My guest, Nancy Novack, was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer in 2004. It had metastasized into her liver. She was too happily innocent about the cancer world and said two now-remarkable things: “Thank goodness, it is not appendicitis,” and “What is stage V?”

Nancy says she is oftentimes asked what she did that was so unique, so mysterious that she survived a lethal dose of cancer, the silent killer as ovarian cancer is often called. She says she was extraordinarily fortunate to have an excellent psychologist who worked closely with her to define and refine her personal relationship to her own cancer. She was blessed with a magnificent A-team of friends and family and so many angels that embraced her. She says the opening of my heart to new loves and old brought forth an attitude of blessed gratitude that I had never known before. When I read and re-read the stories written by cancer survivors, I see the universality of the attitude of gratitude in the process of healing.”

Nancy’s mission since her “cancer journey” is all about determining the unmet needs of cancer patients, especially the emotional aspects, and doing her best to find a way to fill them. She is a psychologist and has significant concerns that the medical community does not address the levels of anxiety and stress and existential chaos that come with a cancer diagnosis … all of which get in the way of healing. Her Foundation Nancy’s List supports the emotional well-being of all those who are living with cancer … the patients and those who love and care for them.

Her path started with finding ways to assist cancer patients with a national listing of financial assistance programs available to the cancer community.  She was profoundly troubled that these kindred souls were experiencing so much fear and anxiety about their finances. How would that reality affect the possibility of their recovery? She vowed to make a difference and knew that financial assistance was out there somewhere and she was determined to make it accessible. She received a 501 ©(3) non-profit status in 2006 and launched her first website. Nancy’s List was intended to be simply a list of financial resources and her intention was to educate cancer patients and their loved ones and the healing professionals who serve them about the accessibility of these programs.

At the same time, she created a community call-to-action in the San Francisco Bay Area to reach out and support the courage, bravery, and resilience of our neighbors.  Through the Nancy’s List programs, cancer patients and their loved ones found community, strength, courage, pleasure, and healing relationships. There is healing power when one is connected to the larger community, especially when you are experiencing fear, loneliness, isolation, and uncertainty. It means everything to know your neighbors are looking out for you. And it is a very good thing to meet kindred souls along the path.

I Am With You: Love Letters to Cancer Patients is a powerful book for the newly diagnosed patient, for those who are going through treatment or have entered remission, for loved ones, and for everyone else in the world.  She created the anthology with 42 authors who truly share her vision, passion, and mission. It brings hope and courage to patients when they need inspiration, when they are feeling the loneliness and fear and anger and loss that go hand in hand with a cancer diagnosis, when they need comfort and a warm heart and a hand to hold. The book offers connection to kindred spirits who ‘know’.

Nancy is now developing a comprehensive national directory of integrative healing practitioners who offer their services (and their souls) to deepen the healing process.  The goal is for all cancer patients to have the opportunity to experience healing other than their dreadful visits to the infusion rooms, radiation offices, and more. She wants to educate patients and healing professionals about the enormous benefits of integrative healing services AND the accessibility of these therapies. The process is very simple. They write a blurb, add a jpg and contact info, email Nancy at Nancy@NancysList.org, and she post it on the comprehensive directory.

Omena is a natural-born Spiritual Counselor, Spiritual Medium, and a Soul Historian. She is a certified Hypnotherapist, Rebirther, (energy breathing) REIKI Master Teacher. OMENA is witty, thought provoking, funny and truly gifted. She helps you to grow by providing you with a clear understanding of yourself, and your relationship with people, places, and things in your life.

What makes OMENA special is her ability to know things about you that only you could know.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/philomena-mcgee-9b846a19

https://about.me/omena

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDJtjpa9YKg

OMENA will delight and surprise you with her ability to know, your inner personality, why you live life the way you do, and offer clear and meaningful solutions for resolving your real life issues.

Omena has a Master’s Degree in Human Services. For over 35 years, she has worked in the mental-health field as a counselor, therapist, manager, and mentor assisting people living with; Domestic Violence, Addiction, HIV/AIDS, Mental Illness, and Chronic Diseases.

When you experience OMENA, you’ll enjoy learning about yourself without feelings as if you are in Therapy.

