In a recent In the Rising Podcast interview with Susan DeLorenzo, a breast cancer survivor, she shared her inspiring story of resilience, hope, and finding purpose after a life-altering diagnosis. She shared with me that despite facing the challenges that come with the breast cancer journey, Susan’s experience serves as a reminder that survivorship is more than just winning a battle—it’s about embracing life with gratitude, spreading kindness, and turning adversity into opportunity. Adding follow-up care with your care team can increase the quality of breast cancer survivorship.
Facing a Life-Altering Breast Cancer Diagnosis:
Susan’s journey with breast cancer began with a seemingly insignificant discovery—a few calcifications in her left breast. She believed she had overcome a minor hurdle, however, fate had other plans. During a routine follow-up appointment, a lump was discovered in her right breast. She was diagnosed with breast cancer again-, plunging her into a state of shock and uncertainty.
This unexpected turn of events marked a significant turning point in Susan’s life, altering its trajectory forever. At the time of diagnosis, she also was going through the ultimate breakup: divorce. Susan knew that she had new challenges ahead of her, but knew that this difficult time would reveal gifts as well.
Despite all the events happening concurrently, Susan expressed that she was very grateful for the healthcare providers who examined her for early detection.
Embracing Resilience and Overcoming Challenges:
Prior to her diagnosis, Susan found herself constantly running on empty, juggling numerous roles as a working mother, wife, and caretaker of “this old house.” She admits that she neglected her own well-being in the pursuit of fulfilling everyone else’s needs. However, facing a life-threatening illness forced her to reevaluate priorities and make crucial changes in her life.
Susan’s diagnosis of breast cancer brought with it a plethora of challenges. From the physical toll that chemotherapy, radiation, and surgeries took on her body to the emotional rollercoaster of fear, anxiety, and sadness, Susan faced a journey that was often overwhelming. However, through it all, she remained resilient and determined to not let cancer define her.
Her treatment included chemotherapy, radiation therapy, five surgeries including a mastectomy, and the emotional challenges that come along with hair loss and brain fog. She experienced her own “dark night of the soul,” and eventually wrote a letter “Thank you, Cancer.” She shared that she now looked at some challenges as “good news” as opposed to immediate challenges. This new normal has created her to look at her life’s purpose and how she can provide emotional support to breast cancer patients.
Susan went through months of treatment and felt that this also took a toll on her family members. She realized that her marriage was over, and had to stop and be angry with God, wondering when she was going to have a break. But, now she sees these moments of her life as story ideas to share with other survivors of breast cancer to help them find purpose and hope.
Reprioritizing Life: Ways to say “yes” to More…
Susan decided that reaching and maintaining a healthy lifestyle included focusing on her own needs as well. She observed that many patients had a fear of recurrence and struggled to navigate the healthcare system. However, she also noticed that people wanted to really improve their quality of life. Susan felt that services for patients did not always include transformation elements as much as they focused on the side effects of treatment.
She went through a triple event: divorce, diagnosis, and job loss all at once. With the idea of changing her perspective, she was able to take control of her life and care for her son without running on fumes.
How Cancer Affects Relationships
Cancer can impact the relationships of many people, married or not. In the article by Kang, approximately 11 out of every 1,000 couples divorce. The quality of life reported by those who have gone through breast cancer is even lower than those who did not have a dissolution of their relationship.
Living with cancer, worrying about the risk of recurrence, and feeling that life after breast cancer needs to be different also cause small fissures in relationships. Sometimes treatment effects, with the occasionally lasting side effects of fatigue and pain, create additional space and reduced intimacy in the relationship. Survivors may only focus on themselves during the treatment, leaving the partners feeling left out and unable to connect. The entire cancer experience can be isolating, whether self-imposed or caused by a lack of communication and trust.
