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I AM HealingStrong
109: Life After Grade 4 Brain Cancer with Humor and Hope | Jennifer Dickenson
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- [00:00]
Jennifer Dickinson
So to look at a terrible diagnosis and instead of say, this is the worst thing in the world for me, it opened my whole life. It let me see how I had been mismanaging my own life. And it also helped me see the priorities of my life. And I saw God in the most intimate, close connection where we. I was having conversations with God, and I had never had that before, but getting this and then seeing how my family is the priority. Me and my family, God, me, my family. And then I talk about it in the book where the night where I was diagnosed and I'm in the hospital, I have this. This moment where I realize that those are my priorities and all my achievements as a lawyer literally meant nothing. Yeah, I mean nothing. And I was stuck, stunned by that. But it remains the same. What a wake up call.
- [01:05]
Jim Mann
You're listening to the I Am Healing Strong podcast, a part of the Healing Strong organization, the number one network of holistic cancer support groups in the world. Each week we bring you stories of hope, real stories that will encourage you as you navigate your way on your own journey to health. Now here's your host, stage four cancer thriver Jim Mann.
- [01:31]
Unknown
Jennifer Dickinson, thank you so much for joining me today on this podcast.
- [01:35]
Jennifer Dickinson
It's such a privilege to be here.
- [01:37]
Unknown
Thank you again for the book that you sent me, an autographed copy of that. That doubles the value right there. But, yeah, I jumped on it right away. Got a few days ago, jumped on it. And of course it gives me excuse to go to the coffee shop. So that's always good. And I liked it because, I mean, I've been through cancer myself. I'm a survivor, cancer free now, but. And I. And I know a lot of stuff that you put in here, but it's so good for me, a person like myself whose thoughts are just all over the map to have it laid out like you have. My only. My only complaint is there's no pictures.
- [02:14]
Jennifer Dickinson
No pictures.
- [02:15]
Unknown
Yeah. I got to be like a grown up and read the words.
- [02:17]
Jennifer Dickinson
Do it, and we'll add some pictures in there for you.
- [02:20]
Unknown
Okay, I appreciate that. Now we're going to talk about the book and we're going to talk about your diagnosis. Well, let's get a little background on you. In the first place, because you were born in New York, right?
- [02:30]
Jennifer Dickinson
Yeah.
- [02:31]
Unknown
How come you didn't stay there?
- [02:32]
Jennifer Dickinson
Oh, well, it's a little cold. I went to. Yes, I grew up in New York. It's beautiful. Where we were about an hour north of the city, so it was very bucolic. And beautiful. And I went to college, University of Rochester, which is even further cold. So after that, I decided for law school, I need to go south. So I went to Georgia. I went to Emory for law school. And then I sort of stayed. Stayed because the weather is so nice, and. And that's where I became a. A lawyer, got my degree.
- [03:08]
Unknown
Okay, so you. You're still in the Atlanta area then, right?
- [03:11]
Jennifer Dickinson
That's correct, yes.
- [03:12]
Unknown
Okay. Yeah, I was just there Monday. Monday? Yeah.
- [03:17]
Jennifer Dickinson
Really?
- [03:18]
Unknown
Yeah. You didn't see me?
- [03:19]
Jennifer Dickinson
No, I didn't see. Yeah.
- [03:22]
Unknown
Weird.
- [03:23]
Jennifer Dickinson
That is weird.
- [03:24]
Unknown
Yeah. Yeah, it was. Of course, that was just last year. You graduated from college, right?
- [03:29]
Jennifer Dickinson
Yeah. No, no, no, no. I've been doing this for a while. Yeah, it was about 30 years. 30 years.
- [03:36]
Unknown
Wow. That's a lot. Yeah, I was 30 years in radio, so we kind of, like, have the same thing, but I started kind of late, too, so I'm sure I'm probably four or five times your age. So you had your own place.
