Two years ago this month, The Pink Fund held a meeting for a few select volunteers, all Survivors wanting to make a difference as a result of their breast cancer experience.

One of them, was rubbing her right temple, complaining of “an ocular headache”, which appeared to me as a red flag, signaling the cancer had metastasized to her brain. I said nothing, but recalled our first meeting weeks earlier, when she shared with me her journey as a Stage IV Breast Cancer Survivor, and her successful treatments at The Block Clinic, while confessing, things could change any day, but until then “I want to help.”

This woman found joy in every moment.

The next day I shared with our Board, that while The Pink Fund is in the business of delivering Hope ( and joy) for patients in treatment through our financial respite and recovery program, the reality is we are going to lose some of them, even our volunteers.

The following Monday, I received this email, “This is a sobering update I must give you. On Friday, January 8th 2010 we received the results of my most recent CT scans. My doctor informed me on that day that I have a rapidly growing brain cancer.”

Nine weeks later, our friend took her first heavenly breath.

Death is very much apart of my life these days, so much so that the news two weeks ago, from a devoted Pink Fund volunteer, that she too had received the “I’m sorry, you have breast cancer,” diagnosis, stunned me, I know in order to keep on going, I must choose to “find joy in every moment” or I cannot perform the work.

Just yesterday I received an amazing note, which included two checks, one from a cancer patient and the other from her parents. This patient and her mother attended our Crazy Sexy Cancer Luncheon last fall featuring Kris Carr, www.crazysexylife.com. Her mother had called me a week earlier and told me what a fan of Kris her Mary is and that while Mary was quite ill and might require a wheelchair, she very much wanted to bring her to the luncheon.

I made a decision to tweak the luncheon  schedule so that Mary, her mother and Kris could have a few minutes of alone time.

Little did I know what effect this meeting would have on Mary or her mother, and now The Pink Fund.

While the families financial gift was indeed generous, it was the accompanying note that helps me to “find joy in every moment.”

“Dear Molly,

Our donations are late for 2011, but never really late.

Mary & I have talked so much about your loving action on behalf of people who need a $ boost to the downward stress of cancer.

You were kind & thoughtful when you made sure Mary met Kris Car before the luncheon. (Mary said you are a “do-er”). We’d like to add –we loved meeting you as well

Your actions and Kris’ inspiration, research, life have greatly motivated Mary.

She is now resting a lot. Waking this morning to briefly say “I find joy in every moment.” And smiling before slipping back into a peaceful sleep.

One more note: I really appreciated having you look me in the eye, giving me a hug and saying “
‘Please keep in touch and let me know how you are doing.”

Here’s my favorite 6 word mantra–’I see peace instead of this.’

Wishing you a joy-filled 2012.”

So inspite of all this, I choose to see joy in every moment and peace even when death is imminent.

It is not easy, but our work depends upon it.

Growing up in Hawaii, my husband celebrated the Old Year as significantly as the New Year. I like the symbolism found in his family tradition—it’s important to acknowledge what’s happened as you look forward to what’s coming.

My old year now appears as a flurry of events in my mind. What unfolded from month to month, and state to state, was more than I ever could have imagined. I’m in awe of the people I’ve met. Molly MacDonald was one of the first to encourage me in 2011. As she looked through my pink books at a West Palm Beach conference, she exclaimed, “Why aren’t these in every cancer center and hospital in America?” I’m honored to say that they’re now in centers across the map, and adopted as therapeutic tools for palliative care at University of Alabama Birmingham and Hospice Maui of Hawaii, amongst others.

My visit with Molly began a friendship, plus an invitation to write for The Pink Fund. Her story of survivorship turned “givership” magnified what I knew in my heart—where there is passion, there is purpose. Throughout the year, my path continued to be blessed by people with Molly’s kind of vision and tenacity.

From writer’s conferences to military symposiums, my ability to make a difference was magnified. Together with a team of experts, the hopeful stories that I’d created through a child’s eyes came off the pages and into presentations, articles, commercials and music. My artist’s stick-characters became hopeful advocates on their own. They also found their way into music—being adopted on a drum-head for “Risen Fight”—a group of men supporting women battling cancer.

In August, my Little Pink Book™ title, When Your Mom Has Cancer appeared in Martina McBride’s music video “I’m Gonna Love You Through It.” My quest began: to thank Martina and the woman holding my book in the video. One month later, a Nashville book tour led me to a meeting with the directors of the Inspirational Country Music Awards. That led to tickets for 75 survivors of the After Breast Cancer Program of Middle Tennessee (one of my beneficiaries). Then, just four days before the awards, I found Taira Baughman—the woman holding my book in Martina’s video. Another friendship began along my hope-filled path. Taira and her family also accompanied me to the October awards show, what a beautiful way to say “thank you!”

