Lwm sept 2014

VOL 8, NO 5

COMPLIMENTARY

CELEBRATING, MOTIVATING, AND EDUCATING WOMEN

Real

TM

Returning to

Boston Marie Shares Her Stor y Of Her Boston Marathon Experience!

MEET Jennifer Wilson

The Woman behind the man Cayce, Chapin, Irmo, Lexington, West Columbia, & White Knoll

In this Issue TM

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www.lexingtonwomanonline.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Lori Samples Duncan (loriduncan86@gmail.com)

MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES

Cathy Williams (info@lexingtonwomanonline.com)

From the Editor CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lori Samples Duncan Ashby Jones Amy Pittsenbarger Briana Davis Hima Dalal Patti McGrath Peggy O’Neal Elliott

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Lindsey Duncan

COVER PHOTO

Clark Berry Image Design

PHOTOGRAPHY

27 Hydroworx Pool Rehab with Hima Dalal

Events

3 What’s Happening?

30 Breast Cancer:With a Little Help From Our Friends

Pets

4 Heartworm Disease: Not Just For The Dogs

Lets Talk!

6 Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera at the CMA 7

New Chamber Members

8 The Ashby Chronicle Clark Berry Photography Robert Patrick Image Design

Health & Wellness

2 Happy Fall Yall!

Congratulations To The Poston Family!

33 Meet Baby Blake

Business & Web Directory 35 Contact our Advertisers

Personal Note

36 The Gift of Children

10 Returning To Boston 14 Stepping Out: Dance Studio 16 Cirque de Soleil: Varekai

Professional

18 We Can Change The Future

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Lexington Woman Magazine Woman 2 Woman Publishing (803) 785-4475 104 Pine Tree Drive Lexington, SC 29073

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication. However, the publisher cannot assume responsibility for errors or omissions. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. © 2014

20 The Woman Behind The Man

Celebrating the Survivor in You! 24 Meet Denise Smith

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From The Editor

I

am getting excited as we start racing to 2015. I can hardly believe there are less than twenty weeks to finish out this year. It seems like yesterday I was trying to remember to put 2014 instead of 2013 on payroll checks!

I remember being a teenager and wishing for the next milestone. Sixteen came and went and I wanted to be 21. Isn’t it funny how now at 40 er.. something I find myself wishing I was 29 again?

It isn’t that I mind being forty… er…. something, it is just all the changes that come with that age. I hope for the remainder of this year I can just stay in the present. I don’t want to worry too much about tomorrow or dwell at all on the past. Things change and that is just part of life, in fact I heard someone say once, the only thing that stays the same is that things change. I want to take time to appreciate the gift that today really is I want to be a part of everything that is going on in my life today. The opportunities that present themselves are things I want to take time to make happen.

This issue is called the Pink Issue. In this issue we tell another story of survival. Not because October is Breast Cancer month but because breast cancer affects women 365 days a year. We tell a story about survival because we want women to know they can survive. September is Childhood Cancer awareness month. Last month Lexington lost another precious child to childhood cancer, and possibly some we don’t even know about. Richard Culliver received his complete healing on August 24th early in the morning.

I like to think he and Kennedy Branham are together again in the arms of God. We must continue to fight this awful disease that is taking our children from us.

This issue was a tough one. I hope you enjoy it, but more than that I hope it changes you in some small way. I hope it makes you take a moment and think of things just a little differently than you did yesterday.

I would ask that you support our advertisers. It is through their support that LWM is able to be complimentary. They not only support what LWM is doing in telling the stories of real women in Lexington, they have also made a commitment to you to provide quality services and products right here at home. Support local business. 90% of that money stays right here in Lexington to support you.

God Bless and Happy Fall, Y’all!

These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

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Celebrating, Motivating and Educating

Real Women

What’s HAPPENING? Dinosaurs: A Bite Out of Time June 21, 2014 - January 4, 2015 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais St., Columbia, SC 29201 Journey back in time to when monsters walked the earth, swam in the seas and soared through the skies in Dinosaurs: A Bite Out of Time at the South Carolina State Museum. After being extinct for more than 65 million years, these life-like dinosaurs are here and are hungry. The blockbuster exhibit features robotic dinosaurs and strange creatures from prehistoric times, including the ferocious Tyrannosaurus rex, the massive Stegosaurus, the long-necked Elasmosaurus and the flying Pteranodon. A variety of hands-on activities will make the past come alive, including a controllable duck bill dinosaur, a fossil rub station, a dinosaur dig box and two dinosaur puppet show booths. Visit scmuseum.org to learn more about the exhibit and to purchase advance tickets.

Save the Date!!! White House Florist Tailgate Party September 11, 2014 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM White House Florist of Lexington, 721 Old Cherokee Road, Lexington, SC White House Florist hopes that you have been enjoying the summer! It won’t be long now and it will be Back to School time and the beginning of College Football season!!! We want you to save the date for our annual Tailgate Party & Fall Preview. We hope that you will make plans to stop by! It will be FUN!!!

Southlake Senior Expo September 16, 2014 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM The Village of Southlake Clubhouse, 123 Gibson Road, Lexington, SC 29072 Southlake Senior Expo, Presented by The Village of Southlake & Comfort Keepers. Join us for a fun &

informative Expo. The Village at Southlake along with Comfort Keepers invite you to join us for a fun and informative Senior Expo that will provide you with information on senior activities and services in the Greater Lexington Area. This exhibition will feature many products and services designed specifically for seniors. Exhibitors include: consumer products, government programs, locally owned restaurants, realtors, healthcare, financial and more! We will also offer refreshments and door prizes! The Lexington Medical Center will provide FREE Health Screenings. Please contact us no later than Saturday, September 13, 2014 to schedule an appointment for your free Health Screening. The Health Screening is by APPOINTMENT ONLY. Flu shots are available - Medicare is accepted for shots. For more information on flu shots call (803)739-4442.

