To Heidi, From Heidi

HONOLULU, HAWAII - I travel a lot for the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer – a LOT. It is an honor to meet so many people from all walks of life, and it’s an even bigger honor when they keep in touch with me. I like to introduce you to some of them when they give me permission. I seem to be meeting a great many younger women with breast cancer; the statistics are staggering. Awareness that this disease doesn’t just hit women who are in their late 50’s is really something that needs to happen!

This is Heidi and her daughter, sweet little Darby. I met Heidi when I spoke at Pearl Harbor – I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating. The attention that the staff give on that military base is extraordinary and really should be duplicated everywhere. They have a full-time person (yay Mary!) who helps women with breast cancer navigate the complicated and often scary process of cancer treatment and recovery. Heidi is one of ‘Mary’s ladies’ and is such a great representative of all that we should strive to be; strength, grace, beauty and love. It was nice to meet you, Heidi. Keep fighting, keep smiling, and don’t stop hugging that sweet sweet little girl of yours. Congratulations on finishing that chemo, now go tackle that radiation. xoxo!