Even truly devoted partners can eventually become resentful, burned out, and even angry. These emotions are typical and can be overcome with the right amount of support. However, there are times when the stress and fissures in a relationship have added up. In my conversation with Matthew Frey on In the Rising Podcast, in which he describes his divorce in the book This is How Your Marriage Ends, he shares how these thousands of cuts eventually bleed out the relationship, and it has no choice but to end.
“And I was like very surprised, but not surprised. I knew there were signs of problems in the marriage all along, but I, again, couldn’t deal with it. I just kept myself running like a wheel, like a rat on a wheel, and anything that was a problem I just wanted to run away from.”
One of the most profound ways cancer can affect relationships is through the stress it can create.
Cancer can create stress in relationships in various ways. First, the individual diagnosed may be unable to engage in activities they previously enjoyed, leading to a discrepancy in the number of activities they can engage in with their partner. This can also lead to feelings of guilt on the part of the individual diagnosed. Second, the emotional toll of dealing with cancer and the treatment process may lead to an individual feeling overwhelmed and, as a result, withdrawing from their relationships.
Susan’s story is not that uncommon. Women diagnosed with cancer are much more likely to have less supportive partners than males. This number can be up to 6 times higher! Why? It tends to highlight what is already there or create more significant ripple effects from the issues in the relationship. Add on the feelings of dysmorphia, feeling “less than,” chronically stressed and tired… may prove too much.
Embracing Life with Gratitude:
Susan’s journey taught her the importance of gratitude and appreciating the small joys in life. Whether it was experiencing moments of normalcy amidst treatment or simply basking in the love and support of her family and friends, Susan learned to find beauty every day. She encourages other survivors to embrace a mindset of gratitude and cherish the present moment.
She decided that lifestyle choices were more than just physical activity and healthy diets- it was taking the focus to a real transformation.
Gratitude can create a positive attitude. More positive perspectives are linked to reduced stress and reduced stress can decrease a woman’s risk of breast cancer recurrence. Having gratitude may very well be part of a survivorship care plan.
*Interested in a Gratitude journal with 25 prompts to help you focus on what you do have as opposed to what you don’t? Here are 25 Gratitude Prompts to Foster a Positive Outlook on Life!*
Spreading Kindness:
Throughout her battle with cancer, Susan experienced firsthand the incredible power of kindness. From the compassionate nurses and doctors who cared for her during her breast cancer treatment. She also credits the support of her community as she navigated the most common cancer women in the United States experience. She realized the impact that acts of kindness can have on a person’s overall health. Inspired by this, she now strives to spread kindness wherever she goes, knowing that even the smallest act can make a world of difference to someone in need in their everyday life.
The Power of Integrative Medicine: How to Combine Traditional and Alternative Treatments for Breast Cancer
“Acupuncture and reiki, along with meditation and journaling, made it so that I had another outlet and…mindset.”
Susan shared that she used complementary treatments to help her mindset and attitude during and after treatment. Reiki is a form of Japanese therapy that means “universal life energy.” A study showed that even though the cortisol levels in saliva were not statistically different in those caregivers who received Reiki compared to the group that did… their reported stress levels were reduced. This helped reduce blood pressure as well as heart rate.
Journaling is amazing. It is one of my favorite activities, and there is so much buzz about gratitude journaling. Positive Psychology even has 66 writing prompts to get you started and ensure you don’t get writer’s block! Acupuncture is a Chinese form of medicine that has been shown to help with post-surgical pain.
“And that was amazing to me- to have that kind of experience. And it showed me, that it’s so worth exploring how we can support ourselves.”
-Susan
In conclusion, cancer can profoundly affect relationships through the stress it can create. It’s essential to recognize how cancer can create stress and manage it with open communication, patience, and compromise. Don’t hesitate to reach out for professional help if needed. Download your digital copy of the breast cancer toolkit today.
Susan shared, “And I finally got it that I only get to be Susan DeLorenzo this one time,” and decided to take full ownership of her life and choices.
