This week, beautiful April Finley joins the In Her Lane podcast to talk about her BRCA1 positive gene diagnosis and breast cancer journey. Using her faith as a guide during her healing gave April the courage to speak to all races of women across the country regarding the cancer color barrier and forming a community of women looking for change. April’s foundation in faith and prayer guides her in reaching women of color going through their own fights with breast and reproductive cancers. 

Links/Products/Resources Mentioned

Compassionthatcompels.org

Compassion That Compels Facebook

Compassion That Compels Instagram

Kristiannestewart.com

www.breastcenter.com

Center for Restorative Breast Surgery Facebook

In Her Lane Podcast was funded by a grant from the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery.

Quotes

“And I think life has taught me through my own Christian experience that God is truly our Father, He's our Daddy, and with my earthly father, if there's anything I need to talk to Him about and say to Him, I can go to Him and I can say those things. And it wasn't until probably during this diagnosis, I realized I can have that same relationship in conversation with my heavenly Father, too.” - April Finley 

“It is so hard to hold hands and pray for someone and curse them at the same time. It is absolutely impossible.” - April Finley 

“Just because we're different doesn't mean that we're not the same on some levels. Because we all want to be loved, we all want to be accepted, we all want to feel that we have a place in this world.” - April Finley 

Beautiful Abigail Johnston joins us this week on In Her Lane Podcast to share about her journey with Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC), which started as a stage two diagnosis, and then she found out she had over 1000 metastases in her bones. A lawyer by trade, Abigail used some of her skills and knowledge to advocate for herself--practically making it a full time job to get the help she needed for through her cancer treatments. During that journey, Abigail realized there are so many other cancer overcomers who could use help navigating medical paperwork, insurance needs and knowing their rights as a patient. This inspired her to create a nonprofit; Connect IV Legal Services, which seeks to help connect overcomers with free legal representation. Abigail has taken her journey with cancer and transformed her gifts into a source of strength for other people, helping others find hope in places it’s hard to come by and changing one life at a time. 

Links/Products/Resources Mentioned

Compassionthatcompels.org

Compassion That Compels Facebook

Compassion That Compels Instagram

Kristiannestewart.com

www.breastcenter.com

Center for Restorative Breast Surgery Facebook

Connect IV Legal Services Website

Connect IV Legal Services Facebook

In Her Lane Podcast was funded by a grant from the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery.

Quotes

“In the process of really having a lot of the fluff stripped away, because of my diagnosis with stage four metastatic breast cancer, all the hardship and the changes that have happened—I do feel like [I have] a lot in terms of coping mechanisms.” —Abigail Johnston

“As much as I previously was focused on learning the law, now my focus is on research. My focus is on learning everything I possibly can about the biological processes that are relevant to my disease.” —Abigail Johnston

“When I was practicing law, we always used to say to our clients, ‘You bring the facts, we bring the law. We have to work together to make this possible.’ And I think that's the same in the medical field, except that patients don't always feel empowered to behave that way.” —Abigail Johnston

“What I have learned about carrying this different weight of a terminal diagnosis is that my normal coping mechanisms were not up for the job. What I would normally do to deal with hard things and I've dealt with a few hard things in my life, nothing like a terminal illness, but a few hard things. And it just wasn't enough.” —Abigail Johnston

“While I don't embrace the idea that cancer is a gift or that cancer has somehow made my life better, I think that cancer has crystallized certain things in my life. And one of those things was that I wasn't taking very good care of myself.” —Abigail Johnston

“Everything that I've been through in my life has brought me to this point, to be able to have compassion for the people who are going through something similar or just suffering.” —Abigail Johnston

Beautiful Emily Pareti joins the In Her Lane Podcast to share how she found healing in bodily movement, and how utilizing yoga during her lymphoma treatments helped her recenter her mind and speak affirming “I am” statements over her life and her health. Emily found her purpose in the world, and became a certified yoga teacher to help others on their journey to healing from the inside out.

Links/Products/Resources Mentioned

Compassionthatcompels.org

Compassion That Compels Facebook

Compassion That Compels Instagram

Kristiannestewart.com

www.breastcenter.com

Center for Restorative Breast Surgery Facebook

Emily’s Instagram

Emily’s Facebook

In Her Lane Podcast was funded by a grant from the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery.