Art in the Garden IX, a Benefit for LICS October 3, 2014 6:30 PM - 10:00 PM Wingard’s Nursery - 1403 North Lake Drive (Hwy. 6), Lexington, SC 29072; Between Lexington and the Lake Murray Dam. Wingard’s Nursery: Art in the Garden IX, a Benefit for Lexington Interfaith Community Services (LICS) Wingard’s feels strongly about “giving back,” and holds this community fundraiser each October to raise funds for LICS, located at 216 Harmon Street, in Lexington. LICS helps those in need in our community by providing clothing, food and funds to help families in crisis. Over the past 7 years, this event has raised over $92,000 for LICS. Each year has a different theme and this year’s theme is “Swaying to the Music,” featuring a two hour show and dance by “The Band of Oz,” one of the premiere beach bands in the Carolinas. The evening also features a fully-catered dinner and silent auction. Sponsorship opportunities are available, so if you or your company are interested, please contact LICS at (803)957-6656, or to learn more, visit www.

Events

licssc.org. So, mark your calendars to come celebrate another cool Carolina evening under the stars.

Hallopalooza IX Saturday, October 25, 2014 beginning at 11:00 am. until 3:00 p.m.

Wingard’s Nursery: Hallopalooza IX; Come get your ghost and goblin on, and get ready to celebrate Halloween, at Wingard’s. Come ride Choo-Chee, The Train, enjoy some “Ronnie Dawgs,” games including: coin toss and biting apples on a string and have your picture made. There is no charge for this event.

Repticon ColumbiaReptile & Exotic Animal Show November 1, 2014 - November 2, 2014 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m Jamil Temple, 206 Jamil Road, Columbia SC (863)268-4273 Repticon Columbia-Reptile & Exotic Animal Show.

Repticon Columbia is a reptile event featuring vendors offering reptile pets, supplies, feeders, cages, and merchandise. Participate in free raffles held for enthusiasts, animal seminars, and kids activities. This is a “Really Hot” show that includes venomous reptiles.

Martha’s Market September 13, 2014 9am-2pm Union United Methodist Church Family Minstry Center, 7582 Woodrow Street, Irmo SC 29063 Third annual Martha’s Market featuring over 45 vendors selling crafts, jewelry, art, homemade goods, soaps, boutique clothes, scarfs, etc. Free event! Kids Activities! Lunch may be purchased to benefit church missions. More information? Go to www.unionunitedmethodist.org or call 781-3013. ‘Like’ us on Facebook.

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Pets

HEARTWORM DISEASE: NOT JUST FOR THE

dogs

By: Briana Davis

H

eartworms, a parasite carried by mosquitoes, has long been recognized as a cause of disease, and potentially death, in dogs. However, dogs are not their only victims. Heartworm disease is becoming a more recognized disease in cats as well.

As with dogs, cats attain heartworms by being bitten by infected mosquitoes. Heartworm disease in cats can cause coughing and/or rapid, difficult, breathing. These signs can be similar to other, more common cat diseases, such as feline asthma. Many cats with feline heartworm disease also present with vomiting as their major clinical sign.

In some cases, acute death may occur due to heartworm disease with little to no preceding clinical signs.

There are some differences between feline heartworm disease and canine heartworm disease. Dogs can have a large number of heartworms infecting them. Cats usually only have 1-4 heartworms. The average lifespan of

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Celebrating, Motivating and Educating

heartworms in dogs can be 5-7 years. The average lifespan of heartworms in cats is usually 2-4 years. Interpreting heartworm test results in cats can be more challenging than testing in dogs. The most notable difference however is that there is no approved treatment to kill adult heartworms in cats. Management of heartworm positive cats is aimed at preventing further infestation by having them on a monthly heartworm preventative, and managing their respiratory signs with the appropriate medication.

With no effective treatment to kill adult heartworms in cats, prevention of infection is key.

Cats with outdoor access have a higher risk of becoming infected. However, indoor only

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cats represent Âź of confirmed heartworm cases in cats. Therefore, all cats should receive monthly heartworm prevention, regardless of their lifestyle.

Heartworm disease is a serious condition that is becoming more recognized in cats. Heartworm disease may mimic more common diseases in cats and can be challenging to diagnose. There is no approved treatment for heartworms in cats. The aim is to keep them from becoming infected in the first place. This can be done by giving them a monthly heartworm preventative, regardless of whether they live indoors or outdoors.

Pets

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5

Let’s Talk

Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera

T

he Columbia Museum of Art announces a landmark exhibition of the most famous and beloved of American illustrators, Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera, on view from October 17, 2014,

through January 8, 2015. This is the first exhibition to explore in-depth Rockwell's richly detailed study photographs, created by the artist as references for his iconic paintings. Rockwell is known for his depictions of everyday life created with humor, skill, and emotion. However, it is little known that he staged photographs to make his popular covers of the Saturday Evening Post. Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera includes 50 photographs that show the careful procedure Rockwell used to make his art, as well as 16 original paintings and drawings, and takes viewers behind the scenes in the creative process of one of America's great masters.

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"We are excited to bring to Columbia and South Carolina this first-ever exhibition exploring Norman Rockwell's inventive use of photography to set the stage for his memorable works of art," says Karen Brosius, CMA executive director. "In his artistic approach, Rockwell became known as the 'Kid with the Camera Eye' for his unerring talent and uncanny ability to capture such special moments. Behind the Camera uniquely presents the long-valued relationship between photography and painting while delighting viewers with the inherent charm, energy, and warmth of Rockwell's art."

props, and settings--are fully realized works of art in their own right.

Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera brings together prints of Rockwell's study photographs and original paintings and drawings from the permanent collection of the Norman Rockwell Museum linked to the photographs on display. The result is a fascinating frame-by-frame view of the development of some of Rockwell's most indelible images.

At the same time, the photographs themselves--painstakingly staged by Rockwell and involving an array of models, costumes,

Rockwell. In Behind the Camera, we get to see just how hard he worked as he used photography to carefully stage every aspect of what would become a magazine illustration.

