Welcome to Surpass Your Dreams. The goal of this newsletter is to help you recognize your potential and surpass your dreams. This issue is dedicated to taking charge of your health.

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1. "Tribute To Ginny". A True Story From My Mom
2. Top Ways To Prevent This From Happening To You
3. Are You Taking Charge Of Your Health?
4. Great Resources
5. Last Month
6. Are You Ready to Move Forward?

I. "TRIBUTE TO GINNY". A TRUE STORY FROM MY MOM

Because October is breast cancer month, my mom is back with a true story about her bout with breast cancer and how a woman named Ginny is the reason she detected early and saved her life.

And now, a story from my mom….

My husband, while growing up, had many neighborhood friends and has maintained these friendships as an adult. Throughout the years, events such as weddings, bar mitzvah’s, etc, would bring the group together. Over the years, I became acquainted with many of the wives of my husband’s friends.

On one occasion, 15 years ago on a Saturday night, a young woman in her early forties, pale and frail looking, took a seat next to mine at the dinner table. She greeted me by name as if she knew me. I tried to recall who she was. “I’m Ginny, Bob’s wife,” she said.

The Ginny I knew had dark hair, a radiant complexion and was 20 pounds heavier.

She told me that she was diagnosed with late stage breast cancer, and that the medical treatment she received was not working. She also told me that she had two young children that she would never see grow up.

I sat quietly and listened, unprepared for what she had just told me. Obviously, she needed to express her feelings about what was happening to her. If only she had caught it earlier, the odds were that it would have
made a difference in her survival. When the evening came to an end, I hugged her good-bye realizing that this was the last time I would see her again.

One year later, Ginny came to mind. The thought popped into my mind that I ought to examine myself. I think Ginny sent me a message that day. I had never checked myself before because it was something that was done during my annual check-up.

Sure enough when I checked, I felt a pea-like nodule.. This was something that I never noticed before.

The following day, the doctor examined me. He sent me for a biopsy and then a surgical biopsy. Lab tests revealed an early stage malignancy. I had a lumpectomy. It was a scary time, one that I do not wish on anyone. It’s hard to be with the fact that this day could be your last. It’s hard to reconcile that it could have been prevented with earlier care.

Today I am fine. I take care of myself in ways that I never did before the surgery. I exercise, eat right and get 8 hours of sleep at night. I’ve stopped sweating the small stuff, and I am much more at peace with myself. I realize that life is short and I want to live whatever I have left being happy.

I urge all women to learn how to examine themselves. Ginny’s tragedy made the difference for me, and hopefully my success story is the one that is there for you.

Barbara Brown lives in Bayside, NY. As a 9 year survivor, her aim is to inform all women on the importance of doing a routine self-exam.

II. TOP WAYS TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO YOU

1. Breast cancer can be cured if caught in time.
   
2. The odds for a complete recovery from breast cancer are highest (90%+) when the disease is detected early.
   
3. Examining your self regularly is your greatest weapon in the fight against breast cancer.
   
4. Have a checkup with your physician annually and do not be afraid to ask questions.
   
5. 80% of all lumps are non-cancerous, but inform your physician of any new findings. A physician is the only one who can make the proper diagnosis.
   
6. Be knowledgeable about your self and the danger that cancer can present.
7. Never be afraid to have yourself examined. Finding out that you do not have cancer is more important than the time and effort required for an examination.
   
8. No one is immune from the risks of cancer.
   
9. Share this information with everyone you know.
   
10. Just do it!

Taken from the Breast Cancer Society of Canada’s web-site which can be found at: http://www.bcsc.ca

III. ARE YOU TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH?

The story above had a happy ending, but it could have been different. If my mom did not have the courage to discover then face what was wrong in her body, she might not be here today.

