That time I made a room laugh about breast cancer (speech video)

This past July I was lucky enough to be invited on stage at an event by Helen Xenidis, For Once Upon Woman – Her Story. The event was supporting The Healing Ink Collective to help raise funds and awareness for women in the reconstruction phase of their breast cancer treatment. It is so much more than 3D aeorla tattoos, it’s about helping them feel a little more like themselves at a time when they really need it.

The event was filled with inspiration, education and I got the memo to bring some laughter! The women who shared their stories on stage shared incredibly vulnerable and heartfelt stories, and really brought some important messages into the lives of the audience.

I got on stage and completely threw out any plan I had – something I do from time to time – because I really wanted to bring the energy level up, share some heavy parts of my own story in a way that would make people smile and laugh, and not just talk about joy – but physically create it right there and right then in that room.

Sometimes you have to laugh your way through a difficult situation, because what else can you do? Other then cry of course… which I promise I do too! Just not that evening… lucky for the audience! A little less awkward right?

Thank you Helen for a wonderful event, and thank you Jennifer for capturing all the speeches so they could live on far beyond one evening. Meeting the other speakers was the best part, because connection in this cancer community is truly special.

When you click on the vide you’ll be taken to a page with the other stories as well! Watch & share if you know anyone who might resonate with anything you see. Your support means a lot.

Video by @jenniferjjmedia www.jjmediaonline.com

Website: www.onceuponawoman.com @onceuponawoman.herstory

Learning to love the small moments

One of the first lessons cancer taught me is that life isn’t only measured in years, but in moments. Big milestones are incredible, sure, but they’re rare. The truth is, stage 4 cancer forces you to notice the tiniest moments and to appreciate the small milestones, even ones that you’d miss if you blink. 

I love drinking a nice cup of coffee in the morning – bonus if I actually get to sit down while I drink it! I notice the way my daughter spontaneously dances in our kitchen or the living room… sometimes to music that only she can hear in her head. My son’s curiosity about the world gives me more moments than I can count. I love that I can actually see him thinking in real time when a new fact or idea is presented to him, and the way he squints his eyes has his ability to slow me down and stop me in my tracks.

The way the sky looks when the sunlight appears over the treetops on my street in the morning, and the way the backyard turns golden just before it goes down. It’s cheesy but I’m going to say it anyway – these small moments are tiny miracles, and now, more than ever, I stop to savor them.

I want this month to remind you, and me, that the little things matter. That a simple laugh or a quiet moment of peace can be more transformative than the big achievements we chase. Life isn’t just about survival. It’s about noticing, appreciating, and celebrating, even in the smallest ways.