“At the end of cancer, and especially at the end of the revelation, my made at the time left me and I used to say that cancer lifts a veil. Let it lay everything bare in front of you if you’re looking.”
Turning Adversity into Opportunity:
Survivorship for breast cancer survivors encompasses more than just winning a battle against the disease. It involves embracing life with gratitude, finding purpose, and spreading kindness. Susan DeLorenzo’s inspiring story emphasizes the importance of resilience, overcoming challenges, and prioritizing self-care. Her experience serves as a reminder for other survivors to appreciate the small joys in life and maintain a positive mindset. Furthermore, Susan’s advocacy for breast cancer awareness showcases the power of turning adversity into opportunity. Gratitude and kindness play significant roles in survivorship care plans, reducing stress and the risk of recurrence.
My reflection
I really enjoyed having this conversation with Susan. To listen to our conversation, check out the podcast episode.
What I came away with was this: even after trauma, pain and health issues, your spirit can come back. Susan’s story was one of back-to-back emotional and physical trauma in the form of two cancer diagnoses and a divorce within two years. And through her story, I could feel that she had now accepted the situations, but was determined to make them matter to more than just herself.
Susan’s story is not just one of “Guess what, I am a coach now, please sign up,” but one of triumph and survivorship. No one can ever truly know what you have been through, even if they have been diagnosed with the same illness. Every story is unique. But, even in that uniqueness, there is some common ground. On that ground we can take off our mask and share our fear, vulnerability, and hopes with the knowledge that it is a safe space.
You can feel what Susan has gone through during her story, and not just hear it. I appreciated our conversation on many levels, and have come away with so much.
Susan’s story is one of the many reasons I started the podcast. So many people, especially women, shared their view of what a “good life” is… and how they knew they weren’t quite having it yet.
It takes courage to acknowledge that.
It takes courage to do something about it.
Learn more about Susan on her website.
Sharing your story is one way to change the story. If you would like to listen to other stories of strength, you may like to listen to these In the Rising Podcast episodes:
- Boxing through Chemo, Kelly Motley – Breast Cancer survivor
- Embracing the Journey: Trust, Transformation and Community in the Cancer Experience with Amy Robinson
- 4-Time Cancer Survivor Liz Benditt: Lessons Learned and the Business Born from Adversity
In Good Health,
Transcription:
Bettina M Brown: Hello, hello, and welcome to In the Rising Podcast. My name is Bettina Brown, and this is the platform I’ve chosen to talk about living a life that’s in alignment with your hopes, your dreams, and your goals. Basically your vision and turning your back on that shame and blame game, that does nothing for us.
It doesn’t move our needle in the right direction. And my guest today is the prime example of someone who left behind the shame, blame and the desperation and the sadness, and really had an experience that made me even think, are you kidding me? That really did happen to you. But she’s turned it around and she has used that experience to provide hope and love, and share gratitude and kindness out in the world.
And so, I welcome you to my podcast in The Rising Today. Susan de Lorenzo, I am so happy to speak with you this evening. Pre-dinner, post dinner- depending on our time zone, but thank you so much for your time today. Thank you, Bettina. It’s so good to be with you. So, I have learned more about you.
I’ve been to your website, I’ve read about you, but. There is something about your story that really resonates, with me and it, it sounds like you have gone through a major life event, and I’d like you to share what that life event was.
[00:01:39] Susan DeLorenzo: I’d be happy to it. It’s funny because it’s been some time now, but it, it changed my life.
It changed the whole trajectory of my life. I was diagnosed with, uh, invasive breast cancer, but if I were to back up a few months before that, I just had. A little cancer. I found that I had, um, what were called calcifications in my left breast and had a lumpectomy, clean margins, which means I got all the cancer and I, I just thought, oh, that was weird.
What a little blip that was and I went for a follow up appointment. It was with a radiation oncologist and I already had it in my head. I’m not going to need any radiation. It was just a little cancer. They got it all and she agreed with me and then, um, asked if I would mind having a, a breast examination done with the medical student in the room.