In November, Taira reciprocated by inviting me to become a Sponsor and Guardian Angel in her Operation Love project. Her desire to bless patients undergoing chemotherapy during Christmas led her to create “Operation—We’re Gonna Love Them Through It.” Once again, my path merged with Molly when The Pink Fund was also invited to be a Sponsor for the project.

Together, with Love Angels across the nation, over 1000 stockings were filled and delivered to cancer patients. With a team of love angels, I had the honor of delivering stockings in Fort Walton Beach, Florida and Nashville, Tennessee during the week of Christmas. Traveling to Nashville gave me the opportunity to personally thank Martina. Alongside Martina McBride, the Baughman family, and Team Martina, we brought love and hope inside cancer patient’s lives. I couldn’t have imagined a more meaningful setting to thank Martina than in the midst of loving on cancer patients—bringing me right back to the heart of every Little Pink Book.™

May your Old Year be a source of hope as you hug every possibility this New Year!

©2012

Maryann Makekau, Author & Inspirational Speaker

Founder of Hope Matters

www.becausehopematters.com

http://operationlove.net/

I read a heartbreaking post from a fellow blogger, whose health and finances have been drained by cancer treatments. At a time when her focus needs to be on healing, she is struggling to make ends meet. Unable to help her boyfriend keep up mortgage payments, she had to move from her beautiful home to subsidized housing in an unsavory part of town. And she only moved up on the waiting list by stating she would die within a year!

According to the article,” Breaking the Bank,” in the winter issue of CURE Magazine, the number of medical bankruptcies has risen from 46 percent of bankruptcies in 2001 to 69 percent by 2007. At issue, according the article, is not just people who are uninsured, but also insured individuals who are expected to pick up more of the bill. It cites the oral chemo, Xeloda, which I’ve been taking and, thankfully, it’s working. I’m one of the lucky ones because my insurance covers it, but our copay is a whopping $250 per month. Some insurers won’t even cover it, but will pay for 5-FU, its infusion equivalent, which is more costly and inconvenient.

For some, including my blogger friend, trying to pay for cancer treatments can lead to financial ruin. This is totally unacceptable! We do not live in third-world country; this is the USA. How can this happen? Well, I’m finding it happens more than you realize. It’s especially difficult in today’s tough economy. There are even employers who let go of workers going through chemo treatments. I’ve had it happen to a couple of friends.

Luckily, there are some organizations that are here to help, like The Pink Fund, which provides financial assistance to breast cancer survivors in Michigan. It was founded by my friend Molly MacDonald, who found herself in dire straits when she was going through treatment. She wanted to ensure no one else had to face the possibility of homelessness just because they receive a cancer diagnosis. They help pay mortgage and rent, heating bills and other necessities that aren’t offered by some hospitals and pharmaceutical companies who provide medical financial aid. They currently are just assisting Michigan residents, but are asking donors to contribute $20.11 (in honor of last year) so they can spread their services to other states. To learn more, go to Donate page under Give Help.

The CURE article provides a list of resources for financial aid (most are for self-fundraising and prescription costs).Here are some other organizations I’ve found that help survivors facing hard times cover other costs:

National:

American Cancer Society: http://www.cancer.org

American Childhood Cancer Organization: Call 301-962-3520. (Responds to calls in English only) or staff@acco.org

Patient Advocate Association: Provides a comprehensive resource guide for patients and families. http://www.patientadvocate.org/report.php

Social Security Disability: (My note: In most cases, stage IV cancer survivors who are in treatment are eligible.) http://www.ssa.gov/pgm/disability.htm

Regional/Local:

Colorado (Larimer County and Windsor, CO): Hope Lives http://hopelives.org/services.html (includes complimentary services, too)

Massachusetts: The Ellie Fund http://elliefund.org/about/

Michigan: The Pink Fund http://www.thepinkfund.org

New York and Arizona: Friends for Life Foundation http://www.friendsforlifefoundation.org/about_the_foundation.html

Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware: Dolan Fund (For families whose children are living with cancer) http://www.kadmf.org/programs.cfm

Philadelphia/Poconos: Linda Creed Foundation http://www.lindacreed.org/emergency_fund.php

Portland, OR area: Komak Cares http://www.komakcares.org/

Southern California: Breast Cancer Angels http://breastcancerangels.org/

Southwest Ohio: Pink Ribbon Girls (meals, transportation, childcare, etc.): http://www.pinkribbongirls.org.