- [03:50]
Jennifer Dickinson
Okay. So. So as a lawyer, I sort of went up the ranks. You know, I was very motivated, hardworking, and I was very, I guess, pretty successful. I was, based on those metrics, right. Through a business metrics. And ultimately I was with a big firm. I became the managing partner of that huge firm. And then ultimately there were changes made. And so I left that firm with another. Another lawyer, and we created our own firm. And we had 100 lawyers and staff, and we had offices all throughout Georgia. We had 12 of them. And I was 40, and I thought that was pretty cool. And it was pretty good for a while. And I was like, wow, what a. This is going to really work. I could see it. You know, I had seen the vision, and I could see it. But then 2007, 2008, the financial crisis.
- [04:46]
Unknown
Oh, yeah.
- [04:47]
Jennifer Dickinson
And our firm does. We had a department that did litigation, but not my department. We did the transactional side, which is about 93 of the staff are on my side. So it's very stressful. And I had to sort of restructure the whole firm because I had all those offices and all these people, and I had to let people go. And I learned through this process. I am a terrible firer. I am terrible at it. And I learned later on I'm actually a very sensitive soul, which is why everything that was going on, I took so personally. And. And that also helped create the illness that I had because I was in a stress situation for probably four years, constantly running, running. So I'm going along trying to solve the Problem. And I'm. We're successful, you know? We're successful. The firm was the largest female real estate firm in the Southeast. So it was a bit. It was kind of a big deal, you know.
- [05:54]
Unknown
Yeah.
- [05:54]
Jennifer Dickinson
But in that I was wrapped up in my name, you know, in what I was doing and my achievements and all my public speaking events, you know, for litigation or for legal matters, you know, and I would do a lot of speaking. But then I started to start to have problems in 2011, in January, I was talking with a client, like a. A famous client, and they asked me a question, and I really couldn't. I couldn't remember the. What I said. And it's. I know people. I realize people forget stuff all the time, and in fact, I see it all the time. I'm like, wow. But it's different, right? I literally, for the life of me, I couldn't remember. And they wouldn't help me. They weren't like, oh, yeah, that mean, Bob. It was just. It didn't go very well. And that was the first I noticed. And then I was doing a public speaking event, and it's. It was like pbs, but it was all. All lawyers speaking. It's not like normal people would have seen it, but we. I had to go to pbs and I did my whole meal about everything, and I finished it, and I was like, I don't know what I just said. So that was in January of 2011, and. And, you know, it was just. I didn't realize I had brain cancer at that point. But you could just see every month it would get worse and worse. And then I finally, in March, I saw a doctor, a neurologist, and he's like, oh, he was really, like, relaxed about it, and he's like, all the lawyers are stressed out. Don't worry about it. We'll do a test. But I'll set the test up for you, you know, and we'll do that. I'm like, okay, well, that's fine. Well, two months later, he's ready with the test, but I'm doing more public speaking. I have to drive. I'm driving to. To Florida. And for six hours, right? So I did two events, and the first one was a little bit questionable for the first hour, for the first minute, because I. I was having trouble reading my own notes. But then I put those stupid notes down. I did the whole thing, and I was like, did it right. But I thought to myself, I really hope nobody says something, like, says at the end, have a question, because I didn't know, I was having cognitive problems. I didn't know how to define these words, but I knew I couldn't handle a question because I didn't know that I would be able to answer it. And of course, somebody came in and they're like, oh, hello, I have a question. And I, you know, I somehow I got rid of it, got home, and I was like, I am not doing well, but I had one more to do. And so again, driving back to Florida, six hours back and forth with this thing growing, not knowing that. And the second time I did was a big group of bankers. And I had a lot of friends in that one. And they're like, it didn't. It wasn't good. Like, I knew it wasn't good like the other one. I kind of got away with that, but this was not good. Next day, I got an MRI and finally demanded. I had to demand the MRI from that doctor. And I demanded it. I go to the place and that's where I was discovered that I had glioblastoma grade four. They actually, at that point, they didn't know, but they said it's a high level. But it ultimately was a grade four, which is. They don't give you much light chance to live. It's like 95% die within 12 to 18 months.
- [09:32]
Unknown
Nice.
