My cancer diagnosis in 2003 took me completely by surprise. At the end of an awful year of treatment, I was left wondering what to do with the rest of my life. A lot of cancer survivors struggle with this; I suspect that anyone who faces a life-threatening disease struggles with it. It is a huge wake-up call. I needed and wanted to make even the smallest difference with the rest of my life.
Along the way, I discovered that I have a talent for designing jewelry (where it was hiding during all my pre-cancer years remains a mystery). I realized I could use my hobby-run-amuck to raise funds for charity...and that is exactly what I'm doing. A portion of my proceeds is donated to charities that focus on cancer research and education.