Livestrong Summit

I'm back from a whirlwind weekend in Austin for the Lance Armstrong LIVESTRONG Summit! I have never been so motivated, and so humbled at the same time. Amazing people that have gone WAY beyond to work towards something that affects SO many people. Did you know that nearly 1.4 million people in our country alone will be diagnosed with cancer this year?!? We can not afford to be bystanders anymore. Some of the motivational words that I got during the event that still echo in my head:

-Cancer is both ruthless and relentless. In order to survive it, you must match it. Be ruthless and relentless in your quest to find the best cure, the best treatment, the best facility, the best physician for YOU.

-Cancer survivorship requires unwavering faith and the discipline to prevail, even as you confront the most brutal facts about the disease and how it will affect you.

-It's okay to be angry at cancer. Anger can be a gift, a vehicle to motivate you to fight.

And the most interesting thought that was shared by the majority of survivors was the concept that cancer often becomes a person's defining moment. It forever alters their personality, their priorities, their calling in life. Nearly every cancer survivor I talked to said they were a better person because of their cancer. It requires you to focus on what is important, to shake away the unnecessary and the petty details of life, and to work to make a difference.