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This is Brave

This is Brave: Life Post-Viral Video with Janet KJ103

Let me catch you up on my story! One day I woke up with what I thought was a whitehead pimple on the side of my nose. My only thought was that it was going to be painful when I popped it because of its location. The worst spot ever to get a pimple! I thought I got lucky when it popped all by itself; then I realized something was different. This pimple bled a lot. Three weeks later, there was still a scab, so my husband encouraged me to visit the doctor. I was pretty sure the doctor was going to laugh at me for making an appointment for a pimple. I was wrong, he took one look at it and said he was pretty sure I had skin cancer. Two months later they removed the skin cancer which turned out to be a mixture of basal and squamous cell carcinoma; the removal left a dime size hole in the side of my nose.

Now, the reconstruction begins. The hole was too big to cover with a skin graph, so I would get the dreaded forehead flap instead! The forehead flap consists of using skin from your forehead to cover the spot on your nose. Doesn’t sound that bad at first until you find out that the flap of skin then has to be fed by a vein, that hangs across your face, for three long weeks. It’s totally a sci-fi process. I’m not sure who thought this procedure up, but something tells me people weren’t jumping at the chance to be the first one to have it done.

After the three week process, they remove the vein, re-stitch your forehead and send you on your way.

The hardest part of this process is not the vein on your face. The hardest part of this process is not knowing where the next spot will be.  That’s what no one tells you about having skin cancer.  I was told that my spot was something I’ve had since I was a child.  A majority of my sun exposure came as a teen and young adult.  Every new freckle you see, you think its skin cancer.  Every time you get a pimple, you think its skin cancer. There is a part of you that lives in fear.

When you face challenges in life, the best thing you can do is share your story. Someone somewhere needs to hear that they are not alone in their fight.  My year was full of people reaching out to me who were about to have the same procedure. I loved seeing their before, during, and after photos. I love that I was able to be a light to them in their darkness because I know they will eventually be a light in someone else’s darkness.

This past year, I had the honor of working with the Stephenson Cancer Center and Miles Against Melanoma to bring free-to-the-public sunscreen dispensers to the OKC Zoo. Protecting yourself against skin cancer by using sunscreen is easy.  Sometimes we just need a simple reminder. Next time you’re out in the sun, break out some sunscreen and watch how quickly other people catch on. Sunscreen use is contagious! The only problem is… sunscreen doesn’t work if you don’t use it!

Read on to hear her STORY from last year and learn why instead of fear, Janet chose love in her journey.

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This is Brave

This is Brave: Catching Up with Brian McKenna

2018 was wonderful, unpredictable, challenging and educational. I’ve had two more surgeries and three rounds of chemo pill treatments lasting 8 weeks each. In fact, as I am writing this, I am waiting for my next 8-week round of chemo pills to arrive in the mail. I strongly believe that I am going to get through this with flying colors because of my wonderful doctors/nurses and the three F’s – faith, family and friends. I can now see a light at the end of the tunnel. When I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma in 2014, instead of asking “why me,” I said, “try me.”

I realized that my mind was going to play an integral part of the battle. When cancer returned in 2017, I was ready for it. I was of the mindset that it had picked a fight with the wrong person. Cancer can control you from day one if you’re not careful. Like life, cancer is a full-contact sport. It can cause depression, fear, anger and hopelessness. Cancer also makes you take inventory of your life and appreciate the things that you have been taking for granted for many years.

My journey has taught me the following: enjoy every day, you will be much happier if you work hard at loving yourself and being happy, surround yourself with authentic people with kind hearts, pray that others find happiness including those that wronged you, smile more than you should, accept your shortcomings and realize you will never be perfect, embrace disappointment and grow from it, be challenged, forgive others, forgive yourself, get rid of that rearview mirror and look straight ahead, be grateful, don’t be afraid to fail, get comfortable with the uncomfortable, turn the other cheek, act upon the needs of others, your true worth is the effect you have on others, count your blessings, tell someone you love them before the bricks run out of road, realize that every relationship (good or bad) happened for a reason and that you are exactly where God wants you to be today.

All of this has become so much more apparent to me during my cancer journey. I’m so blessed to have the St. Louis community surrounding me with prayers, love and support. I am humbled and grateful.

Life gave Brian the sourest of lemons and he turned them into the sweetest of lemonades by starting a non-profit of his own that specializes in helping people that are in need and spreading good vibes through the world.

My goal every day is to make a difference in this world and be the best Brian McKenna that I can be! I fail on many days, but that’s just part of the journey. Please get regular skin checkups and never stop dreaming.

Your Vibe Attracts Your Tribe!

To see Brian’s story from last year’s campaign, visit HERE

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