Quotes

“I wanted to feel normal and be normal and not let this take control and take over my life.” —Emily Pareti

“My sense of normalcy was actually brought onto my yoga mat. Yoga during my cancer treatments really helped me heal. I really came to my mat to help me stay present throughout my cancer journey and not focus on what's next or what previously happened that month before. But just stay present and tune in with my body, my mind and my spirit really connect the three.” —Emily Pareti

“The healing and the cancer community was just so worth it, worth all my time and and my passion and wanting to bring my yoga teaching to others was just finally falling into place. And I just felt purpose. I just felt purpose in this world, like doing what I love on a professional level and doing it for myself as well.” —Emily Pareti

Joining the In Her Lane Podcast this week is beautiful Stephanie Richardson, also known as Fun Fit Mom, who’s an inspirational health and fitness coach and one of Compassion That Compel’s Compassionistas. She’s sharing how to be the boss of your life, whether you’re a stay-at-home mom or a business executive. We walk through identity crises, how to hone in on the gifts God gave us, how to care for our loved ones facing a diagnosis, and how to recognize the people on your care team who go the extra mile.

Links/Products/Resources Mentioned

Compassionthatcompels.org

Compassion That Compels Facebook

Compassion That Compels Instagram

Kristiannestewart.com

www.breastcenter.com

Center for Restorative Breast Surgery Facebook

Fun Fit Mom Website

Stephanie Richardson’s Facebook

Fun Fit Mom Instagram

In Her Lane Podcast was funded by a grant from the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery.

Quotes

“God still has huge things for your life.” —Stephanie Richardson

“When you have a loved one who's diagnosed with cancer, it changes your life forever. And even if it's not you, it just gives you a different whole new level of compassion. It opens your eyes to suffering in a different way.” —Stephanie Richardson

Beautiful Rifka Coleman, mom of seven, joins the In Her Lane Podcast to share how her cancer journey began right before COVID-19 shut everything down, leading her to find new ways of having community while she went through solitary treatments.  Rifka found that community on social media with others who were going through similar experiences. Through blogging and sharing her story, Rifka sought to be a person of connection like the other women she had seen on her feed, and along the way, she created the community she needed, and became an inspiration for those who were newly seeking community as well.

Links/Products/Resources Mentioned

Compassionthatcompels.org

Compassion That Compels Facebook

Compassion That Compels Instagram

Kristiannestewart.com

www.breastcenter.com

Center for Restorative Breast Surgery Facebook

In Her Lane Podcast was funded by a grant from the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery.

Quotes

“I wanted to go public, per se, and share my journey as much as possible because these other women that had preceded me are sharing their journey. And I did not want to let go of that opportunity to be there for somebody else.” —Rifka Coleman

“Without a doubt, community and finding somebody that you can relate to is huge for your healing throughout this journey.” —Rifka Coleman

“I think that's one of the good things that comes out of cancer. You really begin to see people, and when you love and you love big, it shows up in so many different ways.” —Kristianne Stewart

“God orchestrated this beautiful group of women that are just carrying this burden with me.” —Rifka Coleman

Beautiful Jessica Storm joins us this week on In Her Lane to share how she was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 28 weeks pregnant. Terrified that doctors would make her choose between treatment and keeping her baby, Jessica became educated on the latest cancer therapy for pregnant women and started a practice of telling herself that she and her baby would be okay--keeping her spirits up daily. Jessica talks about how she had to learn how to trust others through the process so she could go to her treatments, and how she tried to create a sense of “normalcy” for her family. Like so many who receive a diagnosis, go through treatment, and then get the news that they are “in the clear,” it was only a short time before she faced new diagnoses that took her to the next “starting over” place. Jessica candidly reveals how she faced cancer’s newest invasion of her body and how she adopted another practice; vowing to “live for the big moments.” With energy and determination, Jessica’s passion to live life to the fullest will inspire you--wherever you may be in your cancer journey.

Links/Products/Resources Mentioned

Compassionthatcompels.org

Compassion That Compels Facebook

Compassion That Compels Instagram

Kristiannestewart.com

www.breastcenter.com

Center for Restorative Breast Surgery Facebook

Jessica’s Instagram

In Her Lane Podcast was funded by a grant from the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery.