And we went through the whole thing, and she got to my other breast I, I had the surgery in my left breast for the little cancer, and she palpated my right breast and stopped and looked at me and asked, has anybody talked to you about the lump in your right breast? and I, you know, time just freezes there because I just thought, “well, I, I dodged a bullet.”
I’m fine. Now, where was I? I was leading a really, um, frenetic life. I, I was a, um, a full-time working mother and wife and owner of this old house, So it was like a, always something. It was just, I used to say there was never enough of me to go around mm-hmm. that I was just spread so thin and I never. I did so little for myself.
I was just always in, in service to the child. I love to the house, to my husband, to this job where I had, I was an administrative assistant. I had four bosses in the sales department. I took, uh, an hour ride, train, ride, uh, into Boston from my home in Mansfield in Massachusetts, and I was tired and I just thought, you know, that’s the way it goes, Susan.
You did the best you could. You made your bed. Now you got to lie in it as if I had no other choice, as if I had just almost had this assignment given to me as my life. So here I am, I am faced with having, um, a surgery, another surgery actually. And it was, um, a lumpectomy. The surgeon came back and said it was worry.
So, I already kind of knew it wasn’t going to be great news, but I mentally couldn’t handle it. So, I would just tell myself, oh, it’s probably just this, it’s definitely, uh, the same as what I had in my left breast. It’s just more obvious. I just could only handle so much. So that’s what I told myself. And, um, so I ended up down the road having to have a mastectomy.
I had two more surgeries and it, they couldn’t, it, it wouldn’t have been worth it. And it turned out that there. With a mastectomy, like three more centimeters of a tumor in there. So, it really was the right move. Mm-hmm. and I went on to have chemotherapy and radiation and following that, um, I. Was finally getting my libido back.
I know that’s something, you know, people talk about, you know, chemo brain and everything else, and you’re, you know, in a little fog most of the time and not feeling well. So, I was excited after I was told I was cancer free. The, the chemo stuff’s getting outta my system and I’m moved to make a, um, you know, kiss my husband on the couch one night and he says that’s enough.
And I was like very, um, surprised, but not surprised. I knew there were signs of problems in the marriage all along, but I again, couldn’t deal with it. I just kept myself running like a wheel, like a rat on a wheel and anything that was a problem I just wanted to run away from.
And he went on to tell me that, you know, he just wanted to live alone. He did not want to be, um, a husband anymore. He wanted to be a father to our son. We had an 18-month-old child. And I just remember going up to the bathroom and yelling up to God. Do you think I could just have a year off? I was so, Not ready for this one, two punch.
You know, I was, I had just been through. A year of surgeries, chemo, radiation, a lot of fear. Um, and then this, and yet I knew because I had come through cancer and it come on on the other side, feeling grateful for my life. that this wasn’t going to be so bad. I know that sounds, I didn’t want it. I didn’t, you know, but there was some perspective here come, you know, here’s losing, you know, a marriage, here’s losing your life.
So, I had some sense of, um, okay, I don’t want this, but I’m gonna be okay. And it took a lot of. , uh, for me to actually get to that point where I was seeing, hey, I was in a codependent marriage. I grew up as the daughter of a parent with depression, and that’s what I married, and I just inserted myself like a puzzle piece.
Like, oh, I know how to do this, and it’s so unconscious. We do this in so many parts of our lives. If we take a look. And this was my time to find out what my role was in this relationship so that I never had to do it again. Mm-hmm. so much came out of this where I finally began to treat myself with, um, Real care, real regard.
And I finally got it that I only get to be Susan de Lorenzo this one time. Mm-hmm. , even if you believe in reincarnation. Right. I only get to be this person. Yeah. One time. And so, um, I wanted to give her a really good ride. I, I was done, uh, saying, oh, well you did the best you could and not taking any ownership of my life and the choices I was gonna make going forward.
