Susan Kapadia on Why Ojai CARES

Ojai CARES (Cancer Awareness, Resources, Education & Support) was founded in 2013 by Susan Kapadia after her own bout with breast cancer. After volunteering with cancer support groups in Santa Barbara she realized that Ojai residents needed/deserved their own. In the decade-plus since, Ojai CARES has built a sense of community of the people afflicted by this dread disease, while also advocating for patient care, and working with oncologists and other doctors. Since its inception, Ojai CARES has served 900 people. Susan talked about her years running the popular World Flavor Cafe, using recipes adapted from her years in the food business, the stresses of receiving her diagnosis while running the restaurant, and her quest to find support for herself, and to support others in turn. She also talked movingly about some of the memorable people whose lives touched hers. We did not talk about Don Larsen's perfect World Series no-hitter, Jane Smiley's upbringing, or Prince Harry's memoir. You can learn more about OjaiCARES at https://ojaicares.org/