NORMA CUNNINGHAM
JUNE 19, 2015
The Estrella Cancer Crusaders' 2014 Walk for Awareness
IN NORMA'S WORDS...
COURTESY OF ESTRELLA CANCER CRUSADER'S "FACES OF ESTRELLA"
Norma Cunningham
Living in beautiful Laguna Beach in 1988, working my dream job as Director of Operations and Human Resources for MetLife Insurance, traveling the West Coast and enjoying life, I had no time for bad news.
My daughter, in nursing school at the time, convinced me to get a checkup because I was feeling a bit under the weather. So I did just that in mid-June 1988. On July 5, my birthday, I was set up for surgery at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, California. I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon Cancer. A large tumor was growing in my colon and had to be removed immediately to prevent the spread of the cancer to my other organs.
I was in total shock with the diagnosis, the surgical plan, appointments with surgeons, oncologists and questions from these doctors about my family history. W hat was happening? How do I tell my family, my friends, my boss, my co-workers? I was focusing on the outside world instead of planning my wellness program.
I learned such great lessons from this experience; First know your family history. Be prepared to document that history and share it with your siblings and your children. Next, do not focus on others as you plan your wellness program. Finally, do not accept the doctors predictions as your fate.
Doctors quote statistics and I was sure I was not a statistic. Twenty-five years ago the prediction was, ”perhaps I could survive for 3-5 years.”
My daughter, in nursing school at the time, convinced me to get a checkup because I was feeling a bit under the weather. So I did just that in mid-June 1988. On July 5, my birthday, I was set up for surgery at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, California. I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon Cancer. A large tumor was growing in my colon and had to be removed immediately to prevent the spread of the cancer to my other organs.
I was in total shock with the diagnosis, the surgical plan, appointments with surgeons, oncologists and questions from these doctors about my family history. W hat was happening? How do I tell my family, my friends, my boss, my co-workers? I was focusing on the outside world instead of planning my wellness program.
I learned such great lessons from this experience; First know your family history. Be prepared to document that history and share it with your siblings and your children. Next, do not focus on others as you plan your wellness program. Finally, do not accept the doctors predictions as your fate.
Doctors quote statistics and I was sure I was not a statistic. Twenty-five years ago the prediction was, ”perhaps I could survive for 3-5 years.”
Following the surgery, I was told that I did have a few areas where the cancer had spread to a few lymph nodes and a spot on my liver. So chemotherapy was recommended. Chemo was horrible. Loss of hair, loss of weight, sickness all the time. That was how the oncologist explained the treatment.
The oncologist offered me a different process that was experimental in 1988. A small tube of chemo was infused through a catheter in my chest that would allow a low dosage of the drug to flow through my body. I wore the tube in my bra for 10 months, 3 weeks a month with one week off.
During my chemo, I started to read books about positive thinking. The most powerful books I read were The Power of the Sub-Conscious Mind by Dr Joseph Murphy and Dr. Bernie Siegal's Love, Medicine and Miracles. It changed my life. I still recommend these books to anyone who is faced with a challenge. I memorized so much of what I read and focused on Meditation and Prayer.
The oncologist offered me a different process that was experimental in 1988. A small tube of chemo was infused through a catheter in my chest that would allow a low dosage of the drug to flow through my body. I wore the tube in my bra for 10 months, 3 weeks a month with one week off.
During my chemo, I started to read books about positive thinking. The most powerful books I read were The Power of the Sub-Conscious Mind by Dr Joseph Murphy and Dr. Bernie Siegal's Love, Medicine and Miracles. It changed my life. I still recommend these books to anyone who is faced with a challenge. I memorized so much of what I read and focused on Meditation and Prayer.
Norma and Michael Cunningham
I also had a goal; I had planned to go on a cruise with my friends. During my recovery from the surgery, I focused on that cruise which had been planned for a many months and was scheduled for 6 weeks after my surgery. I was going no matter what.
I returned to work after 8 weeks and very few people knew that I was walking around with chemo flowing through my veins during meetings and training sessions that I conducted.
As a result of my attitude and my obvious recovery rate - and my tolerance of the chem - my oncologist asked me to counsel other patients at Hoag Hospital. It was a joy to help others face the release of the disease and not focus on the big “C.”
In addition, I realized I was preparing to meet the love of my life, Artist, Chef Michael. So in 1991, he appeared in my life... or I should say I created him using my newfound positive visualizations. If you can recover from Stage 3 cancer, surgery and chemo, you can create anything beautiful in your life.
Well it all worked and I have been cancer free for the last 25 Years and forever!! So my mantra, “Enjoy life and focus everyday on love, happiness and living in the moment.”
I returned to work after 8 weeks and very few people knew that I was walking around with chemo flowing through my veins during meetings and training sessions that I conducted.
As a result of my attitude and my obvious recovery rate - and my tolerance of the chem - my oncologist asked me to counsel other patients at Hoag Hospital. It was a joy to help others face the release of the disease and not focus on the big “C.”
In addition, I realized I was preparing to meet the love of my life, Artist, Chef Michael. So in 1991, he appeared in my life... or I should say I created him using my newfound positive visualizations. If you can recover from Stage 3 cancer, surgery and chemo, you can create anything beautiful in your life.
Well it all worked and I have been cancer free for the last 25 Years and forever!! So my mantra, “Enjoy life and focus everyday on love, happiness and living in the moment.”
Footnote: Norma and Michael Cunningham were the previous owners at the Starpointe Café. We asked Norma about the decision to leave. She says, "We decided to move on because the business model was so unpredictable. With a limited clientele and seasonal business, limited profitability we decided it was time to retire. Michael and I had an Art Business for years, before the Starpointe Cafe, therefore it has been easier to return to our other passion. We love to travel, and after three years working 7 days a week, we are able to enjoy traveling local and international. We love Rocky Point Mexico and the beach calls to us. Working with the West Valley Arts Council AND their New Gallery in Surprise will keep us busy."
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