I recently TIVO’d Climb for Life, a Utah Now special video which aired on PBS last week. (BTW, TIVO or any other DVR is one of my tools for simplifying and saving time in a busy life. Watch only what you want with no commercials, no channel surfing.) The video chronicled the life and work of Sean Patrick, who was the founder of the HERA Foundation for ovarian cancer awareness and the Climb4Life events. Many of my climbing friends were depicted and interviewed about how inspiring Sean became in their own lives. Check it out; it’s only 30 minutes long!
I couldn’t help but be struck by Sean’s story of her cancer diagnosis. With ovarian cancer, the pitfalls of late detection are partially due to the nonspecific nature of symptoms women may or may not experience. Having been an avid rock climber, hiker, and biker, she mentioned the feeling of something just being “off” with her. She saw multiple doctors regarding her fatigue and got many plausible explanations… sounds eerily familiar.
I feel so much gratitude for listening to my body during my times of nonspecific symptoms. I may have been a little slow in my actions, but at least (with help) I continued to question my “stress-induced” state. And hearing Sean’s story made me feel SO LUCKY. Although she miraculously lived several years after her diagnosis (all the while working tirelessly for the HERA cause), our two stories barely compare from a disease perspective.
Self-knowledge, listening to your body, and aligning with one’s true principles are central to my message at PracticeBalance. You’ll be seeing lots more about these concepts when I introduce my Points of Balance. Thanks for following!