- [09:32]
Jennifer Dickinson
Even if you get the full protocol, like the chemo, the brain surgery, chemo, radiation, they still, they'll say, well, it'll come back. You know, they kept saying that, which really bought. Which is why the word of the name of my book, the Case for Hope. There is a case for hope. You know, it's not a guarantee, but it is one.
- [09:55]
Unknown
I have to bring my stress down because you just gave me a flashback to speech class in college. But that's a different, different story. Yeah, thanks for that. But yeah, so. So when did they actually. Okay, you said they, they. They did diagnose it, and then what protocol did they want to put you on?
- [10:16]
Jennifer Dickinson
So for me, it was going to be. And I did this. I did brain surgery, then I did five weeks of radiation, and then I did chemo. They were going to make it for 12 months, but I really, at six months of it, I was like, I don't want. I mean, I'm kind of small. And I was. I just felt like it was just knocking me down more than anything else. And I actually, at the six months, I said that to my oncologist and he said, no, we're to go the 12. Then I started having. It's almost like a God thing, right. Like, in the ninth month, I started to have breakout in, like, hives all over. I mean, I had taken all of these. It's chemicals, right. But I. I had all these hives. And so I told the doctor, I don't want to take this anymore. And he. He was going to put more drugs on me so I could handle the problem that I was having. So fortunately, Duke, we had a relationship with Duke, which has a big brain center. And I had been working with them and, like, I'd fly. Fly there and they'd check me out, and they told me that actually the studies on the medicine that I was taking, which was called Temadar, that the actual studies on it to get it passed through the government was. It was only six months. It was only six months. And that they. But they say to the doctors, but we let the doctors, you know, if they want to. But it has never been tested beyond that. So once I got that information, I'm like, I'm done. I'm done. And that was great because it's, you know. You know, it knocks you down. Your immune system just knocks you down with all that. So.
- [12:03]
Unknown
Yeah. And of course, before you had cancer, you don't really think about that kind of stuff. Most people don't go around thinking about chemo.
- [12:10]
Jennifer Dickinson
No.
- [12:11]
Unknown
They have a close family member, of course, but just the fact that it. It kills everything in its sight and then hoping your body can fight its way back, it's just. It's a little crazy. In fact, I'm my oncologist, which really threw me back when he said this. He goes, you know, chemo never really did work. I'm like, what? Who are you?
- [12:33]
Jennifer Dickinson
Did he really say that?
- [12:34]
Unknown
He said that. He goes, you know, it's pretty barbaric.
- [12:37]
Jennifer Dickinson
Yes.
- [12:38]
Unknown
And I said, well, I like you. And they didn't give me chemo. I did immunotherapy.
- [12:43]
Jennifer Dickinson
Oh, you did?
- [12:44]
Unknown
Yeah. And so it cleared my. I had like eight tumors. My. I had melanoma. And it came back after 18 months. And that's when they put me on immunotherapy and it cleared up the tumors and within the first two months.
- [12:57]
Jennifer Dickinson
Wow.
- [12:58]
Unknown
I know. I like that.
- [13:00]
Jennifer Dickinson
Yeah. So at that time, were you. Did you also started to use all the. The other tools that, like, I taught, I learned for myself. Did you also start to make changes in your life?
- [13:12]
Unknown
Yeah, yeah. And I. And I like the title because I'm a very hopeful person. Anyway, I think it's just my simple mindedness, but I have a childlike Outlook on life and so that, you know, it gives you a lot of hope. But, you know, I changed my diet, I cut out sugar, you know, exercise and got rid of any stress I had. But again, stress doesn't really affect me too much because I forget about it. Like what.
- [13:34]
Jennifer Dickinson
What am I so.
- [13:37]
Unknown
Yeah, but yeah, pretty much everything you in there.
