I am a three-time cancer survivor who had my first cancer diagnosis at three years old. My second cancer came 30 years later, and I was diagnosed with my third cancer 30 years after that.

I believe that many things have helped me survive three cancers – among them faith, prayer, a positive mental attitude, and the support of family and friends. I have been teaching and dancing for most of my life, and I believe those things have not only helped keep me physically and mentally sharp throughout my experiences with cancer, but have also helped others overcome challenges – including cancer.

I am a trainer for a medically-based therapeutic exercise program, Healthy Steps/Lebed Method, which is used in over 800 hospitals and centers.  I believe movement is basic to life – movement through dance, movement to maintain a healthy lifestyle, movement to keep going no matter what you’re going through.

My advocacy really began when I first used my story and my experiences to offer hope and support to others with cancer. I realized there was a shortage of books for children with cancer, so I decided to tell my survivorship story by writing my own children’s book, Dancing Cancer.  The book offers hope and support to those touched by cancer, and can be used in a discussion with children about a loved one who may be afflicted with the disease while inspiring them to follow their own hopes and dreams.  I have also written from the patient’s perspective to address integrative care for oncology nurses.

I became more involved in advocacy as a consumer peer reviewer for the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program, where other reviewers, doctors, and prominent scientists determine, how the $150 million appropriated by Congress for Fiscal Year 2010 will be spent on f breast cancer research. I was nominated to participate in the program by the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation. Consumer reviewers are asked to represent the collective view of breast cancer survivors, patients, family members, and persons at risk for the disease, when they prepare comments on the impact of the research on issues such as disease prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life after treatment. My role as a consumer reviewer provided such an awarding and inspiring opportunity for me, and really enabled me to affect change.

Over the years I have become more interested in survivor self care skills and evidenced- based research on what survivors can do to make the cancer journey a positive experience. I am always on the move these days – teaching, dancing, and participating in meetings and on panels that help advance cancer research and survivorship care. Recently I started getting more involved in advocating for clinical trials, and I have been helping NCCS get the word out about cancer care planning by talking about and giving out information about an NCCS care plan building program, Journey Forward.

I am thankful to be alive after three separate cancer diagnoses, and I believe giving back in some way helps people like me not only survive, but thrive.