Grateful Human

Nate and Nick dive into the concept of values, empathy, and how to be the best version of ourselves so that we can make the people around us better. 

About AFS

Things change quickly sometimes. Looking at the photo accompanying this story in 2019 might have elicited thoughts about community, or fun events with friends; today the first thing that pops into our minds is a group of people not practicing social distancing. Certainly, life’s going to be a little complicated for awhile.

Just as it’s affected so many areas of our lives, the Covid-19 pandemic has completely changed the way we do fitness.  As restrictions loosen and lockdowns are lifted, people will be emerging from quarantine with a very unique personal challenge to solve. How can I keep myself safe while also getting healthier and more resilient? This by in-large will be a highly individualized decision as each person weighs their risk factors, age, and overall health status against the risks of doing the things they want to do out in public. Knowing this is the “new normal” we’re coming back to, AFS ensures we have an option for you. Whether you aren’t ready to leave home yet, you’re chomping at the bit to get back to the gym, or maybe you fall somewhere in between.

The base AFS membership, or as it’s referred to now: (contactless membership) includes access to the AFS community virtual hub where we host several live workouts each week you can do right from your living room. In home experiences ranging from yoga, to circuit training, even strength and stretching! Base members also get access to our signature outdoor “pop-up” workouts where you can socialize and exercise with friends out in the fresh air. The workout options are topped off with access to our members only forum and guidance from a degreed and certified personal coach we’ll pair you up with to ensure you have all the tools you need to get started. For $35 per month you’ll have the support you need to get moving again without ever having to set foot into one of our facilities.

Feel comfortable coming to one of our physical locations? Enroll in one of our traditional memberships and take part in some of the most highly reviewed exercise experience anywhere in southeast Michigan. Now with updated/scientifically vetted screening, sanitization, and distancing protocols in place.

Title credit to  Kaylyn Anders from Cancer is Hilarious. 

Chief Financial Federal Credit Union has been meeting the financial needs of our members since 1941. We have proudly maintained locations in Pontiac, MI while expanding into the Dearborn and Greater Rochester areas.

The Chief Financial goal is to be more than money. We have placed corporate social responsibility at the core of our foundation and intend to tirelessly work toward making our world a better place.

Chief Financial Credit Union is committed to empowering financial success and inspiring creative philanthropy.

At Chief Financial Credit Union, "more than money" is not just a tagline. It is the company culture that we have created and the fuel that drives our mission. Our goal is to inspire strategic partnerships between our employees, members, and community partners. We boldly aim to be forever remembered for the good we did, the chances we gave, the opportunities we created and the lives we changed.

We believe:

• Worth is not only measured with a dollar sign
• Value has little to do with a bottom line
• We can change the world one person at a time

Their core values include:

• Integrity in all Relationships: Strive to do what is right for the Credit Union, employees and membership with each interaction
• Collaborate for Growth: Create an environment where everyone contributes equally to the success of the whole and all opinions are given the same weight
• Transparency on all Levels: Continuous open and honest communication to create trust between the Credit Union, employees and members
• Social Responsibility is Everyone's Responsibility: All employees of the organization should seek ways to help the members of the communities we serve to live a better life each day
• Diversity Breeds Creativity: When we open ourselves up to acceptance of different perspectives we allow for new ideas to be created
• Perseverance Leads to Answers: Never stop trying to find a solution

The mission of the Cassie Hines Shoes Cancer Foundation is to support young adults with cancer from the beginning of their battle to life beyond cancer. Engaging in support groups involving peer interaction, especially young adult cancer camps, can provide them with tools that will help them manage the emotional side of their battle and allow them to feel like they are back in charge of their own life.

"In January of 2012, Cassie was told by her oncologist, “There is nothing more that we can do.” The cancer had attacked her liver along with other vital organs and she was beginning liver failure. She went home in the care of hospice. The final 42 days of Cassie’s life family and friends surrounded her. We told stories, asked questions, shared our fears, laughed and cried. Cassie wanted every young adult diagnosed with cancer to be able to experience it with the same peer support and sense of adventure she did. We knew it would be our job to make her dream a reality. We walked Cassie up to heaven’s gate and she entered on March 1, 2012. Cassie’s work here was done but ours was just beginning.

