Story
UPDATE: Many people who are unable to help out locally have asked if they can donate funds and yes: I've set up a GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/540a715b Update: Surgery is now June 4 Also, if you scroll down on this page you'll see a type of meal train. Maybe this platform isn't as good as I had hoped for disseminating updates and info. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ For those of you hearing about this for the first time, please know I am OK! I know cancer is a scary word and so many of us know people who have not survived breast cancer but my prognosis is good. I was diagnosed January 14, 2025 and my journey to arrive here has no question been five of the most challenging months of my life but I have learned so much and believe it or not, am unbelievably grateful for my diagnosis. I'll have lumpectomies and reduction on both breasts this week, heal for several weeks and then undergo three months of chemo and two weeks of radiation. I've met with numerous doctors and yes, trust my life with those I've chosen. My oncological surgeon, Dr. Kristi Funk (Pink Lotus Foundation) is unlike any doctor I've ever met. She's as concerned with my entire lifestyle as she is with cutting the cancer out of my breast. I have overhauled my entire life based on her findings of working with breast cancer over the past 30 years. If all you do is research her findings and modify your food and lifestyle to create an anti-cancerous environment in your body then you will have given me the greatest gift of them all. Once I'm all healed up, I'll be refocusing my professional media work around sharing how we can help ourselves and children not be one of the 40% of women and 30% of men who will receive a cancer diagnosis by 2040. But my oxygen mask first. In the meantime, I've got some healing to do here and would be ever so grateful for some help. Below you'll see various things that will make this next journey I will take possible. In the beginning after surgery I won't be able to do much so help with my Millie (my 2 year old 13lb pup,) meals, gardening, tea and social visits would be wonderful. I live in Atwater Village (Eastside of Los Angeles near Los Feliz.) Also for two to three weeks rides Friday morning from my home to my mother's in Westwood. Invites and rides to inspired Shabbat dinners, or rides to and from IKAR Saturday mornings (from Westwood to Pico/Roberston) and or Shivananda Yoga Center (West Adams) and back to Atwater Village would be amazing. As I start my chemo journey around the end of June, rides to the clinic (I'll be staying at my mother's home in Westwood and the Clinic is in West LA,) sticking around during my chemo session to help me with scalp cooling (to lessen hair loss) and cold gloves on my hands and feet (to prevent neuropathy) will start coming into play as well. I won't be able to drive home or to my mother's from the various drugs they will give me (think Benadryl or Ativan) so rides will be greatly appreciated. As many of you know, water and nature are my happiest places so all trips to the beach, walks in woods, swimming in pools, gardens, camping adventures and stargazing will keep my spirit alive but sadly I won't be able to lift much but I'll pack light and have carts and pop-up tents to make things easy! And finally, I've been filming and recording this entire journey, from the horrific way I was told by my MediCal appointed doctor in the middle of the fires that "you have breast cancer, someone will call you next week," to months of fighting MediCal for basic care and testing, mis-information, neglect and then finding my way, advocating and arriving where I am today, empowered and ready to do what I've been doing for the past 20 years, using media to help save lives. It won't be a documentary, it will be media for the Tik Tok generation and the disenfranchised folx I've always prioritized reaching in my work, But I have to get to the other side of this and with my village I will! If you want to be added to a last minute requests WhatApp Group, you can ping me there and I'll add you add you as well. And, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. For taking the time to read this (if you made it this far,) and for those of you who have been on this journey with me so far, texted me to check in, listened to me cry, calmed me down, advocated on a phone call, taken me to doctors visits, spent the night when it was all too scary...I love you and am eternally grateful. You are my chosen family. A special note to the tremendous humans who have walked this path before me and shared their stories and courage....I love you so much.
