TAKE A TIME OUT AND STEP INTO A NEW LIFE

Jean Campbell and I seem to be criss-crossing in cyberspace.  It happens.  Despite the enormous amount of information and the vast number of people, I suppose when you are like-minded, even if one of us is The Court Jester (that would be me), paths cross.

I first met Jean last year at Per Se Restaurant in NYC.  I was invited to attend a luncheon hosted by Ohio State University Cancer Center.  As I recall, many of the attendees were writers, primarily journalists from a number of media outlets.  I had the good fortune to sit beside Jean.

Jean's website, No Boobs About It began as a blog.  Little over a year ago, it morphed into a not for profit organization with a mission of offering direct help for patients.  Diagnosed with breast cancer TWICE, Jean was the director of the American Cancer Society's NYC Patient Navigation Program.  No surprise that she created a website with a tremendous following and far less of a surprise that Jean has received accolades in many different arenas.

I was thrilled to connect with her and I was humbled at her invitation to tell my story on No Boobs About It.  Chemobrain is no longer the punchline of a joke despite my dogged persistence to make it into a joke.  It's my own method of coping. This would be the place where I insert a shameless plug to the very long piece that Jean insisted should not be cut and believed would be helpful to others.  I don't know if I ever properly thanked Jean for the gracious space she provided for my words on her website.

I'm thanking her now and I'm excited to share Jean's latest endeavor with you.  Taking her work to new heights, Pink Time Outs is a new program of NBAI.  On April 2, on the grounds of the Biltmore Estate in Ashville, North Carolina, Pink Time Outs is hosting it's very first getaway.  A lottery drawing will be held to determine the lucky recipient (AND GUEST!) of what looks like a spectacular weekend.  The goal is to bridge the great divide between active treatment and "the other side."  In other words, but using the same letters, the getaway is the gateway.

This Pink Time Out is open to residents of the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee and the Southeast US.  Do you live in this area of the states?  Have you completed treatment within the past twelve months?  What are you waiting for???  The deadline to apply is March 2nd at 9AM.  The link can be found here:
http://noboobsaboutit.org/pink-time-outs/getaway-overview/

Keep tabs on Pink Time Outs because Jean has a pretty impressive list of getaway locations lined up for residents in other parts of the country.  Take a peek!

If you aren't eligible, perhaps you know someone who is?  Please do forward the information.  Navigating the waters of beyond treatment can be difficult.  There's no confetti, there's no giant parade. There's no fancy half-time show that causes an electrical disruption and no trophy, either.  As I recall, it's just one giant question mark.

What Now?  THIS is a great place to start.  I applaud Jean for facilitating those staring into that "What Now" abyss.

I remember my thought process about doing for others.....

It may be printed somewhere in a blog post but it goes like this:

Those who can, SHOULD.  And those who should, MUST.

Jean is one who doesn't just talk the talk.  She finds ways to make things happen.  I'm a better person because she is someone who is a part of my world.

If you are eligible, I hope you will submit your name and if you do, Good Luck!