- [13:39]
Jennifer Dickinson
Stress is associated with the top six killers in the United States and two of them cancer in the heart. So I mean, when we are living in a life of constant stress, right? Not the way that you have run your life, but certainly me when you do that, you're not oxygenate, you're not oxygenating your body as much because you're in fight and flight state role all the time. You wake up in the morning, oh my gosh, you know, you wake up in the middle of the night. And that is a. The fact that they have made this correlation is so brilliant. Thank God. Because you have to relax like, you know, part of. For your circumstance. I bet you some other people have taken the medicine that you took, but it wasn't successful like it was for you. And I do know that having a positive attitude is an element of healing. It is, it just is right versus somebody who's just like, oh, how did this happen to me? Which is completely legitimate and that's okay to feel that way. But at the same time, I always give. Tell people I do a lot of public speaking, obviously about my book and, and trying to get the word out is the most important thing. But I always say, you, you could have a. I had a terrible diagnosis, grade four brain cancer, you know, glioblastoma. They. They giving me 12 months. I'm 40. I have a first grader and a third grader. I mean, it's. That was a bit as bad as it gets, right?
- [15:11]
Unknown
Right.
- [15:12]
Jennifer Dickinson
No chance. They're basically said, no chance. Get your papers in order. But what I discovered very quickly because I am a hopeful person. And also, I didn't buy it, what they were saying. I just didn't buy it. I didn't believe I couldn't add something to this and shift this. But you can find joy and pleasure in so many simple things. And it is free. You know, petting your dog or your cat or going outside and just watching the trees and just feeling life and. Or laughter. I mean, I love comedy. I like nice comedy. I don't like the raunchy stuff, but that has. Your physical body is responding to that. And I'm just gonna say this one more. I do, I talk a Lot. So I'm sorry, but I'm warning you. But I've learned through this, through this process that we don't get sick just in our bodies. That is the second place. It starts in your mind. And it is on and on. How I talk to so many people with cancer, all different types. And people have groups of areas. Like breast cancer people, for example. They often are giver, giver, givers, but they don't ever take it back. And so, and I talk to them and they're like totally like that. And a lot of the breast cancer also have conflicts with their husband or significant other and almost like cheating or I've heard psychological cheating, which I don't really understand. That brain cancer people type A personalities like me. And also a lot of them managers of taking care of other people like me, but also sensitive souls like me. And that's how it knocks you down, right. Some people have no problem firing somebody, but for me, it was devastating. So double whammy.
- [17:18]
Unknown
Wow. So you're saying I'll never have brain cancer.
- [17:21]
Jennifer Dickinson
I don't see it. I don't see it. No, I don't see that at all.
- [17:24]
Unknown
Yeah. What helped me is, you know, was on the morning show at the radio station and my job, I was like, there was three of us in the morning. My job was to say the off the wall funny stuff. So we basically just had a blast every morning. A little too early in the morning, but still in the morning. So I was always happy and laughing. It was, it was in my favor. So. And that's when I got my diagnosis. I had to kind of live it out in front of 500,000 people. Basically. It, it was great actually. Once, once you got the diagnosis and you're cleared, it just changes your whole life, as you will know.
- [18:01]
Jennifer Dickinson
Well, absolutely. Very. A brand new shift of everything. Your priorities just like totally, completely opposite what you thought.
- [18:10]
Unknown
So what is it, your personality type that made you just positive. Someone looking for hope or what was the cause of that?
- [18:17]
Jennifer Dickinson
Yes, I do think that's a big part of it. And again, I've done like big public speaking events and people say but. But not everybody is a popular. Is a. Is a positive person. Right? And I'm like, but you don't have to be. I've already, I've shown you what you need. You don't have to figure this out. Only a pop. A positive person would say, if there's one person out there who's beaten this, why can't I beat this? Right? That it was that mindset that got me to the point where I was ultimately, ultimately able to do all the things that I learned in my book that I created, that I found in my own path. So I do think that having a positive attitude is a big piece. But here's the challenge. I feel I'm very appreciative of my doctors, but they do not have the whole piece of the pie. And that is absolutely clear to me as anything. If there's a piece, the traditional medicine is going to be a piece of it. But it's the mindness, the mindfulness, the body and the spirit. To me, that's the whole piece. And that's where people might be a positive person, but let's say if they're a little older, they come from the way they grew up, which is you just believe what the doctors tell you. And so they might be a positive person, but the doctor keeps hammering them, you've got 12 months. You know, you've got 12 months. Get your papers and orders. Oh, well, well, what if somebody. It's not going to happen. You know, my doctor kept, even after I got through chemo and radiation, the whole, he kept saying, well, when it comes back, he like, he had a plan for when it comes back. And I would say, if it comes back. And then he would say again, when it comes back. And I say it was like this bizarre fifth grader, you know, no way. I didn't say so, you know, but I was fighting for my hope and I wasn't going to let him take it away from me.
