One Tough Mama

A good friend of mine from Arcata, CA, Nicole, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.  I met her when I first moved to Arcata in 2000 -- not only did our partners work and kayak together, so we spent a lot of time camping and socializing, but we were also members of a very tight-knit book club, the Brainy Book Babes.  When I moved back to Arcata after grad school, I managed to rent a room in a house that was just a few blocks from hers, and we would frequently take her sweet dog Vista (aka Poochie) for long walks around the neighborhood and through the redwoods of the community forest.  I went to her rehearsal dinner and her wedding, attended her first baby shower, stayed at her house for visits after I had moved out of the area, and the last time I made it back to the coast, I was lucky enough to attend her daughter's 1st birthday.  As the physical distance between us grew, social media allowed us to stay in touch, and I got to watch from afar as her daughter grew up, her son came into the world, and she and her husband started their own organic ice cream shop, which has been a smashing success.

Nicole has always been an inspiration to me.  It is rare to find someone who moves through life with such kindness, determination, and grace.  She is smart, athletic, thoughtful, kind, brave, creative, loving, mindful and energetic.  She is the kind of person who always looks for ways that she can help others, but who doesn't forget to take care of herself as well.  She has a beautiful family, and with them has created a wonderful home, and they have reached out to actively become part of an amazing local community.

So it's no surprise that Nicole is once again inspiring me with her response to her cancer diagnosis.  She had a very successful mastectomy a little over a month ago, and is now preparing to begin radiation and chemo treatments to eliminate the last of the cancer cells.  While she lives in Arcata, her medical team and treatment will be over 300 miles away in Marin.  And how has she decided to get there?  She will be turning the journey into a 6-day cycling trip!  And not only is she doing this for herself, but she is turning the ride into a cancer awareness ride, and a fundraiser for her treatment center, the Center for Integrative Wellness and Health, and the Humboldt County Breast Health Project.  She has begun chronicling the journey and is accepting donations on her blog, kickingmycancer.com.  Her family will be her SAG (support-and-gear) wagon, coming along for the journey in a rented RV.  And her story is so inspirational, she has gained sponsorship for her ride from several local businesses in Arcata, and her story was picked up by the Larkespur-Corte Madera Patch.  Another mutual friend blogged about Nicole's amazing ride, so I thought I should do my part to spread the word, too.  So if you would like to support an amazing woman and friend, please go to her blog page and donate, or just read her story and spread the word!