How Cancer Taught me to be a Better Parent, Citizen and Professional

Hearing my doctor utter the words: ”you have cancer” was a life-altering experience for me. ?I know that many of you have loved ones or have yourself been impacted by this terrible disease.?And while navigating this diagnosis has been challenging and painful on every imaginable level, I have developed a heightened sense of awareness about what truly matters.

As a parent, this means spending more time with my kids, nurturing their emotional well-being, modeling the values I hope will define their time on earth, and being fully present in their lives.

As a citizen, this means using my voice to be a force for good in the world. This includes advocating for better health care for the millions of Americans with serious illnesses who, because of a health-care system based on greed and profit, are unable to get the care they need to survive and thrive. It means speaking up about and voting to eradicate the ills that prevent so many parents and children from living healthy, fulfilling lives.

As a professional, ?this means always creating a warm and supportive work environment, where transparency and vulnerability are valued and modeled; where no one feels alone or unheard; where policies that support overall well-being and healthy work-life integration are the norm rather than the exception; where each individual can draw strength from the collective to overcome challenges.

I am so grateful for the power of faith, the shoulders and ears of family and friends – all of which lift me up and see me through every single day. I stand in solidarity with all who have physical, mental or emotional challenges.?It is only in standing together that we will find the strength, the courage and the support to live our?fullest lives and to ultimately create a world that will allow our children to do the same.??

#cancerfree #healthy #healthcareforall #solidarity #support #wellbeing