- [20:24]
Unknown
Yeah, yeah. I like where you kindly said in your book that western doctors have blind spots. That's very, very good way of saying it.
- [20:33]
Jennifer Dickinson
Yeah.
- [20:34]
Unknown
Because they sure do. Because, you know, at the same time I was diagnosed, and I've said this on many episodes that I had a younger cousin who was diagnosed with. It wasn't even stage one yet, prostate cancer. They weren't even sure it was cancer. But, you know, by the time they figured out, oh, it was, they chemoed him for five years until he passed away. And here I am with stage four melanoma at his funeral, cancer free. And they, like, they said, it doesn't matter what you eat. Eat more donuts to gain your weight back. And I'm like, I'm no doctor, but I'm. I know better than that. I don't have that blind spot.
- [21:07]
Jennifer Dickinson
I have a woman, she's dealing with brain cancer right now, and her doctor, they've. Okay, she's had surgery and all this stuff. So she's at this point, they've had lots of MRIs, and they've got a recent MRI and there's something there but they didn't do. It's called a contrast, which lets you see the brain in a more brighter manner. They didn't do that. And she doesn't have the notes from that mri. But now they're going to go into other surgery for her. And I was just like, what is it? And she goes, I don't know. They don't know. I'm like, we gotta get this information first. I mean, they're already putting this whole plan together. They don't even know. You know, you don't go into your brain just to investigate, you know, I mean, there are other ways to get a little bit more information. So you've really got to be your own advocate. Oh, boy. I really. That is one of the biggest thing. And for me, being a lawyer and running my own company and dealing with all kinds of multimillion dollar things going on all the time, when I got sick, I was nothing, right? I was nothing in the world of hospitals and stuff, and people can treat you so badly, and I don't know what that is. Sometimes some people are just lovely and they say the perfect thing when you're in a situ so scared like that. But other people treat you like you're garbage. And I had plenty of that. And unfortunately for them, I just. I'd unleash it, you know, I'd just be like, you know, everybody here is sick. And if you're, you know, you. You need to understand that I'm not just a. No, I'm not getting. I'm not at the deli. You know, like, people are really scared.
- [23:06]
Unknown
And I have a hundred lawyers in my building.
- [23:10]
Jennifer Dickinson
Right, right, right, right. No. But I calmed down. And actually, through my process, I learned to sort of calm down because that was part of the problem. I'm a high, you know, I run pretty quickly. But it was too much. And I. This process was in. In the oddest way, it was actually a gift. In some ways, it was almost like God was saying, I want you to be here, but not this way, and you're not making the changes that need to happen, so I'm going to help you. Right? So to look at a terrible diagnosis and instead of say, this is the worst thing in the. In the world for me, what it opened my whole life. It let me see how I had been mismanaging my own life, and it also helped me see the priorities of my life. And I Saw God and the most intimate, close connection where we. I was having conversations with God and I had never had that before, but getting this and then seeing how my family is the priority. Me and my family, God, me, my family. And then I talk about it in the book where the night where I was diagnosed and I'm in the hospital, I have this. This moment where I realize that those are my priorities and all my achievements as a lawyer literally meant nothing.
- [24:41]
Unknown
Yeah.
- [24:41]
Jennifer Dickinson
I mean, nothing. And I was stunned by that. But it remains the same. What a wake up call.
- [24:50]
Unknown
Yeah. Yeah. So basically you realized because you have an organized mind, which I don't, that you had to get balance back into your life. Something was out of balance because we were made to heal. As we know, when we cut ourselves, it automatically heals, you know, as long as you don't get dirt in it. But I mean, so the inside also heals. That's just the way God created us.
- [25:12]
Jennifer Dickinson
Yes.