Rockwell added and subtracted detail, moved objects around, and tweaked the expressions on the faces of his sitters until he got it right.

Behind the Camera is a wonderful behindthe-scenes look into the working method of an artist who created many of our most memorable pictures of American life."

Celebrating, Motivating and Educating

"People think of artists as rebels, rule breakers, and bohemians," says Will South, CMA chief curator. "The greatest artists are also hard workers, and that includes Norman

People think of artists as rebels, rule breakers, and bohemians

Real Women

The CMA is the last venue in the national tour of the exhibition. It is a last chance to see the selection of photographs, paintings, and the creative process of an American master.

"Norman Rockwell was a natural storyteller with an unerring eye for detail," says Stephanie Haboush Plunkett, deputy director and chief curator of the Norman Rockwell Museum. "This ground-breaking exhibition shows how that narrative instinct found its first expression in the artist's meticulously composed photographs."

Accompanying the exhibition is a beautiful, fully illustrated hardback catalogue entitled, Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera, written by Ron Schick with a foreword by Rockwell's son, John Rockwell (Little & Brown, 2009). Copies of the book will be available for purchase in the Museum Shop.

This exhibition is presented through the generosity of SCE&G, South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, and Richland County.

Let’s Talk

New Members of the Chamber of Lexington (As of August 2014)

Community Professional Network Creative Events and Meetings: 803-892-3104 Custom Administrative Services, LLC: 803-939-0002 DBL07 Consulting & Website Design: 803-479-7699 Dressbarn: 803-358-0508 Family First Security: 803-764-1923 Gibson Jewelers: 803-256-1161 Heart of Columbia Chorus: 803-319-2126 Lexington Dental, PA: 803-794-4472 Love Automotive: 803-407-4800 Moseley Funeral & Cremation Service: 803-794-1743

NHance Revolutionary Wood Renewal: 803-699-2334 Our Saviour Lutheran Church: 803-794-8180 Park Lane Jewelry: 803-359-7543 Shealy Consulting, LLC: 803-808-3113 Sherwood’s Furniture Warehouse: 803-794-7125 Storm Master Construction Experts, LLC: 803-780-4311 Tracy Lynn, Virtual Assistant: 803-657-5005 Windstream Communications: 803-957-2688 Uno’s Chicago Grill: 803-359-3888 McGuinn Homes: 803-356-1840

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Scan the QR code to download the app!

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Let’s Talk photo by Clark Berry Photography

THE ASHBY CHRONICLE:

Superstorms

by Ashby Jones

Ashby Jones

H

ave you noticed life is not really like the movies? Or novels? In movies and novels you know when to feel sad (the music is a cue, or the characters tell you). You know when to feel elated – you have paid producers and writers and editors to tell you. Also, the book is almost finished or you are about done with your popcorn.

Life is not like this at all. The year is about done and there will be a celebration at the end. Enter peace, love and happiness.

The truth is, the holidays feel like clouds to many people.

Like the Wizard of Oz storm, we can unwillingly become swept away in the darkness, especially during the Holiday season. People, homes, bicycles - life passes us by as we watch.

Smells are reminders of people who are no longer here. Family rituals are bittersweet.

We are supposed to feel happy and don sparkly tacky sweatervests. We are supposed to cook cheesebiscuits and cheesecake and other things with cream cheese. We do what we are supposed to do. But the storms come anyway.

Recently I watched a friend mow his grass in the pouring rain a few months ago. His wife, an avid reader, a mother of three. His wife, an exercise fanatic (and mother of three). His wife, a crackerjack accountant (and mother of three). His wife. She had passed away.

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men have not run for cover. They stand outside in the storm with him. And like men do, they don’t mention that they are soaking wet.

Instead, they talk about the Gamecocks.

I asked my friend Darra about future storms in my own family. Who would be there if the unthinkable happened? She said “Are you kidding? You would have a COVEN of women descend on your family.” It was an interesting word choice. I picture a group of witches with their brooms and their opinions, their energy and their silence, their prayers and their no-prayers . . . their wine. They would swoop in, sweeping away what they could, stirring the wind so that unnecessaries would disappear, cause lightening to strike the naysayers, and donning their best bedazzled shoes and striped stockings while they waited for the sun to rise again.

These women can be witches. But they are my witches.

He didn’t really need to mow his grass in a storm. The men in our neighborhood had already meticulously blown leaves, cut bushes until they were bare, edged beside the driveway razor-sharp, carried off the trash, and planted things. It was sort of a pre-hurricane relief drive.

A couple of summers ago Maggie and I went to see Wicked in New York City. Before the show began, we discussed (ok, I discussed, she eye-rolled) the meaning of the play. We/I discussed the revelation that the “wicked” witch was not so very wicked – just different.

And that she sang this important song called Defying Gravity. A song about overcoming and breaking through, being who you are and living an honest life:

The storm still came, and the neighborhood

Too late for second-guessing

Celebrating, Motivating and Educating

Real Women

Too late to go back to sleep It's time to trust my instincts Close my eyes: and leap!

It's time to try Defying gravity I think I'll try Defying gravity And you can't pull me down!

This was not a movie scene. Maggie and I did not have a soundtrack and I didn’t have half-eaten popcorn. So, I didn’t really know it was a sunlight moment. But I do now. I realize the sun is sometimes hidden just behind the clouds. If we are not afraid to get right there in the storm with the people we love, we will notice it.

I think about all the soaring that takes place all around me, all the time. Like my friend Amy who jumped out of an airplane to celebrate survival. No broom necessary there. No need for sparkly shoes and striped socks. Just the air, the sun, and the moment.

Defying gravity.

Let’s grab each other this holiday season.

Hold on tight, push through those clouds.

Let’s sweep away the wind, brush away the rain, and help each other see the sun. And when members of our coven struggle this season, let’s stand right there in the storm with them.

We won’t melt.