Special Notes
What can I tell you...I'm now vegan, gluten and sugar free so there's a start... My favorite breakfast: Dr. Funks Shake - recipe below and I have all the things at my house + a shake station...just won't be able to make it for a week or two. Organic Brown Rice with Tamari, Toasted Sesame Oil, Furikake Avocado and Green Tea Lunch/Dinner I love all Aryuvedic food. Also salads full of lot of veggies with hummus, or chickpea egg/tuna salad, tempeh, tofu (yes, soy is good for me per my docs instructions,) and all the foods below! Also, Shivananda Yoga Center in West Adams has graciously offered to accept a donation for lunch and or dinner and prepare a to-go meal for me which honestly is my favorite food in Los Angeles + you would be contributing to the place that has probably helped me the most in the past five months. I can make one person a point person to contact Swami and find out which days the menu is vegan/gluten free and without sugar and organize a donation and pick-up. Take Out: Since I'm all vegan now Cafe Gratitude, Shojin essentially places that make either indian/aryuvedic or macobiotic type foods. I’ve overhauled my entire life to create an anti-cancer environment in my body. These are the foods I try and eat everyday (per Dr. Funk, my oncological surgeon) 2. Soy - tofu and soy milk in shake 3. Cruciferous veggies - broccoli 4. Berries - blueberries are the best 5. Dietary fiber - kale, chard, collard greens…no spinach 6. Flaxseed 7. Turmeric 8. Aloe Tonic - always in my fridge 9. Ancient Matcha green tea - at the shake station at my house 10. Amla - at the shake station at my house. It's an india powder great for hair 11. Citrus 12. Cacao 13. Apple 14. Red grapes 15. Mushrooms 16. Tomatoes 17. Garlic 18. Seaweed - but I don’t actually like Seaweed…just have a little Furikake I sprinkle on brown rice. 19. Whole grains - but gluten free Dr. Funks Anti- Cancer Shake: https://pinklotus.com/powerup/cancerkickingkitchen/dr-kristi-funks-antioxidant-smoothie/ Ingredients Liquids 1.5 cups of soy or favorite plant-based milk 1 fl oz of liquid and purified Aloe Tonic Seeds 1 tbsp of flaxseeds (omega-3 fatty acids) Spices 1 scoop of Amla Boss Indian gooseberry powder 1 tsp of cinnamon 1⁄4 tsp of turmeric or 1⁄4 inch fresh turmeric root 1⁄4 tsp of black pepper (activates the curcumin) Green Tea Options 1 tsp of Ancient Matcha green tea, or alternatively 2 oz of brewed green tea Fruits & Veggies 1 small of banana (I freeze mine) 1 dried date (no pit) 2 cups of packed dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, or collard greens 2 cups of berries (fiber listed in grams): raspberries (8), blackberries (8), boysenberries (7), blueberries (4), and/or strawberries (3). Can trade 1 cup of berries for other fruits: apple, orange, mango, pear, peach, etc. And some more great food info from Dr. Funk: The research on soy foods and breast cancer has found that eating 1 or 2 half-cup servings each day can be protective.[1] Choose organic, unprocessed tofu, tempeh, edamame, soybeans, or unsweetened soy milk, and try tamari or miso paste as a seasoning when making soups or sautéing vegetables. shitake, maitake, and reiki mushrooms, but even the white button variety, which is in everyone’s produce department, has benefits. Scientists have found that they have anti-estrogen properties and can prevent the growth of breast cancer cells.[5] How much? A daily serving about the size of your thumb should be enough. Cook them for at least one minute to destroy agaritine, a natural toxin found in mushrooms, and experiment with different types to get the most benefits. Cruciferous vegetables (think broccoli, cauliflower, kale, bok choy, arugula, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, radishes, turnips) also have amazing anti-cancer and estrogen-blocking properties. [6] Their distinctive sulfur smell comes from a compound that kills cancer cells in their tracks, so this is a class of vegetables that should be on everyone’s plate. How much? Aim for a generous 2 ½ cup serving each day. Because some of their beneficial phytochemicals are more available when they’re cooked, and others when they’re eaten raw, eat a variety, and mix up how you prepare them too. For example, Dr. Funk starts her day with 2 cups of raw dark leafy greens added to her smoothie. Flaxseeds provide omega-3 fatty acids, as well as protein, fiber, and compounds known as lignins. Just like the isoflavones in soy, lignins are a weak form of phytoestrogens, so they block estrogen receptors and decrease the growth of breast cancer. Studies have found that breast cancer survivors with higher levels of lignins in their blood survive longer.[8] How much? Sprinkle 2 tablespoons/day on fruit, salads, or mix them into your smoothie for a nutrient boost. Grind your flaxseeds or use flax meal — otherwise, you won’t absorb their goodness. For every 10 grams of fiber you eat each day, you’ll reduce your risk of breast cancer by 4%.[9] All fruits, vegetables, and unprocessed whole grains provide fiber, so be sure to eat these foods with each meal and snack: apples, oats, bran, berries, beans, peas, and avocado. How much? The recommendation is 30 grams per day, although we believe this is aiming too low. Each serving (about 1 cup or a generous handful) provides about 4-5 grams of fiber, but if you increase the amount of plants you eat each day, you can certainly reach that goal. If you can’t get enough fiber intake each day, there are great plant-based solutions out there like Bellway. For a deep dive into the incredible health benefits of fiber, make sure to read our Mighty Fiber article. Someone go get me a 100% whole grain gluten free pasta bowl filled with broccoli, peas, sauteed mushrooms, and tamari-soaked tofu!
Care Calendar
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