- [25:12]
Unknown
And so. And we, you know, we get our minds set on something and go after something, forgetting everything else. Maybe it's exercise, maybe it's the way we eat, especially here in America. And getting your priorities, you know, mixed up, you know, putting your job, which is very easy to do as a lawyer. I understand putting, especially if 100 of them with you, you know, not putting your family first. Family time. Ah, we'll do that later. It's always, we'll do this later. You know, you love your daughters and your husband, of course, but yeah, it's. I love the fact that after you get cancer, you don't want it, but after you get it, you know, life, I always say, goes from black and white to color. It just, you know, realize, wow, what have I been missing? You know, how I've been living?
- [25:54]
Jennifer Dickinson
Literally, when I had the brain surgery, there were so many God things associated with. It's just literally, it should be a book on its. On an in and of itself. But when I had the surgery, you're very swollen everywhere and the bandages and everything. So I get. I get to leave the hospital and I can't fly because you can't fly with all that pressure. So I had to for a couple of weeks and I had my kids and perfect situation. But the strange thing is, is I always used to say when I got sick, the day I got sick, I said, I'm a lover of life. How could this happen? I remember saying that I'm sobbing. I'm like, I'm a lover of life. I'm a lover of life.
- [26:37]
Unknown
Right.
- [26:38]
Jennifer Dickinson
But I wasn't Living it. And I learned that after getting the surgery. So I have the surgery. I'm in Texas recovering, and immediately I start to see everything in multicolor, just like you're saying. I would eat every bite of food that was. It was so good. It was so good. I would see a bird and I would just marvel in its color and its movement or the trees or the sky or them. I was just in awe, like, seeing life again, like a child would see. And that you can find so many gifts from these awful, quote unquote awful things. But this is how you can wake up. Wake up. Right. If you choose to.
- [27:27]
Unknown
Yeah. Even the way you breathe.
- [27:29]
Jennifer Dickinson
Yes.
- [27:30]
Unknown
So you. You stress that in there. And that's something like who. Who thinks about breathing? I mean, it's just something you do automatically, but it's really. You don't do it well automatically.
- [27:40]
Jennifer Dickinson
Right.
- [27:41]
Unknown
It's important to breathe, of course, but do it right.
- [27:44]
Jennifer Dickinson
And cancer. Cancer needs a little oxygen, but it doesn't like a lot of oxygen.
- [27:51]
Unknown
Right.
- [27:51]
Jennifer Dickinson
You know, high oxygenation. So when you're just sitting there watching TV and eating Ho Hos, you're feeding the cancer and you might be feeling sorry for yourself, but you're actually helping it. And then. But also, cancer also thrives on acid acidic foods versus alkaline foods, which I'm sure you know all about that. But all these things I learned one thing after another. There was no book out there that had it nice and neat that I could find at that time.
- [28:22]
Unknown
So the acidic and the alkaline, I always get confused as to which food is which. It doesn't make sense. So you have it out here, Appendix.
- [28:30]
Jennifer Dickinson
E. You're so good. You did read it. I'm so happy.
- [28:36]
Unknown
I understand coffee is acidic, but the rest, like what crackers.
- [28:41]
Jennifer Dickinson
Right, right. And processed foods are. Can be acidic, but the dance is. It's a dance between acidic foods and then alkaline. So let's just say easy alkaline is going to be your greens. Green. If you make those green drinks or broccoli. Okay, those are. That's an example. But they are kind of all over the map. But the key is to have both of them, but more alkaline. And that is an environment that the cancer does not really has trouble living in and thriving in. So don't help them.
- [29:16]
Unknown
Just like the sympathetic and the parasympathetic. Nervous people always talk about that. And I always like which one is which. But so I wrote it down from your book. And I mean, you need the sympathetic, obviously, at Times. But you want to hang out with the parasympathetic.
- [29:34]
Jennifer Dickinson
Right, right, right. Exactly. Ex. Exactly.
- [29:39]
Unknown
Finally, I learned.
- [29:40]
Jennifer Dickinson
You got it.
- [29:42]
Unknown
Yeah. So what's the best way for people to get a hold of you and to find out about your book and everything?