Even with all the education about breast cancer, there are still people out there today who do not do what is necessary to prevent or detect it because they are scared. They are afraid that they might find something, and they would not know what to do next. They would have to look at their own mortality and accept that they might not live forever. They would have to take responsibility for the things in their lives that are not working and have to do something about it because time may be running out. They would have to face their fears because there might not be “some day”.

So take charge of your health. Are you eating too much, drinking too much, smoking, or drinking more than 2 cups of coffee a day? Are you sleeping a full 8 hours each night? Are you surrounding yourself with positive people?

So please do what you can to take care of your body. Get regular check-up’s and get yourself screened for cancer. (And this is for men too!) Knowing is always better than not knowing. At least this way you can do something about it. And you get to live a happier and longer life in the process.

IV. GREAT RESOURCES

Would you like to have your newsletter, e-zine or resource listed here? Please send your name, e-mail address and 1-2 sentence description of your resource to info@surpassyourdreams.com. If I feel my readers will benefit from it, I will be happy to list it.

1. I found this great web-site that helps people lose weight. It’s called eDiets.com (http://www.ediets.com). You can get customized weekly meal plans and shopping lists on-line. In addition, they have online clinic meetings, weekly email tips, advice, motivation, suggestions and answers to your diet questions. It’s like having your having your own personal dietitian!
   
   
2. I am working with an awesome food coach, Jan. She lost 100 pounds, and she is inspiring, smart and witty. She promises that in 90 days, you will have the tools to change your eating habits for life and it’s true! Jan’s web-site is at: http://www.slimchance.com
   
   
3. Tried self-help books, tapes and seminars but didn't get what you wanted? FREE five lesson class reveals why self-help works, why it doesn't work, and what you can do to improve the results you produce. To enroll, visit: http://www.lifechangetips.com/t.cgi/102366
   
   
4. Are you reaching for greater success and balance? Get help by subscribing to The Business Woman's Advantage, a free, e-mail newsletter written by Mershon Bell for women with entrepreneurial spirit. To subscribe send an e-mail to: bwa-request@listhost.net. Put subscribe in the body (not subject line) of the e-mail or visit the Business Woman's Advantage web-site at http://www.womansadvantage.com/bwa. Mershon also writes weekly tips for healthy eating and exercise called Eat Write for Life newsletter. You can subscribe by sending an email to mershon@mershonbell.com or by visiting http://www.writeeating.com
   
   
5. Subscribe to Discovering Your Passion, a daily ezine written by Julie Jordan Scott, Life Purpose Coach. Julie’s ezine is for action oriented people who want to live passionately everyday. Subscribe via email at discoveryourpassion-subscribe@egroups.com or at her website at http://www.5passions.com/subpage.html

Last month’s issue celebrated the discovery that the world is a better place because of you.

Do you realize that you make a difference in the lives of people around you? Do you know that they are better off because of you?

Each one of us has people in our lives that are grateful we are alive. From us, they learn and grow, and they can’t imagine their lives without us. These are the people we thank God for.

How about the people that you don’t know you touch?

To read this issue, as well as other past issues, check the newsletter archive list at the top of the page.

VI. ARE YOU READY TO MOVE FORWARD?

If you are ready to move forward and live your dreams, then a Personal Coach may be right for you.

For a Free 30-minute Telephone Coaching Session, please call me at (516) 432-2440, or send an e-mail to info@surpassyourdreams.com. This free session will give you the opportunity to see first hand if a personal coach is the next step for you. For additional information, visit the rest of my web site at http://www.surpassyourdreams.com

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Have a great month!

Deborah Brown-Volkman, Author and Writer
Brian Volkman, Editor

Copyright © 2000, all rights reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce, copy or distribute text from the newsletter or the content in its entirety so long as this copyright notice and full information about contacting the author (Deborah J. Brown) is attached.

Deborah J. Brown, Personal Coach and Motivational Speaker
info@surpassyourdreams.com
http://www.surpassyourdreams.com
212-586-0787

Brian Volkman
brianonline@worldnet.att.net

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