Tami Boehmer is a metastatic breast cancer survivor, speaker, blogger and author of From Incurable to Incredible: Cancer Survivors Who Beat the Odds. You can visit her at www.MiracleSurvivors.com.

(Pink Fund President and Founder, Molly MacDonald, was fortunate to meet author and blogger Tami Boehmer at the 2011 Annie Appleseed Project Conference.)

This time of year is always one of reflection to me. My husband Mike and I took a nice long walk this weekend and discussed what an amazing year 2011 was for us. From joy to grief, excitement to the mundane; it was an interesting year.

Medical Health: The year started off with a bang when I learned that my latest hormonal treatment, Aromasin, was no longer working. We had tried almost all the other hormonal options; all failed. On the flip side, the tumor in my liver took a major hit after doing Selective Internal Radiation Therapy the previous September. The PET scan showed major reduction, and later scans showed no cancer activity at all. I dreaded going back on chemotherapy, but started on Xeloda, an oral chemo. With minimum side effects, it has held the “two pesky spots” in my armpit at bay this entire year. I am blessed.

Holistic Health: I’m convinced it’s not just the traditional treatment keeping the “C” word in check. Since my recurrence in 2008, I have changed my entire lifestyle, eating whole organic foods, exercising more, doing yoga, and taking various supplements. But I never felt like it was coordinated very well. This past summer, I went to the Chicago area to visit The Block Center for Integrative Cancer Care. I was given a full blood work up and sent home with a new diet, supplements and a game plan to keep my mind and spirit in healthy condition. I go back for my six-month check-up in January.

I was booked! It was a great year for spreading hope via my book, From Incurable to Incredible, MiracleSurvivors.com and speaking engagements near and far. From Incurable to Incredible won first place in the medical category of the 2011 Readers Favorite Awards, and was a finalist in the International Book Awards competition. And I was extremely shocked and humbled to be selected as a top 10 breast cancer blogger on Twitter by Cision Navigator. I traveled to Salt Lake City, Houston, West Palm Beach, the Poconos, New York, Cleveland, and more for speaking engagements … and fun, too! It was so wonderful meeting cancer professionals, survivors and their families!

Personal space: My greatest accomplishment and joy, however, was time spent with my husband and 12-year-old daughter, as well as extended family and friends. I’ve lived to help my daughter’s transition into adolescence, junior high, hormone high and lows, braces and all. And I was there to celebrate my husband’s new job and its new possibilities for him and our family. Also, I reconnected with friends I haven’t seen since high school and college and enjoyed many new friendships both on- and offline. I am so grateful to have a year of health; each day is like a huge bonus to me.

Sad news: But the year also brought tragedy, as I said goodbye to several friends who lost their lives to cancer. Most recently, my friend Cyndi passed away. Medical bills contributed to her family’s financial crisis, resulting in the need to live in various friends’ homes over the last couple of years. Just as her family was getting back up on their feet, Cyndi died at age 61. If only there was an organization in Ohio like The Pink Fund to help her. I believe financial stress was a contributor to her deteriorating health.

I invite you to rise to the Pink Fund’s challenge to give at least $20.11 by year’s end, so they can help more breast cancer survivors like Cyndi. I know that Molly MacDonald, its founder, would like to expand to other states (I’m hoping for Ohio!). Your donation would help. To learn more go to the donation page on this site, www.thepinkfund.org

Tami Boehmer is a metastatic breast cancer survivor, speaker, blogger and author of From Incurable to Incredible: Cancer Survivors Who Beat the Odds. You can visit her at www.MiracleSurvivors.com

By Maryann Makekau

Last month, I shared my imaginary vision for awareness billboards along highways nationwide. Billboards with colorful, bold, obvious and to-the-point messages that spark people to get fired up and stay fired up, beyond October; “Eternal-Pink until it’s just a color—not a disease!” I’ve been reflecting more on those imaginary billboards over the last couple of days.

My reflection was sparked by watching a documentary on cancer. I learned that President Nixon had declared a “war on cancer” back in 1971. I immediately thought, “I WANT THE WAR ON CANCER TO BE OVER!” I want billboards that say “isn’t it time to end the war on cancer?” Billboards that say, “STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN—isn’t a 30-year war long enough?”