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Let’s Talk

Returning to

Boston By: Beth McCrary

O

n April 15, 2013, Marie Bridges was stopped by authorities at a barricade at approximately mile 25.5-25.8 of the Boston Marathon. Little did she know at the time, that two bombs had gone off at

the finish line on Boylston Street of this historic marathon. Contributing writer Beth McCrary shared the story of Marie’s 1st attempt to complete the Boston Marathon with Lexington Woman Magazine readers last year (http://issuu.com/lexingtonwoman/docs/lexingtonwomanvol7no3/17?e=2157764/2295458) and recently interviewed Marie about getting the opportunity to complete the Boston Marathon on April 21, 2014.

Did you immediately know after not getting to finish Boston in 2013, that you would return in 2014?

Marie: No, I didn’t. The Boston Athletic Association gave us a predicted finish time based on our pace and where we were in the race. The BAA graciously gave us an “estimated finish time”, a finisher medallion and a certificate. I received an email from BAA on April 26, 2013 letting me know that they were dealing with the aftermath of the tragic events of the marathon and were working towards a resolution to the issues. They were particularly sensitive to the questions relating to runners who did not have the opportunity to cross the finish line on Boylston Street on Monday, April 15, 2013.

W2W: Did you have to re-qualify or were you able to automatically return for 2014?

Marie: No, I did not have to requalify. Approximately 5,000 to 6,000 runners did not make it across the finish line in 2013 because of the bombs. My email from the BAA said, “You have been identified as a 2013 Boston Marathon participant who reached and was recorded at the half marathon checkpoint or later, but who did not have the opportunity to cross the Boylston Street finish line on April 15. Later this month, you will be eligible to register for the 2014 Boston Marathon during a special registration period.”

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W2W: We know you ran 2013 with a torn meniscus? Tell us about your surgery and reCelebrating, Motivating and Educating

hab after you returned from Boston last year.

Marie: I did. I tore my meniscus during a January training run in my neighborhood. It was good that it was early in the 16 weeks of training. I was mile 2 of a regular training run when I heard a sound and felt a severe pain that lasted just seconds. I limped home and rested, iced and took ibuprofen. An MRI a couple of weeks later showed the meniscal tear and surgery was scheduled. Due to complications the surgery was postponed. Time was getting crucial. A second opinion advised that I not have surgery before the Boston Marathon if I seriously wanted to run it.

There just wouldn’t be time to heal and recover. My orthopedist and I decided I’d go and run as best I could, go as far as I could with the knee and return from Boston ready for surgery. During the following 2-3 weeks the knee improved and I felt I could run enough to at least make it to the halfway mark. I just wanted to be there and try to finish. So much had already gone into the qualifying process and training, leading up to my qualifying race at Myrtle Beach in February 2012.

W2W: When were you able to begin training for Boston 2014 and did you have a training partner?

Marie: I did not have a partner to train along with me. A dear friend, Darby Reeves, had

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qualified for Boston Marathon at Kiawah in 2013 and we talked a lot on the phone about our training runs and did one or two runs together between January and April, but nothing regular. I had been to Boston in 2012 to watch her run and then she came in 2013 along with friend Mary Garvin and daughter and daughter-in-law, Lauren Jennings and Karen Campbell. I have to run when it is convenient and the same for Darby. Darby and I ran the first 7-8 miles of this marathon (2014) together and then I advised her to run ahead as she has a faster pace than I. She finished 40 minutes before I did.

W2W: How many miles a week did you train to prepare for Boston ‘14?

Marie: When I trained for my qualifying race in Myrtle Beach in 2012, I adhered to Bart Yasso’s intermediate marathon training program explicitly. I ran between 25-50 miles a week. The plan assumes you have a 6 or 7 mile base and gradually increases your weekly runs. The easiest week which would be your first week, you may run 4 miles on Tuesday, 6 miles on Wednesday, rest on Thursday, do an easy 4 miles on Friday and Saturday. Then 7 miles on Sunday. The hardest week had a 6 mile run on Tuesday, 10 miles on Wednesday, rest on Thursday, easy 6 miles on Friday and Saturday and 22 miles on Sunday.

Let’s Talk Training for this race came 12 months after my injury so I decided to do all of the long weekend runs but cut back some on the daily runs. I never ran 2 days in a row but would cross train on the odd days doing an indoor cycle class or elliptical at Health Directions where I work out.Also because of the winter weather this year with lots of rain, ice and even snow, my runs were often cancelled or rearranged. I never run on a treadmill. All of my runs are outdoors. Even with cutting back on the weekly runs I felt I had the endurance. When I qualified I was 66. When I ran the 2013 marathon in Boston I was 67 and this year, 68. I tell my friends, “If you ever want to run the Boston Marathon, get old and be female.” They give women about a 20 minute advantage over men in the same age group.

Runners are made to feel special and there is never a section of the course that doesn’t have cheering crowds. Not a single section of the 26.2 miles without support. And Boston was going to do everything within its power to make it the safest race on the planet. And it did. No one could have bags. No runners and no spectators. Any food we took with us to the Athletic Village (where the runners are bussed to and where they spend a couple of hours before starting) had to be carried in one’s hands. A one liter bottle of water was allowed.

year from last year was helicopters flying over us all the way from the start in Hopkinton to the finish line. At one point an individual running beside me said, “I hope those helicopters don’t run into each other.” They were so numerous and never a mile without them.

W2W: Did you stay in down town Boston? If not, where did you stay?

Marie: We stayed in Cambridge across the Charles River. The view of Boston from there is gorgeous and it was about 2

W2W: Were you fearful to return to Boston? Did you have confidence that the city would be safe this year?

Marie: I had no fear returning to Boston. I knew Boston would do everything possible to make this a safe place to be. As someone in The State Newspaper quoted, “It will probably be the safest race on the planet!”

W2W: When did you leave for Boston and how long were you there?

