation, I went through my house and posted inspirational sayings and quotes on doors, windows and cabinets, so they would be visible when I needed them most and when inspiration was a must. Also during this time, when I had lost all my hair, I had decided to paint pictures of hair, different styles and colors on my bathroom mirror, I would change them every week. So at least when I looked in the mirror, even though I was as bald as could be, I would see hair surrounding my face. Even though this hair was not mine and was just painted on the mirror, it helped to keep my sense of humor intact and helped me get through some very difficult days.
With all this said, I have written a book for women surviving cancer. This is not your ordinary, technical or medical book, it is a book for everyday women to help them fight and get through the tough days with a sense of humor and the will to survive. This book has my own
"Regina during treatment"
"Photo taken during Healing
Odyssey Retreat"
accounts as a cancer survivor, but although cancer is a serious disease, this is the funny side, the side that says: I am so unrecognizable to myself, let me find the humor, and the spirit inside that I need to fight, fight and move forward. So, this book comes equipped with markers and illustrations to help these women draw images on their own mirror, to make them laugh, to find inside whom they need to be today in order to survive. For example, maybe you are having a tough day and need a bit of cheering, draw some hair with two pony tails and some ribbons on your mirror and visualize cheering yourself on. This book is to help the readers see their own strength and to find the spirit they need to help them move forward with courage, wisdom, and hopefully a bit of humor.
As I was writing this book, I would listen to KT Tunstall’s song “Suddenly I See” and did not realize until later what a perfect fit this would be to my book. With the help of some wonderful people, including Ms. Tunstall, I was granted permission to use her song as a “theme” song. With permission granted I set out to direct a video, a video by cancer survivors for cancer survivors. I could not think of a better way to demonstrate how to use my book then with a video of a cancer survivor drawing her own images on the mirror and in the background the words, “Her face is the map of the world, its a map of the world, she is such a beautiful girl she’s a beautiful girl” the words, that during this time we seem to forget. I also wanted to show in this video the importance of helping each other, of how we can come together in support, fun, laughter and tears and through all this hopefully come out strong, proud and able to give back. So, I urge you to watch the video and see for yourself, and I am sure you can see what a beautiful fit it is to help women find their strength and to have such a wonderful song in their head as they do. Plus it will show you just how fun and easy the book is to use.
In my journey to come in contact with Ms. Tunstall, I came across Sharon Celphane’s website “BigPinkHeart” located in the UK. I was so impressed that I shared my vision with Sharon and expressed interest in having her program be a part of my book. I would like a percentage of the proceeds from my book to be donated to “BigPinkHeart” and we have also discussed the possibility of having myself be the contact person for an American branch of “BigPinkHeart”, bringing both continents together to make our world a better place.
Also, during my battle as a survivor or at that time just surviving, I attended a retreat at the urging of my Mother. This retreat was called “Healing Odyssey”. This is a retreat for women who are going through cancer to learn how to endure, to conquer their fear and move forward. I consider this, for myself, to be one of the best things that I did during my battle. Recently, I was also invited to attend another
"Regina Today"
retreat for survivors called AWOL, “A Way of Life” after cancer. This retreat was also amazing; it was a weekend of beauty, love and wonderful relaxation and in my opinion is another retreat for women that should not be missed. I was so impressed by both, and in the hopes that both will receive the attention and gratification that they deserve, a percentage of the proceeds of my book with also be donated to each. And I urge any survivor or a loved one of a survivor reading this information to sign up and attend one or both; you will not regret it.
I hope that through your journey of my book and video, that not only will you help yourself realize what a beautiful person you are, bald, with hair, sick or healthy but that you learn to treat yourself with a little kindness, charity and respect. Cancer isn’t fun, but keep your sense of humor intact. More importantly, keep intact the hope and faith that you are going to win this battle.
I hope that as a cancer survivor, you will read my book, or as someone who wants to help a survivor with humor and love, that you will come away realizing, that together we can make this a better day, a better place for those dear to everyone, enduring a disease that breaks down the human spirit, a spirit that we, together, can help to rebuild with hope, inspiration, humor, and most of all love.