I felt my emotions surge again in receiving an email from a young survivor who’s facing a recurrence, less than one year after completing treatment for triple negative breast cancer. In its wake, the first battle took her home due to uninsured medical expenses. It took her breasts and knocked her off her feet. But it didn’t take her faith, her family, or her determination! She is exemplary of hope; the power of hope says “YES,” when odds say “no.”

I have no doubt that she will maintain her exemplary faith as the battle begins…again. Her recurrence makes me want to shout even louder for an end to the war on cancer. Certainly, there are many complicated pieces that are beyond a simple billboard. Yet, when I look around there are so many things that appear complicated. Then suddenly, when the dots connect, it’s so painfully obvious that one would wonder how it could have been missed in the first place. I’m hanging onto Exemplary Hope—to end the war on cancer. That somewhere, somehow, someday, there will be a painfully obvious discovery that will leave us all saying, “why did it take so long?” That is a day I continually pray for, as I sit now praying for my young friend entering the battle yet again.

©2011

Maryann Makekau, Author & Inspirational Speaker

Founder of Hope Matters Productions

www.becausehopematters.com

By Tami Boehmer

I was out holiday shopping for the holidays and came across an item that claims to make spots disappear. I admit; the claim is appealing to me. Since I’ve been on Xeloda, I’ve noticed even more age spots on my face. Heck, I’m only 48! I asked the nice lady at the counter about parabens, and she very carefully reviewed the product with me to confirm their product didn’t have any. But man, did they have a whole lot of chemicals listed! I decided on impulse to purchase it, but wouldn’t open it until I participated in Breast Cancer Action’s webinar, “Toxic Cosmetics: What Consumers Don’t Know About Their Beauty Products and What You Can Do About it.”

I’ve long heard about the estrogen-mimicking properties of parabens and have steered clear of them, but I wanted to learn more. This helpful webinar provided a lot of thought-provoking information. There’s a lot to share, but here are some highlights:

- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does NOT regulate cosmetics and personal care products (hair products, lotions, deodorants, etc. ) They can’t even recall harmful products.

- Europe bans 1100 chemicals and does mandatory studies on ingredients in these products. The US only bans 11 ingredients and has no mandatory reporting laws.

- There are no standards for products labeled “organic” or “natural.” Many times these labels can be misleading.

- Fragrances are the worst offenders. They’re exempt from labeling laws, so they don’t have to list their ingredients. Look at some of your labels, and you’ll see they just say “fragrance,” with no mention of its ingredients.

- Breast Cancer Action scored a victory when they pressured Komen for the Cure to reformulate their “Promise Me” line of perfume. The previous formula contained two known carcinogenic chemicals that actually can promote breast cancer.

Who’s Most at Risk?

•Minorities: because they are more likely to and more often use personal products, such as relaxers, perms, dies and glue for hair extensions. These products are full of parabens, placentas and other toxins.

•Adolescents: Use more products, and are at a critical time of development. The estrogen-mimicking properties of parabens and other chemicals can lead to early maturation. The longer you’re menstruating, the longer you are exposed to estrogen, a contributor to breast cancer.

•Barbers, beauty salon workers and nail technicians: Heavy exposure to chemicals in products.

•Women: Every day women are exposed to 168 unique chemicals in cosmetics/personal care products. Men are only exposed to 85.

What you can do

•Educate yourself by going to www.safecosmetics.org. They have a very cute video on this serious topic, as well as a list of chemicals you should avoid and why, and companies that use safe ingredients.

•Urge your legislators to support the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 (HB 2359), which phases out carcinogenic ingredients and closes loophole of outdated laws.

•Write to companies asking them to take the pledge not to use chemicals banned in the European Union.

•Donate to Breast Cancer Action to help their efforts to put pressure on the industry.

For a transcript of the webinar, contact BCA at info@bcaction.org.

Tami Boehmer is a metastatic breast cancer survivor, speaker, blogger and author of the award-winning book, From Incurable to Incredible: Cancer Survivors Who Beat the Odds. You can visit her at www.MiracleSurvivors.com.

I’ve criticized some companies for exploiting breast cancer for their own profit. Kids II, which produces baby toys and products, is certainly is NOT one of them. I had the privilege of sitting in on a roundtable discussion, which the company’s CEO and senior vice president of marketing attended. Pink Power Mom’s is the company’s #1 philanthropy, yet it’s still the best-kept secret. They wanted our feedback to spread the word, not about their products, but to attract more nominees. Rather than give money to huge organizations like Komen, their goal is to support women who are inspired by their cancer journey to help others. Since I don’t have my own charity, I donated this year’s gift to the National Breast Cancer Coalition. They accept the 2012 nominees this Spring, and I’ll let you know how to nominate a deserving person!