Marie: I was in Boston Saturday night, Sunday night, ran the race on Monday and flew home on Tuesday. Because I don’t want to rent a car there, I like being downtown close to where the race starts and finishes. The hotels downtown are $400-$500 so our budget requires a limited stay.

W2W: What was it like to return to the city of Boston after last year’s tragedy?

Marie: I think everyone going to Boston this year knew the city would be safe. Last year’s tragedy was just not going to repeat itself. The city as well as the Boston Athletic Association lost so much last year. Boston wanted to recover what was lost.

Everyone who was in Boston and associated with the marathon felt the loss. Those 8 or more communities that line the course have been supporting this race for well over a century. They have grown up with this marathon. They don’t drive out of their driveways on this day. They are there with signs and bells and whistles and hands held out ready for touching. Grammar school children are giving out orange sections as you run by. Small children are giving away lemonade to runners.

runners and their families that deluged the city this year.

Marie: The atmosphere truly was the cry “Boston Strong”! I only heard positive and upbeat comments. There will always be sadness over the 2013 Boston Marathon but the city has been in recovery mode since the day the bombers were captured. Lives were changed forever and even those severely injured are recovering and living life as full as they can. Those who lost family members and those injured were there with the same spirit of the city and the runners and that is that things changed but we are recovering and will end up stronger than we were before.

No bags. No backpacks. The same for spectators. A plastic see through bag may have been okay, but no backpacks. Everything was open to inspection. Boston did not want the city to appear like a military camp with armed personnel everywhere. There were police and even police dogs especially close to the finish line but most were undercover. It did not give the appearance of being an armed city. I imagine there were even some undercover runners amongst us as well.

One thing I noticed different this

miles from the Boston Commons where we caught the school buses which drove us to the Athlete’s Village. The Hyatt Regency offered us free shuttle to and from Boston Commons. The hotels out of town are more reasonable but on race day it is inconvenient not to be close to Boston Commons to catch the school buses which carry the 37,000 runners to Hopkinton.

W2W: Describe the atmosphere of the city and the attitude of both Bostonians and all of the

W2W: Describe race day and your pre-race ritual.

Marie: I’ve run 3 marathons and the prerace ritual is the same.

Awaken at 4:00 or 5:00 am. I get my clothes on that I’ve set out the night before. Eat a banana with peanut butter. I had planned to have my usual oatmeal, nuts and raisins on the bus but left for the shuttle without it. Bad mistake.

There is food at Athlete’s Village but not what I usually eat. At Athlete’s Village I ate ½ bagel, ½ Greek yogurt and ½ banana. I didn’t want to start out feeling “full”. We spent our entire time at Athlete’s Village in a line eating and waiting on port-a-john availability! It was 39 degrees but warmed up to almost 70 by the finish.

W2W: How was your run this time? How did your knee hold out?

Marie: My knees did great. I had leg cramps the last 2 miles which slowed me down somewhat. I think if I’d had my oatmeal, raisins and nuts on the bus heading out to the start, I’d have fared www.lexingtonwomanonline.com

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Let’s Talk better.

W2W: What were your thoughts throughout the 26.2 miles?

Marie: I prayed for everyone I know. 4+ hours is a long time. I do my training runs with music but on all 3 marathons I just tried to enjoy the moment. I listen to conversations around me, listen to the crowds cheering and pray.

I prayed to finish. My goal was to finish, uninjured. And thanks be to God, I did.

W2W: What was your completion time?

Marie: 4:44.37 Four hours, 44 minutes and 37 seconds. This is 10 minutes slower than my qualifying time at Myrtle Beach. If I’d run it 4 minutes and 37 seconds faster, I’d have qualified to run Boston again next year!

W2W: What did it feel like to cross the finish line?

Marie: I was exhausted but exhilarated. I felt satisfied. I’d finished. I think I texted my daughter saying, “It’s over.”

W2W: Describe your post-race experience.

Marie: My post-race experience is still going on! There is nothing like this race. Nothing. The course is basically a net downhill going through quaint neighborhoods that run in a straight line from Hopkinton into Boston. As you run you are thinking of all of the elite as well as non-elite runners who have run this course for well over 100 years. You only make about 4 or 5 turns and just about all of those are in Boston proper. I keep having flashbacks.

I remember what people said. I remember the signs of the female students at Wellesley College such as “Kiss me, I’m from Maine.” (or Russia, or England or wherever!) You can hear them screaming about 1-2 blocks before you see them. Along the route there are people grilling, picnicking fraternities celebrating Patriots Day with parties on the lawn. The race course goes through 3 institutions: Boston College, Boston University and Wellesley. Wellesley is a girls’ school so the male runners really like to get on the right side of the

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Celebrating, Motivating and Educating

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course going through Wellesley!

Darby, Karen and I went out to dinner the night after the race.

We had sushi, lettuce wraps, and rice. It was exhilarating to be finished, to be safe, and to have completed the most prestigious of all races anywhere.

W2W: What is next for Marie Bridges?

Marie: What’s next? Not sure.

I’m back keeping a base of 5-6 miles early in the mornings every other day. SC mornings are great right now after the cold and wet winter. It’s great to be uninjured.

It’s great to be alive and able to run. I’m so thankful for the experience. I’ll never forget it. Don’t know if I’ll have sudden death or spend time at Lexington Extended Care or Carroll Campbell Place in the next 25 years but I

I had no fear returning to Boston. I knew Boston would do everything possible to make this a safe place to be. know I’ve a made a memory that I don’t think can be topped. And I’m going to relish that memory as long as I can wherever I am. I am thankful to my God for the ability and what He has done to make this possible. In August, 24 years ago I was in a hospital bed in Columbia recovering from laryngeal cancer surgery, with a tracheostomy which was in place for 17 weeks. I was unable to swallow or talk. Look at me now.

What a great God I know!

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Let’s Talk

Stepping Out DANCE STUDIO By: Patti McGrath Photography By: Robert Patrick Image Design

N

ewlywed Katelan Kranz dreamed of owning a dance studio, but not just any dance studio would do. She wanted to own Stepping Out Dance Studio. “I began dancing at Stepping Out when I was four years old,” she explains.

