DETERMINED is my WORD! When preparing for this year’s fundraiser, I set my goal high--not only to raise funds, but awareness. In addition to messaging my own contacts, posters, and yard signs, I sent emails to local news stations and newspapers. I was fortunate enough to be interviewed by CBS, but the final segment left me feeling like my voice was still unheard. After speaking with the manager of the local NOCC chapter and hearing that she had been trying unsuccessfully to get media coverage during her ten years of service, I decided that something HAS to change! I will continue to push to bring more awareness to ovarian cancer! I will reach a larger audience! I will be heard! Now I’m sending messages to national news networks! Watch out world, here I come!!! I have been wearing the pictured anklet for the last year. I rarely read the word, but I know its there, providing the reminder I need to keep pushing! if anyone is interested in getting their word stamped, message me and I'll make it for you. Please share this message with your friends and family. Turn September TEAL give.ovarian.org/participant/Barbara-Schlatter The obvious upside of cancer is deeper appreciation for everything you have and I definitely experienced that feeling after I was diagnosed, but that feeling has deepened exponentially over the last year. Between the pandemic and many speed bumps to my recovery, I am beyond grateful for what I have and happier than I have ever been in my life. I find joy in the littlest things and it is an amazing feeling! Cancer has softened my personality and mood. Growing up, I was bullied extensively in school. With much self reflection, I came to the realization that those early experiences with my peers taught me to put a wall of defense, usually suspecting the worst of others. This led me to be abrupt and dismissive, usually without need. I rarely engaged in conversation with strangers, always being on a mission to get my own tasks done. Now I find myself talking to anyone who will listen to me. It has opened a whole new world for me. At each step of this journey, someone has come forward to help me reach the next step. Family, friends and strangers all helped me to move forward. When I started down this road with cancer, I was on a mission to beat it anyway I could. I spent the initial phase of my treatment dreading recurrence, when I would be back on the highly toxic drugs. Now I feel prepared for whatever comes my way--no more dread or fear--just more speed bumps to slow me down to appreciate whatever those moments bring. I cannot change the fact that I have cancer, or that it will someday it will try to rear its ugly head. All I can do is change how I react to it. Find the beauty in imperfection--the Wabi Sabi life! The segment for the CBS news story aired this morning. There will be a slightly different version airing tomorrow on Stand UP to Cancer primetime special (I don't think my story will air nationally, just the local CBS breakaway) CBC News Story Barb's NOCC fundraiser I am doing all I can to reach a broader audience for ovarian cancer awareness, my NOCC fundraiser and my website. In addition to emails and facebook posts, I also messaged all the local news networks. I was fortunate to receive a quick response from CBS and was asked for an interview to air in September for ovarian cancer awareness month. The next day, I was contacted again with a change of plan. The first airing will be on the CBS morning news and it will also be included on the primetime special Stand Up To Cancer on August 21st! Needless to say, I was completely blown away! With all that said, I still need your help! Please share this message with family and friends. Help me to not only meet, but exceed my fundraising goal. The pole you see is my fundraising thermometer. Currently, the teal crystals indicate donations from my family and friends and the purple is for donations generated by neighbors passing by who took interest in my sign. Help me add more colors to my pole by creating more degrees of separation! I currently have posters up at my husband’s employer, WiTronix (who were some of my biggest supporters last year) and at my former employer, Advocate cancer center in Aurora. Let me know if you know of a business that would be willing to post my message! I”ll keep you updated regarding airtimes for my segments. This a a letter that I am including in "surviving chemo" gift bags I'm making for fellow patient's at the office where I am receiving chemotherapy.
My name is Barb and I am an oncology nurse who was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer in September 2019. I want to share the things that were key to getting me through chemo, surgery and beyond.
In January I decided that I would do a mini triathlon not knowing that I was capable of anything other than swimming, given the level of joint pain I was still dealing with. Strive to Thrive has been my guide for the last 8 months. Getting stronger doesn’t happen on it’s own. Waiting for things to happen is a futile dream that anything will change or improve. While the triathlon has been in the back of my mind, I had been making excuses for not doing more physical activity, not wanting to confuse pain from exercise with pain related to tapering prednisone. This morning the excuses stopped. I decided while grocery shopping, that when I got home, I would head to the pool to start my adventure. The plan was to do as much as I physically could without doing anything causing intolerable pain. I was successful! The swim ended up being my easiest event, the bike ride ended short of the initial goal of 12 miles due to an unfortunate event involving a dog on a long leash, the walk was hard, but faster than my new usual pace (even after biking and swimming)! Throughout my career as a nurse, my patients have inspired me to challenge myself!. From the patient who would go downtown every week for ballroom dancing after receiving weekly chemo, to the 80 year old patient whose biggest complaint about chemo was that she couldn’t participate in Disney marathon weekend which consists of a total of 48.6 miles over four consecutive days. In the first instance, I lost 30 pounds, in the second, I ran a half marathon. Today’s activities are dedicated to my son Mark, who has accepted the challenge to learn to drive at the age of 29. He is conquering his fears of driving and I am confident that he will have his licence within a few months. Therefore, I felt the need to do something to push my limits as well! Thanks for inspiring me today Mark! You never know what you can do until you try! |
AuthorBarb Schlatter Archives
May 2022
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