And what a weekend it was! Last year, they promised that this year’s event was going to top last year’s. The party at Atlanta’s High Museum of Modern Art was over-the-top: Great food, fabulous band, and an amazing recognition ceremony that included a video from Desperate Housewives’ Marcia Cross congratulating us! It brought tears to my eyes hearing the stories of this year’s recipients, especially our “class of 2010″ Super Pink Power Mom Mary Ann Wasil Nilan, whose cancer came back as stage IV this year. She was beautiful and triumphant, stating “This is what stage IV looks like!” Wow, if I could look like her, I’d be happy!

Perhaps the best part of the weekend was reuniting with my fellow 2010 Pink Power Moms. We made plans to get together next year, which took the sting out of saying goodbye to these wonderful women.

To read more about their stories go to www.pinkpowermom.com.

Tami Boehmer is a metastatic breast cancer survivor, speaker, blogger and author of From Incurable to Incredible: Cancer Survivors Who Beat the Odds. You can visit her at www.MiracleSurvivors.com

As hard as it is to believe that it’s already mid- November, the quick transition from one holiday season to the next can realign our thoughts from pumpkins and candy to the things that matter even more: family, friends, and our shared experiences together.

Regardless of where we exist along the cancer continuum—from a new diagnosis to decades of survivorship—we all need support to get through this process together. In the spirit of solidarity that the Fall and Winter brings, today’s blog is about the different laws that can protect the caregivers that are so vital in the fight against cancer.

In the employment context, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies in a limited capacity to caregivers—though the majority of protections apply to those people with a disability or a history of a disability, the ADA also protects caregivers from discrimination on the basis of an “association with” people with disabilities.

In addition to ADA protections, the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) is a federal law that allows certain employees to take up to 12 work-weeks of job and health benefit protected leave per year. Though the FMLA allows for employees to take leave for their own serious medical condition, the law applies to caregivers, too: allowing caregivers to take time off work to care for minor children, parents, and spouses with serious health conditions, including cancer.
As with any law, the devil is in the details, and a few special rules are important to keep in mind in terms of eligibility to take time off under the FMLA. Though the law applies to all federal, state, and local governmental employees, private employers have to have 50 or more employees with a 75-mile radius of the employee’s work site—and the specific employee requesting leave must have worked for the employer for at least a year and have worked for at least 1,250 hours during that time. For more information about the FMLA, or to determine whether the law applies in your particular case, you can contact the U.S. Department of Labor.

In addition to the federal FMLA protections for caregivers, depending on where you live, there may also be state laws that repeat and expand upon some of the federal rights. If you happen to live in California or New Jersey, you may have access to paid family leave programs—allowing certain caregivers to still receive income for limited periods of time when they take time off work to care for a family member going through treatment.

For some, getting support from our close friends and family isn’t always an option, so there are a number of organizations that may be able to help, such as the American Cancer Society, Cancer Support Community, the American Psychosocial Oncology Society, and Cancervive.

There are even support organizations for caregivers, such as the Well Spouse Association—the only national organization focusing exclusively on the needs of spouses caring for their husband, wife, or partner.

Whatever stage you’re at in your cancer story, don’t forget that no one can do this alone—and that certain law protect caregivers so that they can focus on providing support along the way!

For additional information please contact www.clrc.org

So now that we’re in Post-Pink, what happens to all those colorful ideas that grabbed the nation’s attention for a solid month? I love the creativity and passion that’s so obvious during breast cancer awareness month, but then I feel a bit sad when it’s over. It’s as if the Pink-month gets tucked away, like a Christmas tree…waiting for another season.

Yet, for those diagnosed with breast cancer, there is no such season. In the months of Post-Pink one in eight women will still hear the words, “you have breast cancer.” Men will hear those words too, though not as frequently (statistically averaging 1 in 1000). Families will suffer cancer’s wrath through lost time, lost opportunity, lost income, lost homes, lost health, lost insurance…and even lost life.

For the newly diagnosed, for those fighting and for those learning a new “normal,” I think we should opt for Eternal-Pink. Breast cancer isn’t seasonal; therefore education, awareness, advocacy and the quest for a cure must not be either. Colorful and bold messages that are to-the-point are must be as visible as highway billboards, during and post October.