“I danced here on the competitive team all the way through high school, then taught classes here while I attended USC in Columbia. After I graduated college I became even more involved as the Company Manager leading the competitive team.

When the owners wanted to retire, it was a natural transition for me to step in as the new owner since I had worked in every aspect of the studio at some point. This studio has been a huge part of my life!”

Kranz has always had a passion for dance.

“I grew up doing all styles of dance but tap dancing was my favorite. I joined the competition team at age eight and traveled all around the Southeast to dance competitions,” she remembers. “I competed in group dances and I also did numerous tap solos.”

But, it wasn’t just dancing that got her interest.

“Everything surrounding dance and everything that goes on behind the scenes has fascinated me,” Kranz states. “I love picking out and ordering costumes, planning recitals, and searching for the perfect music for each child! The joy and excitement on a child's face as they master a step is what makes it all worth it!”

Kranz wants her students to find joy in dance.

“I want them to grow as individuals not only in their dance technique but in their confidence and creativity. Not all my students will continue to dance as professionals but they will continue to have professional careers as

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Celebrating, Motivating and Educating

teachers, nurses etc. I want the skills they have learned through dance to prepare them to succeed in whatever field they choose,” she says.

Stepping Out classes are open to students two years and older, offering Combination Classes open to the youngest students (half tap /half ballet) as a great introduction to beginners.

In addition, the Studio offers Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Clogging, Lyrical/Contemporary, Musical Theater, and Acro/Gymnastics classes to children five years and older in all skill levels. They even offer an Adult Ballet as well as Yoga Classes on the weekends.

The Studio features an award winning Competitive Dance Team for ages five and older that competes at dance competitions all around SC, NC and GA. The teams have won numerous awards for their technique and creative routines, receiving recognition for being one of the best teams in the Southeast.

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Stepping Out recently remodeled their studio.

Walls were torn down; new walls were built and painted, new ballet barres installed along with new sound equipment and dance flooring. The new lobby offers a new student lounge with cubbies to hold dance bags and shoes.

Although proud of the many improvements, Kranz is proudest of the sense of camaraderie and family at the Studio. “I have taught some of the teenagers, now in high school, since they were seven years old,” she states. “I have watched them grow up over the years. I know their families and we stay in touch outside of the studio. It’s also heartwarming to see how close the families within my studio are as well.”

So, why is it so important for Kranz to own Stepping Out? “Dance has been such a positive influence on my life and I want to pass that along!”

5175 Sunset Blvd Suite E Lexington, SC 29072 803-526-7766

www.SteppingOutSC.com

Tap Ballet/Pointe Jazz Lyrical/Contemporary Hip-Hop Musical Theater Clogging Gymnastics Ages 2 & up - All skill levels Located behind McAlisters Deli

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www.beehealthyclinics.com • (803) 520-8644 • 5541 C Sunset Boulevard, Lexington

Let’s Talk

Cirque du Soleil:

Varekai

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Date: November 5-9 Place: Colonial Life Arena, 801 Lincoln St, Columbia, SC Tickets: Lexington Medical Center Box Office inside Colonial Life Arena, www.LMCtix.com, 1-855-4-LMC-TIX (1-855-4562849), or Play It Again Sports (Harbison) ‘Follow’ us on Twitter- @CLAmktg ‘Like’ us on Facebook- Colonial Life Arena ‘Follow’ us on Instagram- ColonialLifeArena Get social with #CirqueCLA Photo: Martin Girard / shootstudio.ca Costumes: Eiko Ishioka © 2014 Cirque du Soleil

sabelle Corradi is one of the 56 performers in the Cirque du Soleil Company which will be visiting Columbia this November. She and her sister, Violaine, grew up in a musical family and have followed in their

parents’ footsteps. Their mother was an Opera singer and their father was a composer. These talented young ladies, having grown up listening on their mother’s knee to her practicing for the opera, are now themselves singing and composing for audiences all over the world.

This year’s Cirque du Soleil performance will be the show Varekai. Varekai means "Wherever" in Romany, the language of the gypsies, the universal wanderers. As “The Muse” in Cirque, Isabelle will be singing songs composed by her sister, Violaine, who is the composer of Varekai.

The story is described as that “of a solitary young man parachuted into the shadows of a magical forest - a kaleidoscopic world imbued with fantastical creatures. The young man takes flight in an adventure both absurd and extraordinary. On this day, at the edge of time, in this place of pure and undiluted possibility, begins an inspired incantation to a life rediscovered and to a newly found wonder in the mysteries of the world and the mind.”

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Celebrating, Motivating and Educating

There was such enthusiasm in Isabelle’s voice when she spoke of her love for singing and performing with Cirque that it was hard not to become equally excited about this November’s show. Her goal is to inspire joy in the heart of the audience.

I had never heard of Cirque du Soleil until a few years ago when I saw their performance of Alegria at the Colonial Life Arena. Since then I have been to every Cirque show the Colonial Life Arena has hosted. The athleticism of these actors and singers are awe inspiring. I recounted to Isabelle my amazement at the first show I attended, when the curtain rose and I saw the live musicians behind it. It was such a flawless performance, I had thought it was a musical soundtrack.

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Maybe it is because I, too, am a singer in a family of musicians or maybe it is because her excitement was just that infectious, but whatever the reason, I cannot wait to take my family to this year’s performance. When Isabelle spoke it was obvious she has found her calling in life as she told me of her purpose, beyond that of giving a stellar performance. Cirque as a whole, she says, is “all about giving love.”

There will be no shortage of the daring stunts and dramatic illustrations Cirque is known for in this production. I fully expect it to be filled with colors and a vibrancy that makes most other live performances pale in comparison. If you have never had an opportunity to attend a Cirque Du Soleil show, buy a ticket today. I am convinced you will be a fan for life.