While Cassie was at First Descents Camp she wrote a letter to herself that was mailed to her six months after the camp finished. She was at home in hospice care when it arrived. We read the letter together; in it she described the week and then gave herself some advice. She reminded herself to “Stay active, eat healthy but enjoy junk food every so often. Never stop dreaming, when you feel good and even when you feel crappy, make life an adventure.” The advice I liked the best was 'Don’t take the easy road, take risks'."

Learn more at the Cassie Hines Shoes Cancer website

Fleece & Thank You is the official fiscal sponsor of Warmilu, an infant warming company. Lack of warmth is a huge problem experienced by many populations across the globe. Over 1 million premature infants die annually due to hypothermia-related causes in resource scarce settings. Most of these fatalities are due to a lack of basic access to electric incubators and other life-saving sources of warmth. Warmilu created a patented infant warming blanket (featured left) and is currently warming 10,000 infants born to hospitals in 75 countries around the world, and this partnership will help to increase that reach.

You might not know this, but Nicholas and Grace are two founders whose early lives were saved by incubators. Nick was born a twin, and his twin sister was taking up much of the nutrients in the womb. He was born with fully developed organs, but he could not warm himself up. The care team was quick-thinking and put Nicholas into an incubator, which saved his life.

In a different Michigan hospital, Grace was born 1-month preterm the day after Christmas. Smaller than a teddy bear, Grace was warmed by an incubator for 11 days to stabilize her and grow her underdeveloped lungs. For days, both founders were separated from their parents. Being isolated made an impression. Grace’s parents told her stories about incubator life and only being able to touch her toe. This early challenge instilled a lifelong desire in Nicholas and Grace to make a positive impact and bring people closer together.

Today, both Nicholas and Grace are still blown away that their paths intersected in pediatric healthcare, specifically warming children with blankets! The world is a better place when FTY blankets provide comfort to kids and Warmilu blankets provide life-saving warmth to keep infants warm near their parents. Together, blankets from Warmilu and FTY become physical embodiments of love when kids are in their greatest time of need.

Our “Wrapped in Warmth” partnership with Fleece and Thank You allows YOU to create comfort and hope for someone going through a difficult time. Every soft, colorful fleece blanket symbolizes the love and support of friends, family, and community. The Warmilu + Fleece & Thank You Blanket Kit is a great way to provide hands-on support to children needing comfort locally and abroad. For every Warmilu + FTY Blanket kit sold, one infant warming blanket will be donated to a hospital abroad, saving THOUSANDS of infant lives.

Learn more about the partnership here!

Fleeceandthankyou.org for more info!

The world of clinical trials is shrouded in mystery for many, and in this conversation, Alyssa helps bring us the "simple explanation" of what clinical trials are, how they work, and why they are so important. 

ABOUT NURSES INSPIRE NURSES

Nurses Inspire Nurses is a community of nurses created to inspire and uplift ourselves and each other. It all began when Cat Golden, our founder, was tired, burnt out, and sick of waiting for external circumstances to change to start feeling better.

She started doing things to uplift her coworkers and created coffee talks, a safe space outside of work for nurses to come together, have real conversations, and find support. 

SHE KNEW SHE WANTED TO SUPPORT NURSES IN AN EVEN BIGGER WAY

She knew she wanted to support nurses in an even bigger way and created Nurse Giveback Night, an event for nurses to celebrate themselves and all the hard work they put in each day.

When she put the phrase “Nurses Inspire Nurses” on a t-shirt to sell at the very first Nurse Giveback Night, she got an overwhelming response and knew she was onto something.

Nick Iannarino (PhD, University of Kentucky; MA, University of Dayton) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Language, Culture, and Communication at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Nick specializes in health communication, and he is particularly interested in how people in close relationships manage the social experience of severe and chronic illness. His research considers the unique communication practices and challenges experienced by young adult (YA) cancer survivors and their close social network members. He has also studied the use of humor in existing narratives about traumatic illness (e.g., found in YA blogs, comedy performances, comic books), adult siblings who have made health decisions for an aging parent, and family communication patterns among cancer patients and their primary caregivers. Nick also teaches undergraduate courses on multiple topics related to health communication, qualitative and quantitative research methods, interpersonal communication, and public speaking.

Angela helped lead an amazing conversation that talked about finding your purpose, acceptance of others, trusting the process, and leaning on others for support. 

When Angela's daughter Brooklyn was first born, they immediately knew something was different. Brooklyn was born with a cranio-facial syndrome called Crouzon syndrome that resulted in several other complications. Angela shares what she learned from 8 years of hospital surgeries and treatment stays.