12-12 ~ A Day of Reflection

Exactly six years ago today, I heard the words "you have breast cancer." I was a 26-year-old advertising executive working and living in New York City. I couldn't believe my ears. I was too busy to have cancer! I was too young!

The next few moments, the world stopped. Why me? What was next? How is this happening?

The next two years were a whirlwind of examinations, surgeries, appointments, and side effects. But sprinkled throughout this entire experience was love, hope and strength.

I started dating Nate Dolce (my now husband) only five days before my diagnosis.
My sister threw a "Tata Party" a week before my mastectomy.
Nate and I shaved our heads together.
My mom and I sang and cried to "Crazy" after watching The Devil Wears Prada during a chemo weekend.
I rocked a bald head and bright lipstick after going through chemo, to my first work meeting with a hair-care client!
My best friends in the world sent me packages, came to surgeries, and kept my mind off cancer.
I fell in love with my best friend.

There was so much to fight for. Yet, going through it, a happy and healthy future seemed so far away.

Now, looking back on this time, I don't celebrate the day of my diagnosis. I reflect on it. I look at myself in the mirror and see a smarter woman, a stronger woman, and a more beautiful woman on the inside and out. Despite the surgeries, the loss of my breasts, and my 6-year old hair, I love who I am because I fought to become her.

Even six years after my "D-Day," I continue to be a woman who is forever Fighting Pretty.
And I ask that you fight, stay strong, and maybe even put on some lipstick to join the fight with me.

On this day and always, I send love to all who are starting their fight, currently in battle or have finished. You are all amazing women and I'm honored that you have allowed me and Fighting Pretty to be a part of your journey to health and happiness.

Meet Dana, a fabulous woman committed to helping you love your body, and love your self

Meet Dana Canneto, an Intuitive Health Coach and Body Relationship Expert.  After reconnecting with Kara Skaflestad, founder of Fighting Pretty, via Facebook, Kara could relate to Dana in more ways than one. They both have followed their hearts of helping others through their own issues and are both here to talk about it. Check out this personal and exclusive interview with Dana. And be sure to read until the end ~ Dana is offering a special discount for all women "Fighting Pretty!" 

The beautiful, Dana Canneto

KS: Dana, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me. You have been such an inspiration to many! Tell us a bit about what inspired you to start Dana Wellness?

DC: I started Dana Wellness after recovering from a battle with my health and relationship towards my body.  I always had a very unhealthy relationship to my body and in turn became very ill from it.  I dieted a lot throughout my college years and early 20's when I had a sudden 40lb. weight gain.  Nothing was working so I started to deprive myself and developed Anorexia which I battled for about seven years until I ended up very ill in the hospital. That moment was one of the scariest moments of my life.  It was the "dark night of the soul" moment when I finally woke up the fact that I needed help after calling 911 on myself. I was alone in my apartment and kept finding myself on the floor passed out and just so grateful that I woke up to be able to bring myself to safety. From then on it was a very long journey and couldn't find the help that I needed.  I had seen a therapist and nutritionist but it wasn't what i needed at the time. I have a strong intuition and something was telling me to do this on my own.  Through trial and error I was able to heal myself however throughout the process ran into many other roadblocks with my health due to the damage I had already done to my body.   I was learning how important not just food and lifestyle was to our health but also our thought patterns and ways of thinking.   I am so incredibly passionate about my work and I believe every single women deserves to heal the quiet erosion she feels when it comes to her body and my mission is to share my journey and wisdom with as many women as possible so that they can live with a sense of freedom in their body and love for who they are in their entirety! 

KS: Tell us a bit more about your company. What kind of services does Dana Wellness provide and how can it help women who are Fighting Pretty?

DC: I provide programs for women who are having challenges with their own body whether it be body image, health challenges, food intolerances weight, self-worth or all of the above.  My most popular program is my 90-day program called Body Divinity that I have going on right now but I also offer straight up personal coaching sessions by the package.

This type of work cannot be done with one single session as there is maintenance involved. Each program is very personalized yet also includes the steps I took towards healing my relationship to my body and towards myself.  I work with several modalities from nutrition counseling, transformational coaching and energy healing which works to release anything that might be holding a person back from truly stepping into a place of power when it comes their body. I teach women how to cultivate that loving relationship with their body no matter what. I assist them in changing their mindset around their body and the way in which they feed their body on a physical and soulful level.  I also teach my clients how to truly listen to their body.  Our bodies are talking to us everyday and often times, we're not listening.  We are rushing through life always thinking with our heads and rarely tapping into the body for the wisdom she has for us.   As you can see, I talk about the body in the 3rd person which is one of the ways I began to transform my body back to health and heal my relationship towards her into this loving sacred place.  The wisdom of the body allows us to know what the body requires when it comes to food, sleep, exercise, pleasure, enjoyment, relaxation and rest, to name a few. The power of our bodies is so crucial to life and how we go about it. 