Walking alongside survivors has opened my eyes wider to a somber fact: cancer doesn’t end with diagnosis and treatment. It has ripple effects that last a lifetime. It touches every realm within a family—physical, emotional and spiritual. While cancer has the potential to destroy, there’s greater potential to rise above it, given the gifts of love, faith and hope. Next month, my best friend, Vicki will celebrate her 3rd “survivor birthday.” She often says “we don’t always get to choose what we go through, but we get to choose how we go through it.” Her words exemplify the potential of love, faith and hope. Being surrounded with those gifts during tough journeys makes a huge difference in how you go through it.

Love, faith, and hope are also necessary elements for an Eternal-Pink climate. To erase the statistics of one in eight, we must magnify seasonal education and awareness. Imagine the impact of successive billboards; painted ones, digital ones, inflatable ones, and multi-purpose ones, prominently placed alongside freeways, and in major cities upon roof-tops and sides of buildings. Wherever people frequent, the message would be colorful, bold, obvious and to-the-point: “Go Eternal-Pink until it’s just a color—not a disease!”

©2011
Maryann Makekau, Author & Inspirational Speaker
Founder, Hope Matters Productions
www.becausehopematters.com

I was really upset when I learned recently that one of my favorite TV shows, Brothers and Sisters,  had been cancelled. I remember when Kitty (AKA Calista Flockhart), found out she had cancer. “OK,” I thought, “Here come the head-in-the-toilet vomiting scenes and other stereotypical and dated cancer images you see all the time.”

The story line did start that way, but it got much better. I was surprised at the realistic depiction of the cancer experience, and how I could relate to lots of it.  First of all, I was impressed by Kitty’s need for normalcy.  She’s not a victim; she just wants to go on and live her life with laughter, fun and purpose.

Kitty also talks about using visualization, picturing her cancer being eradicated in her mind. I have used visualization as part of my regimen, even making a drawing of my white blood cells and chemo attacking some scared-looking cancer cells. The whities even wore green healing capes and pronounced, ”Don’t worry Tami, we’ve got them!”

I’ve created a new drawing that includes step-by-step details on how Xeloda, the chemo drug I’m taking, is destroying the DNA of the cancer cells. I drew a sledgehammer knocking down bricks then a picture of a cell with a sign that says “Out of Business.” I’m not an artist by any means. I had to explain what the drawing represents to someone, but it means something to me.

Several of the survivors I have interviewed for my book mention using visualization with great success. Bob Kiesendahl (whom I’ll finally meet in a couple weeks at his upcoming fundraiser) was diagnosed 10 years ago at age 29 with chronic mylogeneous leukemia (CML).  His disease was in its final stage and spreading very quickly. He was given a 25 percent chance to survive – and that was with a bone marrow transplant. Visioning, as well as a successful transplant, helped him become cancer-free:

“Having an athletic background, I placed my battle into a simple sports model. All my pre-transplant treatments – the radiation and chemo – were my practices and training for the big game. The transplant was my personal Super Bowl. I was going to play as hard as I could and win.

I did some visioning of what was happening to my body. I viewed all the unpleasant side effects from the treatments as proof that the cancer cells were leaving my body and dying. I also used visioning to focus on where I wanted to be when I regained my life. It wasn’t a matter of if I was going to survive, it was when I survived. And I knew when this was all over, I wanted to do something to help others affected by cancer.”

Daniel Levy, who was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of brain cancer in 1991, also used visualization:

“I believe the act of participating in getting better puts out good chemicals to your brain. The mind has a tremendous capacity to heal. The brain listens and sends the right chemicals to cure the cancer. For that reason, I did a lot of visualization. My view was that I had an extremely healthy body, but there was something going on in my head that I had to eliminate.

I knew exactly where the tumor was located. For example, when I had an MRI, I closed my eyes and pretended that the loud tapping noise was a line of prison guards firing their rifles at my malignant cells. At home, would lie in bed, close my eyes, and see those spots that appear to all of us. I would label the bright spots as bad and dark as good, staring down those bright spots until they went black. This all may seem somewhat ridiculous, but I am certain that your thoughts and imagination cause your brain to secrete chemical necessary to destroy disease.”

So let’s hear it: Have any of you tried visualization? Please share!

Tami Boehmer is a metastatic breast cancer survivor, speaker, blogger and author of From Incurable to Incredible: Cancer Survivors Who Beat the Odds. You can visit her at www.MiracleSurvivors.com.