HELLO GORGEOUS!

Becky Kuehn is the founder of Oncology Spa Solutions and the author of the Life-Changing

Esthetics course. Her mission: find ways to help with the devastating side-effects of cancer

treatments and deliver help to those in need.

Meet Khris and Erin. A mother and daughter that fought cancer at the same time and won

When Lisa and Deidra were first introduced to each other, the topic quickly became about a desire to help women and children. Both women had a healthcare background, both married to physicians, and both women wanting to make a real difference in the lives of others. In 2012, My Happy Place was created, a non-profit 501(c)3, offering bedroom makeovers to sick children. In 2016, it was time to add the other half of the equation into the scheme of things and My Happy Haven was born. My Happy Haven offers bedroom makeovers to women with cancer. Cancer affects us all. We all know of a friend or close family member living with a cancer diagnosis. With a cancer diagnosis comes fear and the uncertainty of what the future will bring. Lisa, having been diagnosed with breast cancer herself in 2014, also lost both of her parents to cancer. Believing that there's good that comes from every bad outcome, Lisa used her cancer experience as a catalyst to create My Happy Haven and help other women on a cancer journey.

It all started with a single haircut + Style at the Horst & Friends Salon, Minneapolis, 1985. Through the excellent service delivery of her Stylist, Sheryl Sikora, Linda found an integral lifestyle product line with a mission she could get behind. Three years later, Linda moved to Texas In 1988, Linda North Thomas not only embraced Aveda and its mission, she sought out a sales position at Neill Corporation in Hammond, Louisiana. Training in the early days included travel with Horst and management of the Retail Areas for his shows all over the United States. Linda was the first exclusive Aveda sales representative for Neill Corporation. Selling Aveda’s plant-based, eco-friendly salon products in the Deep South in the late ‘80s was not for the faint of heart. The need for “big hair” often overshadowed the company’s vision for greater life balance and well-being.

By 1992, Linda had progressed to the role of Regional Coach at Neill Corporation. Her family moved to Minneapolis where Aveda by Progressive recruited her for a similar role. A professional shift from distribution to salon operations occurred in 1999, when Diane Keller invited Linda to join her salon, New Reflections. Together they opened three Aveda Lifestyle Spa Salons in the Twin Cities. Linda is currently the Vice President of Operations and Marketing for the company.

Linda North Thomas has experienced nearly every aspect of daily operations at Aveda Lifestyle Spa Salons, including: the recruiting and retention of salon talent, creation and implementation of salon systems, and the management of an exceptional service delivery model.

Linda’s first-hand knowledge of the whole Aveda story makes her a passionate ambassador for the brand and lifestyle. In 2005, Linda won the Earth Month eco trip to Guatemala. She views such travel as the best opportunity to connect with Aveda partners, and to ensure the culture and service quality at her spa salons exceed industry standards as well as her guests’ expectations.

Meg is 33 years old and was born and raised in South Bend Indiana. She is the mother to an eight year old boy named Ethan. At the age of twenty- nine, summer of 2015, when Ethan was 4, she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, specifically HER2 positive. Her own hormones were fueling my cancer. I was in complete shock with my diagnosis; and while going through a divorce at the time, she remembers looking at her mom and saying, "I thought I was going to catch a break". Meg was a barre personal trainer, and in the best shape of my life. How could this happen to her? Meg is part of only five percent of women who get diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of forty. Little did cancer know, sje never goes down without a fight! She successfully endured six rounds of the "trifecta", or the "red devil", eleven rounds of Herceptin, a bilateral mastectomy, reconstruction and removal of my ovaries and tubes. One of her implants ruptured less than two years after surgery. resulting in more surgeries. Meg is very thankful to be alive! Life has been very trying for the last 5 years, however, she continues to stay positive, because that is truly the best way to be!

Besides being a cancer survivor, Meg is also adopted. She was adopted by her parents at three weeks of age. Meg also have a sister who is adopted and five years younger. She has always wanted to find my birthmother since she was a little girl. I was and film for the show. They ended up finding my birthmother through a match with a DNA kit from Ancestry.com. The show helped answer a lifetime of unanswered questions. I felt as though I found the missing puzzle piece to my puzzle. I am so happy to be able to say that my birthmother and I are creating a friendship and bond that feels like never went away despite my separation with her at birth.

Judy Pearson is an award-winning writer and the founder of A 2nd Act. The organization supports and celebrates women survivors of all cancers who are using their gifts of life and experience to give back to the greater good.

Judy is a graduate of Michigan State University and an award-winning writer, with two decades worth of newspaper, magazine and online articles to her credit, along with three books. The first two delved into World War II, but a diagnosis of Triple Negative Breast Cancer caused Judy to depart from biographies to write her third book: It’s Just Hair: 20 Essential Life Lessons. It was selected as a 2012 International Book Award finalist.