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Professional

We Can Change

the future

Patti McGrath

T

he Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School (WLGOS), located in Columbia, SC, is changing the lives of their students. WLGOS offers a structured, residential, military-style environment that emphasizes an academic and life skills education. It is through this training the school leads each student to a new beginning.

What is an ‘Opportunity School’ you may wonder. “Since inception, the WLGOS has specialized in helping at-risk young people move past life’s obstacles to achieve success,” states Pat Smith, the Director at the school. “The school provides students with a technologically advanced, state-of-the-art classroom environment designed to encourage learning and the application of new skills. Our daily goal is to engage student’s minds, develop their personal character and build relationships with our students.”

The WLGOS is an agency of state government that is funded by the legislature. This allows the school to provide an education that is tuition free with the exception of a nominal $200 fee to cover student incidentals. The balance of the fund is refunded when the student leaves the program.

All teachers are state certified, and the school’s curriculum is designed to prepare students for a General Education Development (GED) diploma.

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her first students. In 1947, Dr. Gray secured the rights to the current property of the former Columbia Army Air Base. From there the school has grown into a modern campus. Today, because of the school’s success rate, it is often referred to as the state’s alternative school. We are

coming high-risk and dropping out. Without an education, they become unemployed or underemployed, and lack the basic skills to support themselves.”

“Upon arrival, the students we serve are on average below grade for their age, functioning at the 5th to 6th grade level and are in danger of not obtaining a high school education,” Smith con-

Is the Opportunity School helping these students become successful members of society?

“Following several years of tracking, 60% of our students entered post-secondary education or became self-employed, 24% returned to public school to complete their education and 6% joined the armed services,” Smith states. “Through the years, many Opportunity School

Through the years, many Opportunity School graduates have gone on to be very successful professionals. renowned for structured academics; we also value the importance of balancing academics with art, athletics, community service and leadership opportunities.”

“Dr. Wil Lou Gray founded the Opportunity School in 1921 to serve citizens who lacked a formal education as a result of having to work to help their family with expenses,” explains Smith. “The original location was the Tamassee Salem DAR School, where she began teaching

Why is a school like this needed?

“We find that students who enroll in the program have often withdrawn from public school out of personal or family necessity, marginal academic performance, and what appeared to be a very distant, near impossible, road to a high school diploma,” says Smith.

“Those difficulties led them to be-

Celebrating, Motivating and Educating

Real Women

tinues. “Our instructional staff utilizes a specifically designed blend of technology and selfpaced GED texts that provide students a customized opportunity to succeed. Through the use of TABE testing, these students typically measure 18 months progress in reading and math following 13 weeks in the classroom with others progressing 4 to 5 years.

The program provides students a more realistic path to a high school education in a shorter period of time.”

graduates have gone on to be very successful professionals. We have graduated a former sheriff, a vascular surgeon, and others who chose to serve our country in a branch of the armed forces, and many who have become good, solid, productive citizens in the workplace. There are many deserving graduates, and we are proud of them all.”

For more information on the Opportunity School, please visit their website at www.willougray. org or call (803) 896-6480.

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Jennifer Wilson, The Woman Behind the MAN J By: Amy Pittsenbarger

Photography by Clark Berry

ennifer Wilson, the wife of South Carolina’s Attorney General Alan Wilson, is a busy woman, in every sense of the word. She graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism

from the University of Missouri. She moved to South Carolina in 2000 when she was recruited by WIS-TV. “It’s not my home state, but I love the culture and people in this beautiful place,” she explains with a smile. Jennifer and Alan met in 2001, when Jennifer was interviewing Congressman Joe Wilson, Alan’s father. Joe introduced Jennifer and Alan, as Alan was finishing up his last year of law school. “Alan asked me out to lunch and we’ve been together ever since. I still have the piece of paper that Alan wrote his phone number on the night he asked me on our first date,” Jennifer laughs. They were married in 2006. Jennifer and Wilson have two children, Anna Grace, 4, and Michael, 6, and a dog, Nate.

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Real Women

Professional “My journalism and public relations experience have allowed me to help Alan craft key messages on the campaign trail and navigate media relations well,” Jennifer says. Alan has also had a huge impact on their children. “From an early age, Alan has instilled in Michael and Anna Grace that we should serve our community, our state and our country,” she explains.

“Some people may think that my life with Alan is full of glamour, swanky parties and fancy people. While it’s true that Alan and I have the opportunity to attend some great events and meet inspiring individuals, that’s a very small part of our world,” Jennifer states. Alan’s job takes him away from home for plenty of meetings and speaking engagements.

In addition to all of the work that she does as a partner in her husband’s career, Jennifer also works as the Public Relations Manager at Lexington Medical Center. She first fell in love with LMC after she delivered her first child there, and she says she feels privileged to work there. In her own words: “I’m responsible for serving as a spokesperson for the hospital when necessary, writing editorials and articles about important medical topics, helping news reporters cover health stories, supervising our social media program and working on hospital events and advertising campaigns.”

She says the most rewarding part of her job is “feeling satisfaction knowing that I can educate our community about health and show them how modern medicine can make them better.”

Much of what she does on a daily basis is taking care of the children and the house.

“I’m proud of my role keeping the home fires burning. Women are the backbone of America. We’ve always excelled at multitasking and rising to meet challenges,” Jennifer says. She also points out that their marriage is a “partnership”, and at the time when her career at the hospital comes first, Alan is the one who takes over the home duties.

Because her life involves juggling so many different roles, Jennifer has a wealth of advice to offer to other busy wives and mothers. “My advice to women

would be to focus on a few main priorities. For me, that’s taking care of Michael and Anna Grace, being the best wife I can be, and doing a great job at the hospital,” she explains, “It’s impossible to do everything. Know what’s important, be the best you that you can be, and take care of you!

In her free time, Jennifer enjoys cooking, interior design, gardening, reading, shopping, traveling, and working out. She also is a member of the Junior League of Columbia and a book club called “Reading Between the Wines.” You can contact Jennifer at mrsjenniferannewilson@gmail.com or follow her on Twitter at @JGirlWilson.