KS: How have you helped other women? 

DC: I have helped women love their body again and release the negative self talk as well as helped women heal their body from any discomfort they are feeling through changing their diet and often times weight loss if that is their goal. I have helped them see where these beliefs first came into their life around their body so they can begin to release them through inner child work.  In fact, I have had several clients work with me around their weight and usually around the 2nd or 3rd week they say that the weight was secondary to them.  They began to notice a new sense of love and respect for their body that felt so freeing that the weight was secondary.  That is one of the key secret to any weight loss or health regime.  We need to love our body first...THEN our bodies begin to transform.  It look me a long time to understand that and so once I figured it out and I saw my body begin to transform, that is what I now teach in my programs.  I also have helped my clients determine if they have food intolerances which can effect not just the physical body but the mental and emotional body as well. This for them, is life changing!  I am very intuitive when it comes to pinpointing what might be going on with their body that is causing them to feel drained, tired, foggy and have specific symptoms and it usually turns out to be specific foods they are eating that are causing a toxic reaction to their body.  I don't believe in dieting. I believe in living life with a sense of quality in food, lifestyle and mindset, living from a space of mind, body, spirit! You can also check out some of the testimonials on my website! 

KS: Many women face surgeries and other body issues due to cancer. What is your best advice about feeling insecure about your own body?

DC: To know that whatever negative thoughts you are thinking or feeling about your body are not true! If you are self-sabotaging your body and saying something about her that you don't like, stop for a moment and ask yourself where that belief is coming from.  More than likely it is not your belief but a belief you picked up somewhere based on "expectations" of how we should look. We are ALL beautiful!  Beauty begins from the inside out and when we can all walk from this place of power in our body and with confidence, look out world!! 

KS: How did you get introduced to Fighting Pretty?

DC: I got introduced to Fighting Pretty from you! (Kara) - and looking back is such a beautiful story!  We met back in 2006 at an advertising agency we both worked at.  I had the joy of being able to work with you closely at one point.  Little did I know then that we were both on similar paths in the way that we both knew advertising was not our passion.  That's when life both handed us opportunities to find our purpose and our way towards living out a desire we have always dreamed which is contributing to the world in some positive way.  As a mentor of mine always says, "It's not always pretty but it's always beautiful" when we have to walk the journey ourselves first towards a place of healing in order to heal others!  I don't regret my journey for a minute.  I am so grateful for what you are doing, Kara. When I met you back then, I remember being so inspired by your ability to infuse joy and laughter in all that you did even when we were going through the roughest times at work...you always had a smile so it does not surprise me when I see you here now, doing this work and sharing your laughter, joy, charisma and inspiration with the world!  I feel honored to know you and be here in this space with you right now. 

KS: Wow, Dana, you have brought tears to my eyes. Thank you so much for your kind words. It's my honor to provide strength and love to those battling cancer. Thank you for all that you do and taking the time to chat with me! 

DC: It is my pleasure Kara. I would love to give a special discount for women "Fighting Pretty" by providing 20% off my 7 session package of personal coaching.  If you are interested, contact me here, or just visit my website: www.danawellness.com and we can set up a meeting. 

Meet Meg, the Amazing Woman Behind the First Pair of Mini-Pink Boxing Gloves

Attention Fighting Pretty ladies! Meet Meg, an amazing breast cancer survivor and supporter of Fighting Pretty. It was Meg, that provided the first pair of mini-pink boxing gloves to Kara Skaflestad, the founder of Fighting Pretty. Kara's gloves were then passed on to 5 other women battling cancer. The strength that Meg sent to Kara has now been passed on to over 800 women all over the world that have received Pretty Packages in less than 2 years! Moving forward, Meg will be helping Fighting Pretty send some notes to remind you how amazing and fabulous you are. So meet the fabulous, Meg O'Hanlon and hear her story. 

The gorgeous, Meg O'Hanlon

It was in September of 2006 that my life took a major turn.  It was during my morning shower that I felt a strange hardness on the left side of my breast, was it a lump?? It was difficult to really distinguish what I was feeling under my skin, so I immediately went to see my gynecologist. A flurry of testing ensued.  I was shocked by the confirmation that I had cancer.

The diagnosis hit me like a ton of bricks and I was surprised by the intensity of the subsequent testing, surgeries and then treatment.   Emotionally I was distraught, upset that my body had betrayed me by allowing this tumor to grow.   I felt frightened and anxious as to what the future would hold for me.  Telling my husband and my four children was most difficult.  Although I was beside myself with worry, I had to be strong and try to reassure them that all would be alright even though I did not feel that way myself. Although my emotions were running up and down the scale on a daily basis, and my life was now ruled by surgeries, chemo, nausea and pain, the one thing that brought me to my knees was day “17” when all of my hair fell out.  I do not think there is anything that can truly prepare a person for that day. 