Her current foray into writing takes on another war. From Shadows to Life is the story of President Nixon’s War on Cancer, its ensuing survivorship movement, and the courageous men and women who brought cancer survivors out of the shadows. Each played a part in founding the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship.

An accomplished presenter and speaker, Judy is the founder of A 2nd Act, an organization that supports and celebrates women survivors of all cancers who are using their gifts of life and experience to give back to the greater good. The organization raises funds through live storytelling performances, publishes a book (an ever growing collection of the stories told on their stages), conducts workshops helping guide women survivors discover their 2nd Acts, and makes micro grants to survivors ready to launch or grow their 2nd Acts.

In 2012, Judy was honored in Washington D.C. by the American Association of Cancer Research and featured in their National Cancer Research Progress Report. She is a member of the Society of Integrative Oncology, a member of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society, a founding board member of Arizona Women for the Arts, a member of the American Association for University Women, a member of both Women of Central Phoenix and Women of Scottsdale, and a past board member of the Michigan State University Alumni Association. In 2015, Judy was named one of Chicago’s Most Inspirational Women, was selected as a finalist for the 2018 Arizona Healthcare Leadership Awards and named a Phoenix Healthcare Hero the same year.

Judy and her husband, David, live at the base of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve with their chocolate Labrador, Izzy Belle.

Amanatee Studios Amanate Group LLC Sarasota - Chicago - Miami - Fort Lauderdale

Judy Pearson Founder of a 2nd Act

Judy Pearson is an award-winning writer and the founder of A 2nd Act. The organization supports and celebrates women survivors of all cancers who are using their gifts of life and experience to give back to the greater good.

Judy is a graduate of Michigan State University and an award-winning writer, with two decades worth of newspaper, magazine and online articles to her credit, along with three books. The first two delved into World War II, but a diagnosis of Triple Negative Breast Cancer caused Judy to depart from biographies to write her third book: It’s Just Hair: 20 Essential Life Lessons. It was selected as a 2012 International Book Award finalist.

Her current foray into writing takes on another war. From Shadows to Life is the story of President Nixon’s War on Cancer, its ensuing survivorship movement, and the courageous men and women who brought cancer survivors out of the shadows. Each played a part in founding the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship.

An accomplished presenter and speaker, Judy is the founder of A 2nd Act, an organization that supports and celebrates women survivors of all cancers who are using their gifts of life and experience to give back to the greater good. The organization raises funds through live storytelling performances, publishes a book (an ever growing collection of the stories told on their stages), conducts workshops helping guide women survivors discover their 2nd Acts, and makes micro grants to survivors ready to launch or grow their 2nd Acts.

In 2012, Judy was honored in Washington D.C. by the American Association of Cancer Research and featured in their National Cancer Research Progress Report. She is a member of the Society of Integrative Oncology, a member of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society, a founding board member of Arizona Women for the Arts, a member of the American Association for University Women, a member of both Women of Central Phoenix and Women of Scottsdale, and a past board member of the Michigan State University Alumni Association. In 2015, Judy was named one of Chicago’s Most Inspirational Women, was selected as a finalist for the 2018 Arizona Healthcare Leadership Awards and named a Phoenix Healthcare Hero the same year.

Judy and her husband, David, live at the base of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve with their chocolate Labrador, Izzy Belle.

Geralyn OBrien is a licensed esthetician who specializes in oncology-focused skincare. Geralyn provides skincare consultation, facials, and spa days at Waterford Place Cancer Resource Center in Aurora, Illinois. In 2018, she helped to design and implement a pilot program called “Simply Beautiful” which educates women in safe skincare and makeup while enhancing each women’s natural beauty. She is also an Ambassador with Oncology Spa Solutions where she helps bring oncology awareness to local esthetic schools and esthetician’s in Illinois and serves as a contributor to the Integrative Cancer Review online journal. Geralyn works to empower those impacted by cancer and continues to advocate on their behalf. She says healing is a journey and she constantly sees the benefits that wellness programs provide to cancer patients and their families.

Mary Latham has been on the road since October of 2016 compiling stories of human kindness in all 50 states. She calls her mission More Good and the end result of her trip will be a book full of stories of acts of human kindness, hope, and inspiration that she will put into hospital waiting rooms. She stays with strangers to fund her trip and has been in 150 homes to date. She has driven over 41,500 miles in her mother's old car as a personal piece of the mission since her mother inspired her to look for the good before she died of cancer in 2013. Latham has been searching for it ever since and is currently headed to her 49th state, Hawaii, with only New York left to hit!