219. Positude in the Face of Cancer: Laura Lang-Ree’s Story of Strength

Laura DeKraker Lang-Ree, Gen X, is a cancer mom and advocate for parents of children with cancer. She empowers families going through medical trauma with tools and tactics to help them navigate their new everyday normal. Her book, Thru the Fire, Empowering Parents of Kids with Cancer takes us through her journey once the pediatrician said her 3-year-old daughter Cecilia’s lethargy and black circles under her eyes were childhood leukemia. She entered the panickedexistence of childhood cancer. Ceal had an 85 percent chance of surviving – that is, IF she made it through 2½ years of grueling treatment. Meaning Ceal had a 15 percent chance of dying. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Emotions experienced during crisis“Positude” Advocacy InsightsHealth care beliefsResilienceAsking for helpGratitudeBoundary SettingQuotable Moments: “Cancer is not an in and out kind of experience. It hangs around a long time, like years.” “I think advocacy is one of the most underrated things in the whole health care system that we can imagine.” “Health care professionals want us to advocate because it helps them help us.” “Advocacy is key to the care of our child and ourselves.” *You just need to understand she’s never going to do math or science.” “There has to be another way!”“An important piece of advocacy is to level the playing field with knowledge.” “Health care professionals need us and want us to be a part of the medical team.” “Surrending and accepting is not giving up, it’s actually giving you power.” “Have you considered she’s the hope?” Three Episode Takeaways: 1.    Cancer is an all-hands on deck kind of journey. Laura has included chapters in her book specific to parents, friends, family (grandparents), and caregivers. 2.    “Positude” is Cecilia’s word that can help allof us. It means to have a positive attitude when we’re facing things head-on like she did. It is up to us to change our narrative so we can manage and have agency because we’ve advocated for ourselves. Things go a lot more smoothly.3.   Giving our kids the tools to advocate for themselves can help everyone manage and create a calmer atmosphere. The aim of Laura’s book is to give you the tools to ask thequestions so you can then make choices.  More About Laura:Laura is an editor and consultant with Stanford Children’sHospital and a writer, educator, and editor for parent publications at the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Jacob’s Heart Family Cancer Center, and Bass Center for ChildhoodCancer and Blood Diseases. She works with the Make-A-Wish Foundation as the voice for their national training program. She was recently featured on Transformation Radio's Champion Your Life podcast as well as AYA Unfiltered as a resilience and positivity expert guest.As Director of Performing Arts at The Harker School, aprivate, independent K-12 institution in San Jose, California, she leads a department of 15 faculty, nurturing 950 students’ artistic passions and professional ambitions. Laura lives in Northern California smack in the middle of thetowering Redwoods, the sandy beaches of Santa Cruz, and the innovation of Silicon Valley. Her three daughters live nearby and they continue their family commitment to thrive through everything that life brings our way. How to reach Laura: [email protected]: https://www.facebook.com/thruthefirethebook  How to reach Yo Canny:  Our website:www.girltaketheleadpod.com You can send a messageor voicemail there. We’d love to hear from you! email:[email protected] FB group: Girl, Take the Leadhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/272025931481748/?ref=share IG: yocanny  YouTube LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/yocanny/