- [29:48]
Jennifer Dickinson
Okay, you can. I've got a website called Jennifer Dickinson.com, and it's J-E-N-N I F-E-R-I C K-E-N-S O-N.com. and I'm on Instagram and Facebook, but under Jennifer Dickinson and Jennifer L. Dickinson. But also my book is on Amazon and it's really anywhere.
- [30:16]
Unknown
Right. And how'd you hear about Healing Strong? How'd you cross them?
- [30:20]
Jennifer Dickinson
Oh, my gosh. So at this point, after about three months, three years of my diagnosis, and now I started to help other people who are in all kinds of cancer. And so I started coaching other people, and I was getting pretty strong about that. And I also got very. I was very clear about how we can heal. And so maybe. I think it was 2017, Healing Strong had a big event, and I was like, I don't know what this is about, but I'm gonna go. It sounds really good.
- [30:51]
Unknown
At the Intouch Studios.
- [30:53]
Jennifer Dickinson
Yes. It was in Atlanta. Right off of Atlanta.
- [30:55]
Unknown
I was there.
- [30:56]
Jennifer Dickinson
You were there?
- [30:57]
Unknown
Yeah. I didn't see you again, so.
- [30:59]
Jennifer Dickinson
Oh, we gotta. We gotta fix that. Right? We have to fix that. But I went there and I was blown away. Away. In fact, the book. My book references Healing Strong as a resource because I think it's the best, period, you know, because so many resources. It's just a. Everybody complains with each other, but what you guys. What you guys do. And I've gone to many events and stuff, and I've gone to other big events, but I've also. There's a local one, but you've got it figured out, and what a blessing that you do. So that's. That was the first time I, you know, was around what you guys were doing, and I was just like, these people have got it figured out. And so I stuck with that.
- [31:45]
Unknown
Excellent. That was 2018, in fact.
- [31:48]
Jennifer Dickinson
Okay.
- [31:49]
Unknown
I was diagnosed in 16, and then I heard about Healing Strong myself. I thought, hey, that's just down in Atlanta. I'll go there. Because I'm in Greenville, South Carolina. Oh, I, too, was blown away. You might have heard me gasping up in the. Up in the nosebleed seats. What. What's going on?
- [32:05]
Jennifer Dickinson
Yeah, it was very. You know, this is the truth. I know. We're cutting. I knew we gotta go. But this is the truth. This is how we heal. It's. These are all the pieces. So I'm thrilled and honored to be associated with you and Healing Strong. And really anyone who is interested in looking at different, looking at this differently because there's so much hope in this.
- [32:33]
Unknown
Yeah. Yeah. Well, Jennifer, thank you so much. I'm glad I got to meet you. Thank you for the book and yes, pictures next time for me.
- [32:41]
Jennifer Dickinson
Okay. Thank you. It was really an honor to be here.
- [32:45]
Unknown
Before I go, I want to recognize a partner of Healing Strong. RGCC is globally recognized as the leading laboratory in the field of personalized cancer testing. RGCC partners with patients and practitioners throughout the cancer journey with powerful testing tools that provide actionable information allowing for the creation of personalized treatment protocols. To learn more, head to myrgcc.com healing-strong.
- [33:14]
Jim Mann
You'Ve been listening to the I Am Healing Strong podcast, a part of the Healing Strong organization. We hope you found encouragement in this episode as well as the confidence to take control of your healing journey, knowing that God will guide you on this path. Healing Strong is a non profit organization whose mission is to connect, support and educate individuals facing cancer and other diseases through strategies that help to rebuild, build the body, renew the soul and refresh the spirit. It costs nothing to be a part of a local or online group. You can do that by going to our website@healingstrong.org and finding a group near you or an online group or start your own. Your choice. While you're there, take a look around at all the free resources. Though the resources and groups are free, we encourage you to join our membership program at 25 or $75 a month. This helps us to be able to reach more people with hope and encouragement and that also comes with some extra perks as well. So check it out. If you enjoyed this podcast, please give us a five star rating. Leave an encouraging comment and help us spread the word. We'll see you next week with another story on the I Am Healing Strong podcast.