Debra was finishing her college degree when she was first diagnosed with Stage IV cervical cancer.
At her follow-up visit a week after her first surgery, they found only more cancer.
She decided to get a second opinion, and the second physician she saw, she ended up working with the majority of her life until she retired.
She asked her new physician: can she have three months to work on herself before beginning a treatment plan or planning any surgery?
She shares, 'In my mind, cervical cancer was no big deal, you know, lots of people had it, lots of people recover. I didn’t think much of it… not even understanding the whole concept of Stage IV cancer.'
Her physician gave her three months and in three months when she returned all her lesions were gone.
In total, Debra has had cancer three times in her life and has overcome it each time.
She jokes, 'I always say third times the charm.'
In her journey to better herself, Debra found Qigong.
For those who don’t know, Qigong is a form of traditional Chinese mind/body exercise and meditation that uses slow and precise body movements with controlled breathing and mental focus to improve balance, flexibility, muscle strength, and overall health.
As she learned more, Debra healed herself through her practice and her work with her oncologist.
She admits, 'It seems amazing if you don’t practice Qigong, but practicing Qigong you begin to understand we have much more potential than we are ever given credit for and we can transform and change a great deal within ourselves – with effort! It doesn’t just happen *poof* you have to work at it.'
Debra decided, 'If I was able to make it through my cancer journey, successfully, then my goal was to work with cancer patients.'
And that is exactly what she has done.
Debra has worked at Cancer Support Community Central Ohio since before we officially became an affiliate of Cancer Support Community.
For background, the Cancer Support Community was founded in 1982 as The Wellness Community to provide emotional and social (or “psychosocial”) support to individuals throughout their cancer journey and to ensure that no one ever faces cancer alone.
Debra recalls that originally, we didn’t even have a separate name when we were located on Ceramic Drive before we became the Wellness Community and after officially becoming Cancer Support Community Central Ohio twenty years ago in 2004.
“When I was first diagnosed, there was no Cancer Support Community, there was no – nothing… I look back and I think - what would my life have been like if I had had this opportunity?” For her, it is “…much more than taking this class or that class, it’s a community! And it’s always here! You can use it all the time!” She pauses and continues, “And it’s what keeps us alive. If you don’t have that community and that support, it’s very very very challenging to make the connections, have the resources to continue to heal and take care of yourself.”
She has fostered a lively Qigong community, moving from our old building with us to our current building here on Old Henderson Road in Upper Arlington.
To doctors, to friends, and more she is always promoting Cancer Support Community Central Ohio.
“With my own family and extended family, I was able to send them here right away. It is a godsend, what can you say? If you could talk to anyone who has had the experience of being here they would say the same thing.'
Debra gives back through her commitment to her students and occasionally through donations.
She understands what her role is in something bigger. For her, it goes back to community and having a safe haven for people to gather, to be in whatever disharmony they have, and see the progress and change and transformation they have over time.
“What I think that is really important is for people to share – scream it to the world,” she raises her arms and shouts, “I work at Cancer Support Community!”