[00:08:55] Bettina M Brown: You said a lot of powerful things in that, that statement, uh, first of all is that you have spent a lot of your life being in service to other people and. There is in service of others and then there’s in service of others, where there is nothing to you that you have no importance and then there’s just doing things that you love to help others.
Right. But there has to be a balance and often we will swing one way or another. Did you observe a lot of this in service to others as well growing up? Is that another puzzle piece you felt that was just something you.
[00:09:34] Susan DeLorenzo: I had to, yeah, I, I look back at my childhood and I think a lot of us do have them, where you have to obey and please your parents, your parents have expectations for you.
Um, teachers have expectations for you. Um, clubs you join, anything, you know, there’s a certain way of. Making it. Okay. And when, uh, I was growing up with my mother who had depression, you never know. You never knew who you were getting from day to day. You know, she was funny, she was fun, she was beautiful.
And I, and, and I loved that person. But some days you got the dark, the really unhappy, angry, or what, and you never knew. And I took. Full responsibility for whether or not she was happy. Mm-hmm. and, um, tried to stay out of the way if she wasn’t, tried not to make anything worse. So, it was this whole, um, I guess you would say survival mode.
But, um, I was pretty, I thought I was pretty good at it, you know, and when I wasn’t, I blamed myself.
[00:10:54] Bettina M Brown: and you also mentioned. You went up to the bathroom. It’s like, can I have a break? And, and many of the discussions I have with, with people and it, I’m gonna be honest, I was also in, same said bathroom, just, I don’t know what it is about bathroom that we can really just let it all be out free, maybe because that is where the shower is and we are most vulnerable.
Um, but you know, where did it go from? Or was it instantaneous that you knew I am going to make it because I’ve come this far? Or was that a process for you as well? Or was the process the cancer journey?
[00:11:35] Susan DeLorenzo: No, it was a process. There was like a part two process. I certainly went through a process with cancer treatment, but this was getting into what do I want from my life going forward?
This is. being set free from something that wasn’t healthy for either of us. Um, I didn’t think, and there was a moment. Where I had to give up control, uh, I had to do it with cancer and now I had to do it with this marriage and, and say, I’m not driving the bus on this one. And there was a moment I went in, there was a church, um, across the street from where I worked, and I went in and I just sat at the back of this big church.
and I was just crying and I opened up a hymnal. I used to love, I used to sing in the church choir. I was, that was probably my favorite part about church. And um, I opened up, To this hymn so randomly, and it was all about, and I’m not gonna get all the words right, but it was like, if you but trust in God to guide you, he’ll see you through your darkest hour, he’ll give you peace.
What air, bat tied the, and I mean, so here’s this message coming to me. Mm-hmm. and it really hit my heart and it. That everything, you know, like light came through and hit me on the head or anything, but something happened that it was like, you’re gonna be okay. You know? It doesn’t mean, you know, it’s gonna be just, you know, super easy.
But yeah, you’re gonna be okay. I’ve got you and you’ve got me. And it’s not that. I’m a super religious person, but I do have a faith. Mm-hmm. , I do. And, and that really did anchor me during cancer and, and it was just kind of the reminder of, okay, y pick this up again and use it and use it for the rest of your life.
Don’t ever have to live in doubt, in fear. You’re all, you know, I really do believe when I look back on my life, I’ve never fallen in a hole. Have I gotten myself into a few pieces of trouble? Yes. But never, like in the abyss. Mm-hmm.
[00:13:58] Bettina M Brown: I read about you and it said, you described it what that time of your life, like a hurricane going through your life, clearing it out, um, I have a little quote by my bed.
Sometimes, uh, God calms the storm and sometimes God calms the sailor in that some of these storms of life happen. But there can be some benefits. I mean, we, not always, there’s some horrific things that happen, but sometimes in the upheaval, you come across to the other side that you have to kind of be forced to.
What do you feel like you’ve received from going through this h? .
