“TWC-WLA is a safe and comfortable place for people with cancer to come and share and get support.” 

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© Bill Aron

Shirley came to TWC-WLA after her first diagnosis of colon cancer in 2001. Raised in a Japanese household where communicating about feelings (other than happy ones) was not the norm, Shirley didn’t tell her family about the cancer until she found out during her colonoscopy that it was stage 4 and surgery was suggested.  After the surgery, she didn’t feel that she could share her feelings with her parents because they were so worried.

After an introductory Welcome to Wellness meeting, Shirley attended a group at TWC-WLA for people with various diagnoses.  In her group, she was able to disclose her emotions without worrying about whether or not anyone was going to be able to handle her feelings. She was free to break down and cry and be angry and scared.  She received support and hope, and the guilt she had about her parents worrying was alleviated.  Shirley’s mom told her that she was so grateful that Shirley had such a good attitude during her cancer experience.  She seemed so happy – it didn’t seem like she was sick!

Shirley had a recurrence of colon cancer in 2002.  At TWC-WLA, she was able to get vital information to guide her in her recovery. She doesn’t believe she would have been able to get this anywhere else; she wouldn’t have found her doctors without the educational workshops and the sharing in the networking groups. Shirley says that the support she received from TWC-WLA enabled her to stay strong for everyone in her family.  In her group, she didn’t have to stay strong; everyone was accepting and warm, and she felt safe knowing that everything said was kept confidential.  TWC-WLA was her second home, and she truly believes that without it she would have gone through cancer alone.

After beating colon cancer a second time, Shirley decided to celebrate her new quality of life by skydiving!  After that, nothing was beyond her reach. She joined a Dragon Boat team – a traditional form of boat racing originally from China – of mostly breast cancer survivors, which competes each summer. Shirley wants to ensure that TWC-WLA is there for others in their time of need so she raised funds for it by training for and completing two marathons.  She is currently training for her third marathon and for her first triathlon.  She has even become daring enough to put cool, hip, color stripes in her hair!

Today, Shirley attributes a lot of her health and wellness to TWC-WLA and actually told her oncologist that it saved her life.  She knows her oncologist had something to do with it, too, but for Shirley, it was TWC-WLA that was the real instrument of healing.  She is grateful that TWC-WLA exists and is so glad that founder Harold Benjamin created such a wonderful place 25 years ago . . . and that she had the opportunity to tell him so.