Anna wouldn't normally introduce herself as a six-time cancer survivor. Her diagnoses don't define her, but her recovery does. Being diagnosed with two life-threatening stage IV metastatic cancers at the same time took her down an unexpected path with a fork in the road: accept the fact that she has one foot in the grave already or choose to fight her way back to health. She chose the latter, and the grueling effort was well worth it. By supplementing traditional Western treatments with alternative modes of healing, like Reiki and meditation, she changed the course of her life forever.
Recovery may have been her initial goal, but somewhere along the way, she realized that her experience would involve a lot more than just physical healing. It would involve emotional healing, spiritual growth and reconnection with God; and a more conscious awareness of the most noble of human traits like compassion, understanding, and gratitude. It would also involve resilience, perseverance, and the will to survive, all of which played a crucial role in her recovery.
Anna wanted to share her story to inspire others. Her situation was particularly challenging because of the specifics of her cancers, but she believes that no matter what the circumstances, there's always hope. It's that hope and conviction that we can all help ourselves and prevail, even in the direst of situations, that she wanted to pass on to others. The journey she chose may not be for everyone, and sadly not everyone can recover but she would like her experiences to inspire the pursuit of whatever might work so that more people facing the dreaded cancer diagnosis can emerge triumphantly with a story of their own.