Sundance as Guest Speaker at Cancer Seminar TODAY - UTSW Hospital

Good afternoon, Everybody!

I had a wonderful story to share with you all today – it caught me by surprise!

The social worker down at the new hospital I’m going to sent me an email and asked me if I could come down to their support group today and speak to their group about my feelings and experiences with Cancer.

The class was titled “Communicating Concerns and Feelings.”

This one was right up my alley

Let me take a step back…..

A month ago, I was at the hospital doing labwork and getting a port flush and meeting with the new onc.

I happened to pass by Infusion and was looking into their rooms there – they were amazing – private suites with comfortable chairs for the patient and room for family or friends to be with you privately. They had flat panel TVs with DVDs, a sink and so on – it was so neat (my previous infusion lab was a dump quite frankly)…this place was very nice and comfortable. In the kitchen they had drinks and snacks and such, 1st class all the way.

Anyway, the social worker spoke to me (Angela) and I told her I was just checking it out. We began talking and I began telling her about my cancer and such, so she decided to give me a tour of the place. While we were talking, I told her about how I found the board and was talking to people around the world trying to help in any way that I could. I told her my favorite tag line: “The Cancer does not define us, but how we live and fight with Cancer DOES define us.” That one hit home and her eyes welled up and she asked me if I had ever thought of speaking in person to a cancer support group before – would I be interested.

Well, I sent her an email last week, but she was out of the office and I did not hear from her. Then this morning – Whammo! – she emailed me and asked if I could come out today and speak with the group they had today.

There was the main speaker, a psychologist, and the social worker and about 6 cancer patients and one who had a caregiver with her…so it was a nice group of people.

I overcame my shyness and tried to contribute some meaningful dialogue about what we talk about here in Our World everyday.

I spoke about my 2 main themes:

1. The Mind Has to be Right – to Fight!
2. Cancer does not define us, but how we live and fight with Cancer DOES define us.

We also talked about DEPRESSION and the role it has in our individual battles. We also talked about ANXIETY. And we talked about the difficult role of being a CAREGIVER. And we talked about ANGER and its underlying causes.

It was a beautiful experience and I was able to reach out and touch some people in person and hopefully something I said just might help them in their battles. The more I talked, people seemed to loosen up and the forum opened up and the conversation flowed.

I did not get much notice, so I was a few minutes late – and you know me I came crashing through the door "literally" like a bull in a china closet. They stopped the meeting and I introduced myself and told them that I had been invited to come down and sit and talk with them today. It was certainly different seeing and speaking to people in person vs the board. I'm normally shy, right? But after I get warmed up, I can really rock & roll. The nice thing was that when I talked, the people actually listened to me…it was very gratifying and satisfying.

I was thinking about each one of us when I was speaking and tried to CHANNEL the board’s energy into what I was saying. All of you were riding right along with me on this one too.

I told them about the Cancer Survivor’s Network and encouraged the people to visit the various boards that related to their cancer – and that there were many wonderful people all spread out on the board that would help them in the journey. I mentioned the CareGiver section to a gentlemen caregiver and told him to look there for support.

Then, just as quickly as it came, the seminar was over and I wished everyone the Best of Luck for their cancer battles and thanked the psychologist and the social worker for having me out for their seminar - it was very nice of them to invite me.

It was a true blessing to me to get the opportunity to be able to do something like this – a first for me – not quite as big as Leslie’s radio show was – but it was a good 1st step.

So, I feel good that I made the effort to try and make a difference in somebody’s life and that I was sincere in my endeavor. That’s all that any of us can ask to do of ourselves, isn’t it?

Well, I just wanted to share that with you today

Again, very nice to be able to speak with each of you again today.

Over and out!
-Craig