The support of my husband, my children and all of my family, my sisters and brother,  my friends, my neighbors, my coworkers is truly what brought me through.  To be honest, I don’t really think I can fully explain the depth of my emotional fragility.  I literally relied on their support on a daily basis. In December 2006, my husband went for a routine colonoscopy.  Our daughter, studying for her finals, offered to take her Dad for the test since I had just had my 2^{nd chemo} treatment and was so sick that I could not take him.  He came home from the test with a diagnosis of colon/rectal cancer.  The tumor was so large that he could not have surgery and would have to start radiation immediately to shrink the tumor.   We were all so shocked at this devastating news; we all kind of fell apart.  My husband and I both spent the next nine months in a constant commotion of radiation, chemotherapy and surgeries.    And, as unbelievable as this may seem, in April, 2007, while we were “living” in the infusion center of the oncology department, we also lost our daughter-in-law, Shelley.  Shelly lost her 7 year battle with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma on Easter Sunday, April 8.  Just 7 days before her 28^th birthday.

Needless to say, at this point, I was overwhelmed with sadness and totally distressed with the emotional toll this was taking on my life and my family.  I was having a hard time finding the strength to go on.

One evening a friend of mine, Fran, asked me to attend a dinner and informational seminar on breast cancer at the local hospital.  It was at the seminar that I came across the pink boxing gloves.  Grasping for something to help me to continue to hold on and to continue to inspire me during this discouraging time, these pink boxing gloves stood out.   They became such an inspiration to me at this time in my life.  They were a symbol to me of the battle I was currently engaged in as well as the future conflict that lay ahead and the work that needed to be done to help fight for everyone battling this devastating disease. They made me realize that I was in the fight of my life and that I had to continue to stand up to this foe or it was going to overtake me. I hung the gloves on the bathroom mirror so that every morning when I saw them, they reminded me that here was another day that I had the chance to get in the ring and just keep fighting!! 

Sadly, in the fall of 2007, when my daughter, Colleen, told me that her best friend, Kara, had just been diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 27, I couldn’t wait to send her the pink boxing gloves and explain to her that she was now entering the ring and needed these gloves to help her fight the fight of her life!!!

Meg and her daughter (and Kara's best friend), Colleen.

We recently moved to sunny South Carolina and we are loving life!  We lead an active lifestyle with golfing as much as we can, bike riding and walking.   In the last few years I have become a devout fan of Yoga and Zumba and continue to attend classes.  

Meg & Brian O'Hanlon enjoying sunny South Carolina!

But, best part of living near Hilton Head is the visits from our family, friends and especially our grandchildren.We are just happy every day when we wake up and get the chance to enjoy another day!!!

 "Today I choose to live with the gratitude for the Love that fills my heart,  the Peace that rests within my spirit, and the voice of Hope that says                       ...all things are possible."

Fighting Pretty - 763 and counting!

Helping women feel strong and beautiful is universal. Women of all ages want to feel beautiful through their cancer journey. If you are young and dating, it's important to still feel sexy and desirable with a new partner. And even if you've been married for 100 years, you still want your spouse to think you are beautiful! You need to do it for yourself!

Sometimes having surgery and losing your hair can be completely devastating. Scars can be scary. Fighting Pretty is here to remind you to kick ass, feel strong and get out there! With some nail polish, a little make-up, a smile on your face and strength in your heart. It's what's inside that sexy!

Just this week, we have surpassed our mid-year goal of 750 Pretty Packages and are sending out our 763rd Pretty Package this week! We are truly helping women all over the world feel strong and beautiful. Just this week, we have received requests from Canada, England and Denmark!

If you know of anyone battling cancer, and needs a beauty and strength pick-me-up, please reach out to us, by requesting a Pretty Package today!

Sally Imbrogno, tougher than Rocky!

Sally Imbrogno, a true fighter!

I received the Fighting Pretty package you sent. WOW! What an unexpected surprise! I am not quite sure where to start...

I am Sarah’s aunt and one of the reasons she launched her  "Sparkle My Head Scarves" line (an amazing line of scarves made specifically for women battling cancer because they are comfortable AND beautiful).  I am so very proud of her for taking an empowering approach to paying it forward. One thing I have learned about cancer; it takes enough in its path of destruction but you don't have to let it take your spirit.

I was originally diagnosed with a rare form of Type B cell lymphoblastic/lymphoma. I had a tumor at the base of my neck and went through surgery, chemo and radiation. My oldest son had just received orders to deploy to Afghanistan and my youngest had just started college! As a mother, I was bound and determined this wasn't taking me from my boys. I didn't know until after I was cleared that the survival rate was only 2%. I am not a big believer in statistics because the human spirit doesn't work that way. 

