DEFY

DEFY

Wendy Chioji Lived Her Mantra And Inspired People Worldwide

Growing Bolder has created t-shirts emblazoned with the word, Defy. We have a large Defy graphic on one of our office walls and the theme of this month’s digital digest is Defy. We love the word because it represents one of the keys to successful aging. We must defy the ageist messaging of our culture and the inevitable health challenges that accompany the blessing of extra years. We love the word because we loved our colleague Wendy Chioji and Defy was her mantra.

Wendy was an award-winning journalist and a brilliant communicator who brought a never-ending supply of curiosity, intellect, and compassion to every story she told.

After 25 years anchoring the evening news for WESH-TV in Orlando, the story she told that would ultimately have the greatest impact, was her own.

In 2001, the week after competing in the Boston Marathon, Wendy was diagnosed with Stage ll breast cancer. She was 39. At a time when few media personalities shared details of private health battles, Wendy didn’t hesitate to broadcast her story. “I am blessed with a large media platform,” she told us. “I have the ability to reach tens of thousands of people every day. I’m obligated to use it for good. I want to shout, ‘I have cancer!’ because it’s something that nearly every family in America is dealing with or will deal with. The way we destigmatize something is to talk about it, so let’s talk.”

For the next two years, Wendy fought a very public battle, sharing intimate details of not only her surgeries and treatment but also her roller coaster of emotions. She emerged cancer-free with a new appreciation for the value of every minute. She walked away from the anchor desk at the peak of her career, leaving behind a glamorous, high-paying job and moved to Park City, Utah to become an adventure racer, triathlete, ski guide, and an advocate and fundraiser for cancer causes. “A cancer diagnosis redefines how you look at life,” she told us. “I’m going to live big and bold while trying to make a difference in the lives of others. You realize that maybe you have next year and maybe you don’t — so there is no waiting. There is only now.”

In 2013, a routine MRI that was part of her annual post-breast cancer regime revealed a small mass in her chest. A biopsy confirmed a rare and aggressive form of cancer called thymic carcinoma. Surgeons removed her thymus gland and after radiation treatment and low-dose chemotherapy, her cancer was declared in remission.

One year later her cancer returned. This time the diagnosis was stage 4 metastatic thymic carcinoma. With no known treatment options, Wendy began participating in clinical trials hoping to contribute to research that she knew would likely never cure her but would advance the knowledge base and one day lead to the breakthrough for others that she hoped for herself. “I’m not a doctor or a researcher. I don’t have the power to make myself better,” she said. “But by participating in clinical trials I can help develop effective treatments and hopefully find a cure.”

Through five different clinical trials, Wendy continued to share details of her treatments, setbacks, and side effects. She shared her hopes, triumphs, fears, and frustrations. Her blog, Live Fearlessly, was read by tens of thousands worldwide who never met her but grew to love her. She delivered a complex, unvarnished, funny, hopeful, heartbreaking and ultimately, optimistic vision of life. She was, as she had been throughout her career, authentic and unapologetic.

Wendy never let her cancer steal her quality of life. She competed in the KONA Ironman World Championships, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with fellow survivors, and Mt. Fuji with her father. She worked as an on-air correspondent for Growing Bolder and anchored our Emmy-nominated program, Surviving & Thriving. She traveled with family and friends to Central and South America, Antarctica, Europe, Asia, Alaska, Hawaii, and nearly everywhere in between. She gave speeches, wrote articles, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for cancer causes and worked as a volunteer at the National Ability Center in Park City. She was a powerful force of inspiration and a constant reminder of the blessings of life and the value of time.

“You can’t let cancer steal your life,” she said. “You just can’t. It’s sad that it usually takes a crisis for people to realize that they only have one life. I do ‘regret checks’ every once in awhile, pausing to ask myself if there is something that I wish I had done or I wish I hadn’t done. I can honestly say that I have no regrets. I can’t think of anything specific that I have left to do. It’s kind of a brilliant feeling.”

In her final interview, Wendy shared with us the message that came to define her life. “Say Yes. Go out and do things. Take advantage of good health, resources, and free time. I'd love to count on 20 more years of traveling around the world, eating great food, and spending time with friends. I'm not going to have that opportunity. I know that. So, my advice is to take calculated risks. Try to be great every day because it might be your last day.”

Wendy’s last day was October 7, 2019, but her inspiration lives on. Defy.

I’m going to live big and bold while trying to make a difference in the lives of others. You realize that maybe you have next year and maybe you don’t — so there is no waiting. There is only now.

WENDY CHIOJI