Perfect Patchwork

This is me! All the love, all the people and all the places, all the good and all the bad, and, of course, all the music! I'm a quilt; pieces of it all stitched together to form the perfect patchwork that is me.

I work for the American Cancer Society!

I am pleased, tickled, proud and excited to announce that I now work for the American Cancer Society.  When I made the decision to stop traveling for a living back in 2015, it was a big jump. I left a great job, making good money and security.  It was all to be able to stay home, spend more time with Scott, and become more a part of my community.  I made a decision at that time that money wasn't everything, and luckily Scott agreed!  We tightened our belts, cut back, stayed home more (not really a sacrifice since that was part of the whole decision to begin with!) and let life change.  I have kept a tie to the corporate life in the form of a consultant, but it doesn't require travel and provides a little additional income, but other than that, I have been searching.

I tried my own company, with Suzi's Promoplans, a franchise of my father-in-law's business in Tennessee. (see promoplans.com.)  But, promotional products are a very saturated market in the Keys, and I found it very hard to get more than small "one off" orders.  When the local radio stations offered me a job selling advertising about that same time, I took the plunge.  I was successful as a radio advertising salesperson, and it gave me a chance to be out in the community meeting people. But, something happened that I hadn't expected... I discovered that I love being on the radio!

Thanks to the country station program manager, Doug Hitchcock, I was given a shift as DJ for a 6 hour Classic Country Sunday Night show.  That was so much fun!  I got to pick all the music, and do the voice tracks for the whole show, every week.  It was awesome.  I also sold a live one hour talk radio show at 3 different locations, and co-hosted it with the lovely Kim Chesher. The Treasure Chest Radio Show was so much fun to create and co-host for so long.  If the show happened to be sold today, I could probably be coerced into co-hosting.... hint, hint...

Since my husband Scott went through cancer treatment back in 2014, I have been volunteering for the American Cancer Society, including being the lead of the local Relay for Life for 2 years. When the position was offered to be ACS staff, as Community Development Manager for the Florida Keys, I was thrilled to be considered! To be able to work my passion was a dream come true.

 

My duties include the Relay for Life, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and the Diamond Gala Events of the Florida Keys.  Making contacts, recruiting volunteers and sponsors, working with venues and planning events are all part of my job description.  How perfect, right!?!  The ACS seems to be a good place to work; invested in the health and well being of their employees as well as the all important mission.  

If you have questions about the American Cancer Society, it's mission, how the ACS can help you, or want more information on events in the Keys, contact me!  

305-393-6830

suzi.youngberg@cancer.org

www.cancer.org

In The Spotlight: I'm With Her

Okay, this was my political status once, but this post is not about politics. It's about a new band that I just found and I have to share it with you. You know that finding new music is one of my greatest joys in life. I'm thrilled to have stumbled across this trio today. Actually, I'm a little surprised they weren't already on my radar; they have apparently been making music together since 2014. 

With Sara Watkins playing fiddle, Sarah Jarosz on mandolin and Aoife O'donovan playing guitar or even piano, and their voices blending and complimenting each other perfectly... they are a joy to the ears.




The three first performed together as an impromptu collaboration at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in 2014. In 2015 they began to play together more and more at music festivals, and then they began writing together.  They recently announced their first album, titled "See You Around," is due out in February... CLICK TO READ MORE

HOPE IS WHERE THE HEART IS (5)

"Hope is where the heart is." Wonderful words, written by my dear friend Lisa just before we lost her to leukemia at the young age of 32. She used it to say that those who had never suffered in some way were missing out on understanding the joy of hope. She was an amazing person and inspired everyone around her right up until the day she was taken far too soon.

I wrote the first blog entry under this heading back in April 2014 when Scott was first diagnosed with cancer. What a journey it's been! (Sorry Scott, I know I'm not supposed to refer to it as a journey unless we're going on a cruise...but you won't go on a cruise!) Scott still endures the agony of scanxiety every six months, and he never has to wonder if he'll meet his insurance deductible, but he remains cancer free, and that's a wonderful thing. Our good friend Jeffrey, our "2 in a million" friend, was also recently declared clear after a long, hard battle. He was the other chordoma patient right here in the Keys; statistically impossible, and yet, there it is. We are thrilled for him that he can now look forward to the rest of his life!

Many we know haven't been so lucky. We lost another chordoma warrior this week. A beautiful young angel named Madison Rose. She was 23 years old. When I read the words this morning, I sobbed. First I yelled an expletive I won't repeat here, then I sobbed. I sobbed for a girl who's late teen and early adult years had been nothing but surgeries, treatments, recovery, wash, rinse, repeat. She had endured so much by the time we met her, and yet still smiled the biggest, brightest smile. When I met her, she was in a hospital room at MGH undergoing chemo. She had no hair, was very thin, wearing sweat pants and a Boston Strong t-shirt, hooked up to tubes and wires, but she still sat up and talked and laughed and made everyone in the room feel better. She was one of those souls who gave hope to everyone trying to comfort and take care of her. Her strength, courage and grace were amazing, especially for one so young. She was 19 when we met her, in Boston for her second surgery. She and her family were so full of hope, it was contagious.

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