Trailblazing Women: Keeping Faith and Finding Purpose Through Cancer

Give us a brief bio and tell us a little bit about yourself!  

I am a wife, mom, and a grandmother. I am an officer of the American Legion Auxiliary, unit 208. I also watch five grandkids and work three days a week at a picture framing store.  

So much of being a trailblazer means finding yourself in uncertain ground – landing in a place that you never could have anticipated.  

Tell us about where you thought you’d be - and where you are now.  

I never thought I would be helping veterans and using my hands to make beautiful things for them to love. 

What keeps you going – what brings you back to the game day after day?  

I have cancer again so I feel a sense of urgency to leave my loved ones with something. My family is what keeps me going. I hope to teach my grandkids that though you may experience something tough, there is always something to be thankful for in it.   

How do you blow off steam – what do you do for fun?  

In my spare time I love to volunteer at Hines Hospital and the American Legion Auxiliary Jr. Where we aid in blind bingo and send out packages for the troops.  

Do you have any advice for the next generation of trailblazers?  

My advice for the next generation is to look to the heroes of the past and to learn from them.