There are miracles every day...

This fall I was given a final clearance and was to released from oncology care this May. I fell on ice in December and was having some lower back issues. After several tests the doctors concluded (much to everyone's surprise) that the cancer was back. This time its a little different in that is in my bone marrow. So, we get to do round #2 it seems.... At least I know where to get some great head scarves this time!

I must tell you the boxing gloves were such a HUGE deal to me. It was a reaffirmation sign that I needed so much!

I was having dinner with my boys one evening and trying to prepare them on how aggressive this cancer is. I wanted them to know that we need to prepare for the worst case scenario. 

My oldest son looked at me and said "Mom, you HAVE to fight!" I planned on it, but I realized how scared they were.  So, a few days later I found some Facebook posts of Rocky Balboa 

saying "My mom hits harder than that" and "It doesn't matter how many times you get knocked down, it matters how many times you get back up." I posted those on his page and said I am "fighting back!"  

The next week I donated my hair to Locks for Love and I wanted to find some boxing gloves to take of picture of them for my profile picture.....I couldn't find any gloves...

The following week I was in the hospital having a really bad day and I turned the TV on.......it was a Rocky marathon! Now you can understand why the gloves were such a big deal to me. It was such a positive reinforcement  for that God heard me and knew I needed a sign so he did it in a big way! I am honored that you would entrust them in my care.

Rest assured I plan to be here to pass them to the next fighter.

Thank you so very much for all the wonderful, thoughtful items and for reminding me that I am a survivor too! Thank you again. You never know how you can touch someone else's life with the smallest gesture. The gloves are proof! 

By Sally Imbrogno, an amazing mom, and a true fighter through and through! 

Planet Fitness Supports Fighting Pretty this Mother's Day!

From now until May 12, 2014, get fit, have fun and celebrate your mom!

In 22 Connecticut locations, Planet Fitness is running a special Mother's Day promotion where a portion of new membership fees will be donated to Fighting Pretty!

Check out the flyer below! 

Tip of the Day: Feeling Sexy Post-Mastectomy

Shopping for lingerie can either be really fun, or a little nerve wracking. And to be honest, I've never been that into lingerie before, until I went on my honeymoon this past July. Now to back up for one second, for those of you who don’t know, my name is Lauren Bash. I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 27 and only 4 months before my wedding. I went on to have a double mastectomy, a very traumatic experience, as I approached the “most romantic” time of my life: my wedding and my honeymoon! I wanted to look great for my new husband. So I shopped all over for the perfect piece that wasn't too sexy but wasn't innocent either.  I started at Victoria's Secret and didn’t find many options. Most pieces were for women that had a much smaller bust, and everything seemed to have underwire, which my breast surgeon clearly said multiple times was a “No-No.”  

I quickly realized that Victoria's Secret was not for me, so I explored Bloomingdales. I felt like I struck gold! There were so many options and everything lived up to my definition of classy lingerie.  I wound up really enjoying my experience. Though I had expanders, there was one (very small) silver lining to all of this: I didn’t need to wear a bra anymore, so everything fit perfectly! I made sure nothing I bought had underwire or a built-in bra and just went with what I felt the sexiest in.  I walked out of the store with two pieces: one romper (which was my husband’s favorite), and one beautiful, tasteful piece with lace on top and a string that I could make as tight or as lose as I wanted.  And given that I wasn’t completely comfortably with my scars, I found these pieces that weren’t sheer, but still made me feel sexy. After months of feeling down about my body post mastectomy, I felt that both lingerie outfits really enhanced my self-esteem and made me feel beautiful again.

It's amazing what a little lingerie can do for your spirits (and your husband’s)!

If you have any tips of your own on how you are "Fighting Pretty," please email us at fightingpretty@gmail.com so we can share with other women out there just like you!

Content provided by the beautiful and courageous, Lauren Bash*.

*Lauren Bash is now 6 months pregnant and is due in July.

Tip of the Day: Eye shadow and Bronzer...your new best friends!

My name is Laura, and I lost my brows and lashes 8 weeks after chemo ended. 

Using eyeshadow seems to work better to fill or fake the brows because it gives it a softer appearance than pencil liner. 

Also, while my hair is growing back, I am left with some patches that are a little 'shy.' Since our scalps are so pale, I use a bronzer all over the head, and then fill in the sparse spots with a shadow and fine brush, I then bled it in with an eyebrow brush. Finish with some blush and line your eyes with the black shadow and you are set. 

This is a quick, five minute 'I have to get out the door' make-up tip!

If you have any tips of your own on how you are "Fighting Pretty," please email us at fightingpretty@gmail.com so we can share with other women out there just like you!

Content provided by the gorgeous Laura McDonald.