Quotes

“Even in a diagnosis, you have that tenuous balance between hope and despair. Are you going to pull yourself up and have someone hold you up and support you on the side of hope?” —Kristianne Stewart

“I really encourage people to make the best of it. It is just going to be a chapter in your life. It is not everything.” —Jessica Storm

“Every time my mind goes to an ugly spot, I allow myself to take a few minutes to think about those scary thoughts that make my stomach hurt. And then remember I am alive, and I go find [my daughter] go do something, get outside, take a fresh breath of air.” —Jessica Storm

“When I was on oral chemo for a year, I took pills at seven a.m. and seven p.m. and every single time I took those pills, I said to myself, or out loud... I would say, ‘I am strong, I am healthy, and I am cancer free.’ I made sure that I said that twice a day for 359 days.” —Jessica Storm

Hilary Bordelon is the Gulf Coast marketing and philanthropy manager for Kendra Scott Design, and she’s joining the In Her Lane podcast to share about the value of giving back and the work that the company is doing to raise awareness and fundraise for breast cancer research. Hilary shares how the drops in our bucket—drops of hope, love, purpose, compassion, and understanding—can truly add up to make a difference in the lives of others.

Links/Products/Resources Mentioned

Compassionthatcompels.org

Compassion That Compels Facebook

Compassion That Compels Instagram

Kristiannestewart.com

www.breastcenter.com

Center for Restorative Breast Surgery Facebook

Kendra Scott Website

Kendra Scott Philanthropy

Kendra Scott Instagram

Kendra Scott Facebook

Kendra Scott Twitter

In Her Lane Podcast was funded by a grant from the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery.

Quotes

“I think cancer can be so devastating and so overcoming. And it's nice to feel like I have a little bit of an impact to kind of lessen the stress of it for somebody and lessen the sadness and maybe bring a little bit of joy, hope, to it.” —Hilary Bordelon

“I think given a year like 2020, with so many restrictions that have really understandably limited our face-to-face contact and our ability to interact with these organizations, I think that having the Compassionistas that were able to attend was really meaningful and brought it home.” —Hilary Bordelon

After her diagnosis with metastatic breast cancer at only 18 years old, Brittney decided to find the things in life that brought her joy, because she knew that facing a forever diagnosis had the potential to bring her down, and she is passionate about squeezing every last drop out of life. Brittney doesn’t show the highlight reels of her life, but rather her day-to-day conscious choice to be happy, appreciating the smallest details, down to her cup of coffee in the mornings. By taking moments of anxiety and turning them into an opportunity to smile—all while admitting the pain and being fully present—Brittney is turning her health journey into an inspirational message of hope for others.

Links/Products/Resources Mentioned

Compassionthatcompels.org

Compassion That Compels Facebook

Compassion That Compels Instagram

Kristiannestewart.com

www.breastcenter.com

Center for Restorative Breast Surgery Facebook

Brittney’s Instagram

Brittney’s YouTube

In Her Lane Podcast was funded by a grant from the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery.

Quotes

“Yeah, something may be difficult and maybe you don't want to be there [in treatment], but you could turn it into something so beautiful that could bring you joy again.” —Brittney Beadle

“Whenever I have those moments, like when I get scan results that I'm not happy about, I let myself feel absolutely everything I need to feel first. And then I allow myself to move on from it and find the little silver lining or just like the smallest little joy that I could.” —Brittney Beadle

“Even in these sad moments, I still want to have my inner peace, and for my journey, that was the huge thing for me, was finding that inner peace admits the pain. And I want to still feel grateful for my life, despite what I may be going through at the moment.” —Brittney Beadle

“I think it's so important to wake up and go to sleep every day happy that you are alive. And to me, that is what living your best life is—it's all about having that inner peace and choosing to be happy despite everything.” —Brittney Beadle

“When I'm in these times where I feel stuck and there's no way out, I kind of just look for the simple things that will bring me joy and kind of remind me, Okay, I'm feeling like this, but this is temporary. I'm going to get past this eventually.” —Brittney Beadle