Dr. Weber, the Director of Primary Care/Sports Medicine and Women's Sports Medicine at Rush University Medical Center, possesses a unique expertise with the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal issues. In addition, she is the Founder and the Director of the Primary Care Sports Medicine fellowship at Rush University Medical Center. She has taught numerous medical students, residents, and fellows and is the recipient of numerous awards for excellence in patient care and teaching. Dr. Weber serves on the board of Girls in the Game and was honored in 2006 as their Health Champion. Dr. Weber has published many articles, book chapters and is an active researcher. A former college athlete, she has been involved in athletics as a team physician, an exercise physiologist, and as an avid athlete. 

Dr. Weber's reputation as a leading sports medicine physician is enhanced by her remarkable activity in the treatment of high-level professional athletes. She serves as the head primary care sports medicine team physician for the Chicago Bulls and the Chicago White Sox and the head team physician for the Chicago Force Women's Football. She also serves as co-head team physician for the DePaul Blue Demons and the physician for the Hubbard Street Dance and the River North Dance Companies. In addition, she is a member of the LPGA Medical Advisory Board. She is on numerous committees including the NBA Team Physicians Executive Committee, NBA Research Committee, MLB Concussion Committee, and MLB Research Committee. Dr. Weber has been involved with the MLB Medical Advisory Board for multiple years and is the first women elected President of the MLB Team Physicians Association. 

She and her family live in Chicago.

Robin Quinn Keehn has had years of experience running businesses that center around teaching and mentoring. A former music & dance studio owner with more than 60 employees and thousands of students, Robin has a passion for helping parents, teachers & coaches raise kids that stick with activities. Her method is applicable to nearly all team units – from corporate organizations to families. Her focus is on presence, intention and commitment. A former music & dance studio owner and mother of four, Robin has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs around the world and facilitates a Mastermind group for studio owners.

Robin is passionate about ending ‘Quit-itis’--kids quitting prematurely and habitually. She’s seen how quitting impacts businesses, especially those whose goals focus on developing skills, abilities and talents in kids. She also knows from teaching music to thousands of kids for over 25 years, that parents don’t know what to do about kids quitting. Robin’s committed to changing the culture of quitting and helping both businesses and families thrive.

It is no secret that Laurie has semi-retired and has closed her office in Lake Oswego, Oregon that she  had for more than thirty years. We have moved to Central Oregon to a beautiful rural area a few miles outside of Redmond. The property has been owned by us for several years but we only had a house built there during the last few months. We began moving in during the last half of July, 2015 and now have a very modest 2600 square foot home with two unattached garages on two acres overlooking a big canyon.

Laurie spent several months looking at homes, modular homes and other types of construction in the Portland area before she selected a floor plan that she liked and had the builder convert her ideas into a stick-built home that would be appropriate for our new area. Laurie selected all the appliances, interior colors, kitchen layout and even purchased quite a bit of new bedroom furniture and other items for the house. For my part, I was left in charge of the two garages and have all my woodworking and auto repair tools in the larger of the two garages.

Laurie has outfitted her home office with her computer, landline phones and recording equipment and has resumed a scaled down business, albeit just on the phone so far. She has not decided whether to open an office in Bend or Redmond or to travel a few times a month to those areas or to Portland for personal readings. The concept of being semi-retired is difficult for her to accept. She has resumed talking to large groups and has several speaking engagements planned.

One of the pluses of living in a rural area is the wildlife. There are many deer, cottontail bunnies, jackrabbits, quail, doves, ground squirrels and other critters in our front yard on a daily basis. Central Oregon is generally described as being Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson Counties in the middle of the state. This would encompass cities like Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Terrebonne and Madras along with a myriad of small cities included. The general area is known for deep canyons, rivers, Juniper trees and sagebrush. Many years ago Laurie worked at the hospital in Madras while living in a town called Culver next to Lake Billy Chinook. She fell in love with the region then and always thought she would return to the area.

In addition to offering psychic assistance to over 7,000 personal and business clients over the past 33 years, she has also worked on more than 500 cases (several being internationally known). While the specifics of whom she has helped are confidential in nature, her work on nationally televised cases continues on into today. Laurie has worked domestically as well as internationally with many law enforcement agencies.

Laurie has been profiled on The Lifetime Channel for her work in this field, on a special called “Beyond Chance” – her extensive media coverage and experience also includes 52 television appearances, 21 radio shows, and  being highlighted in 4 books. In addition, the murder case in which Laurie met her police detective husband (me) has been filmed by six separate production companies and made into half hour television shows. Laurie and Bob have even gone to Japan and filmed the case there using Japanese actors in addition to Bob and Laurie.