[00:14:37] Susan DeLorenzo: You know, I have to tell you, that reminds me of a phrase I use that I thought the universe was kicking my butt, but it turns out it was cleaning my houseSo, sounds kind of similar. Um, so ask the question again cause I wanna make sure I address it right?
[00:15:00] Bettina M Brown: Yeah. What do you feel? Now that you’ve been through that hurricane that you gained on the other side,
[00:15:07] Susan DeLorenzo: clarity I was in, uh, I was telling myself a story to survive, but it wasn’t the true story. And so, when everything got whipped up and was completely disorienting at the time, everything was laid bare before.
At the end of cancer, and especially at the end of the revelation, my made at the time left me and I used, um, to say that cancer lifts a veil. That it does let lay everything bare in front of you if you’re looking. Some people try to go back and create what they used to have. I really couldn’t do that, and so it just kind of cleared this.
Life I used to have, I certainly still had the same job, but then I had the chance to elevate my life. I had a new awareness, I had a new understanding of what I wanted. I didn’t wanna go back and recreate, um, things that were so unhealthy for me. And, um, really as an example for, um, the young son I had at the time.
That awareness led me to say, I’m gonna treat this life with reverence and I’m gonna have fun. I didn’t have a lot of fun. I’m gonna have rich relationships that are meaningful to me. I’m gonna give to myself and I’m gonna be grateful. Mm-hmm.
[00:16:52] Bettina M Brown: and, and gratefulness. Gratitude is so important because when we focus on the negative and, and there’s sometimes a lot of negative that, but even in a better time of life, there’s still bad things happening to someone.
Right. That right. Empathetic too. But being in that place of gratitude can change your entire experience. And so, you also mentioned that you went on. Um, learned a lot more about coaching and had your own reiki experience. Share how you went into some other avenues.
[00:17:30] Susan DeLorenzo: Yes. Um, in terms of, um, cancer treatment, acupuncture, and reiki, along with meditation and journaling, made it so that I had another outlet and.
A form of, I wanna say having a. In my treatment and my mindset, I also use visualization. So all of these things, I didn’t just have to wait to see what a doctor would say for me, you know, or what. Was my next medical appointment or chemotherapy. I was supporting myself with acupuncture, which moves the toxins through your body, which helps with nausea, which helps boost your immune system.
The reiki, I was, um, able to, um, I would have it the night of the chemo treatment, so I’d have chemo that day. The night my, uh, two Reiki practitioners would come to my house. They’d bring a table and. By the end of the hour, I would be asleep on that table without taking any drugs and, and they would just kind of haul me up to bed and I’d go to sleep.
And that was amazing to me, um, to have that kind of experience. And it showed me, that it’s so worth exploring how we can support ourselves. Mm-hmm. , uh, and in work in conjunction or have other options depending on how you’re feeling. Called to explore it. Yeah. and
[00:19:13] Bettina M Brown: that’s the way you worded that is really, um, amazing.
[00:19:19] Susan DeLorenzo: And now you are also a coach, are you? Yes. And that did not happen right away. I hung on to my job for quite some time as a single mom. I just did not feel, you know, I was bored outta my mind in that job. But I, also thought, I’ve got benefits. I know what my paycheck is. You know, it was the devil, you know?
No offense to the job, they were lovely people, but that’s just a phrase I’m using. Nobody was a devil. Um, but yes. So that was the double I knew. And it wasn’t until I was laid off from a job that I finally said, okay, I got a little severance. What can I do, um, that I would love and feel like?
This would be more, um, my thing. And even then, um, I came across some a Facebook ad that said, would you like to be a speaker, a teacher, a coach? And I, yeah. And I clicked on it. And this woman, her name is Mary Morrisy, said, So many things that I had come to learn, especially through my cancer journey, which is that, you know, we are the builders of our lives.
The mind is the builder and the choices we make are the builders. And so I was nodding, just, um, along with everything she was saying, I’m like, this is in, in alignment already with how I think about life. Yeah. And I ended. Making an appointment and talking to somebody about signing up, and the price was scary.
And here I’m on a severance. I’m a single mom, and yet I made myself do it. And my, I wanted to throw up. My knees were knocking and I sat back down after I gave her my credit card, hung up the phone and this piece came over me and I thought, oh my gosh, I think I just did the right thing.
[00:21:24] Bettina M Brown: That’s amazing.
And so now you’re coaching share more about how people can learn for, you know, learn from Yes. And contact you.
[00:21:31] Susan DeLorenzo: Yeah. All that. Yes. So I love coaching women who are coming out of life-changing adversity, especially when they’ve had some time for some reflection and know, um, what they’d love to change up.
Maybe they have a little more self-awareness. And if you go to my website, Susan de lorenzo.com, S u s A n d e L o r e n z o.com, you can learn more about me there or you can email me at susan@susan de lorenzo.com. I also post on, um, my Facebook page. It’s facebook.com/dream coach Susan, so you can always get a little tidbit of me there too.
[00:22:14] Bettina M Brown: Final question for us. What is still on the horizon for Susan? What is, what are you still
[00:22:20] Susan DeLorenzo: rising up to? Wow. Um, two things and one has been. Years in the making. I’m, you know, almost embarrassed to say it, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel with this book I’m working on called Pulling the Gems from Adversity, which is, you know, my pet project is learning from adversity and using what you learn to elevate your life with it.
So that’s number one. And then the second is, um, working on a podcast that, um, really will go deeper than adversity. The name of it is called The Soul of Plenty. It’s coming out in January. And that is more about how you and I, all of us, are fully resourced for at a soul level and many of us have been trained away from that.
Conditioned away from that. And what if we could get all of that back again? So I’ll be having different guests on that. We’re gonna be calling about different parts of what we’re resourced with. Yeah.
[00:23:21] Bettina M Brown: I love that because everything you need, you have, you’re just not maybe aware of how to pull that out.
Um, and sometimes events have to unveil the door. , yes, not always a nice, um, event, but, um, to know that you have all you need in one way or another is, um, a comforting feeling.
[00:23:43] Susan DeLorenzo: Um, be. Have you heard the phrase? It’s an acronym I learned in a meditation group years ago. Afco, A F G O I have not. I will clean it up for the podcast, but it’s another effing growth opportunity.
Okay. Right? Yes, yes.
[00:24:05] Bettina M Brown: Yes. . I like it, I had one of those today,
[00:24:10] Susan DeLorenzo: Yeah. See, at least it makes you laugh, but you’re like, yeah. Yep. I know what that is. I do. I do.
[00:24:18] Bettina M Brown: Susan, I have just had a really great conversation with you. I enjoyed our conversation. I enjoyed the piece that you obviously. Because it comes through Zoom and two time zones.
Um, and so I’m really excited for you and I’m actually very proud of you as well for all that you’ve done and you continue to be in service yet not forgetting to serve yourself. So this 20-minute conversation that I had with Susan really made me pause and just in her voice and the way she just exudes confidence and peace.
With pretty traumatic events in her life is extraordinary. And just that itself is an inspiration and I think a glimmer of hope that no matter what you’re going through, there is another side to it. And usually getting to that other side means pounding your way right through it, but you will get. There and Susan is now taking this opportunity to share her own story and help inspire others to get to that other side, especially when it comes to the story of cancer, because that is a tough thing to go through, and very scary, and very isolating.
And then to lose your partner throughout it is even more isolating. But her story of hope and inspiration is great, and I hope that you share this story with anyone that you feel would benefit from listening. And it is also my ask that you leave a really heartfelt, true review of this podcast as well because it helps expand this general topic of in the rising to the hands and ears of those that need it the most.
Thank you so much for your time because it’s that one thing we do not get back. And until next time, let’s keep building one another up!
References:
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