Women are the backbone of America. We’ve always excelled at multitasking and rising to meet challenges www.lexingtonwomanonline.com

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LADIES OF M AIN S TR E E T

a r u a L Reid

BROKER / OWNER

955 East Main Street Suite R Lexington, SC 29072

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MEET Survivor Denise Smith By: Patti McGrath Photography by: Robert Patrick Image Design

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Celebrating, Motivating and Educating

Women LexinReal gton Woman c e l e b r a te s th e s u r v i vo r i n yo u

Celebrating the Survivor in You!

I

t doesn’t matter who you are or what you do for a living when you hear the words ‘You have breast cancer.’

It is a devastating diagnosis even for a registered nurse like Denise Smith. “I can't even begin to describe the emotions and fear,” says Smith. “I was flooded with uncertainty. What would happen to me? Why me? Because I am a nurse, you would think that I would not have so many questions. But it is different when it is you.

You stop being the nurse. I was now the patient.”

Smith was understandably distraught. Her sister Cindy had been diagnosed with breast cancer when she was only 36 years old. Her cancer was advanced when it was discovered.

She fought her battle for years before cancer took her in 2003, leaving behind her husband and three children. “Cindy taught me the importance of truly living and enjoying every day,” Smith states. “She made sure that she enjoyed every minute with their boys. She was always so positive and would go for treatment and then go to ball games or their other activities. She did not want to miss a minute of their life. Cindy fought with remarkable strength, courage and grace.”

new beginning. It is a very meaningful, an accomplishment, and a way of saying ‘I made it!’ I looked around and there were about 30 coworkers there to cheer me on as I rang that bell!”

She was ready for a new adventure and accepted a job in California, but it wasn’t meant to be. “I went for my routine follow up

Also, her boyfriend Todd was with her throughout her cancer journey.

“He proposed to me in December of 2010, and we married on Valentine’s Day in 2011,” she beams.

“He is one of the greatest gifts I have ever been given.”

Now, as she celebrates her milestone of five years as a cancer survivor, she reminds us all – Don’t sweat the small stuff because every day is special.

She also supports

It was her sister’s battle that made Smith’s family realize the importance of having a mammogram. “It was very hard for my mom, my sister Pam, my daughter Kim and me to go for our mammograms,” she recalls. “We would support each other and sometimes go together. We were always a close family, but this journey drew us even closer.”

So, Smith began her own journey battling breast cancer. “My lumpectomies were scheduled, talks of treatments, chance of survival, what to expect, what is the right treatment choice? It was all a blur. Could this really be happening?” she wondered. “I continued to pray and believe I could beat this.”

It was a challenge. After surgery, her radiation treatments were difficult and made her extremely tired. Fortunately, she had a great support system. “When I had no strength, my family and friends supported me with theirs.

There was always someone willing to help, so many offers of food, help with housework and grocery shopping,” Smith remembers. “When my treatment was complete, I was so proud to ring the bell on the last day of radiation!

The ringing of the bell is significant because it is the end of one chapter of my life and a

Smith had many people supporting her once again. “My surgeon, Dr. Robert Cochran, was always the light at the end of the tunnel. He kept me focused and was always positive. My family and friends across the United States were always supportive and continued praying for me,” she says.

mammogram but I could tell that something was not right. There were a lot of worried looks. I was terrified!” Smith explains. “My mammogram showed another spot. It seemed unbelievable. The spot was right between the two spots we had just destroyed. I had been through radiation but the cancer had survived! My move to California was put on hold and my family and I dug our heels in deeper, this time for extensive surgical treatment. I wanted the cancer risk gone!”

her sister Pam who also was diagnosed with breast cancer but is doing well.

When asked what she would tell other cancer patients after her ordeal she says, “I know God answers prayers. I learned strength comes from within and when your strength is gone borrow it from others who love you.

Positive thinking is survival.”

And, of course, her most important advice is to get a mammogram. It could save your life! www.lexingtonwomanonline.com

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Celebrating, Motivating and Educating

Real Women

Hydroworx Pool Rehab with Hima Dalal: Healing your Body with the Benefits of Aqua Therapy

A

t Vital Energy Wellness and Rehab Center, their main goal is to get you better, quicker. Aquatic therapy, or hydrotherapy, is appropriate for patients of all ages, surgeries, and abilities. The list of patients who could benefit from aquatic therapy goes on and on – from athletes recovering from sports injuries, to the average patient with joint pain, to suffering fibromyalgia patients, among many others.

Hydrotherapy works in several ways. For one, the water provides support for the body, which is beneficial for a patient who cannot tolerate weight-bearing activities or has joint pain.

Additionally, the water provides resistance in all directions, which is utilized for strengthening exercises. Finally, the pressure of the water reduces swelling in the legs and feet, as well as reducing the perception of pain.

Especially for anyone who has just undergone a corrective joint surgery, such as knee surgery, Vital Energy utilizes techniques that minimize pain and speed up healing. At Vital Energy, licensed therapists provide oneon-one attention to determine a treatment plan aimed at meeting each patient’s unique goals. With

use of their Hydroworx pool and underwater treadmill, patients who might only be able to walk 5 to 10 minutes on land can easily walk for 30 minutes under water. In water you experience buoyancy and weightlessness because only 25 to 35 percent of your body weight is present.

Because of the buoyancy factor, aquatic therapy allows a patient to rehabilitate nearly pain-free.

The water is maintained at a therapeutic temperature, between 88 and 92 degrees Fahrenheit, which increases blood flow to the muscles and is also soothing to the patient.

Aquatic therapy is extremely beneficial during early phases of your recovery since you can move without limping or compensation. Often during recovery from

a knee surgery, patients compensate by placing more weight on their good knee while their post-surgical knee is healing. This could result in adverse effects in the good knee that may not have been present prior to the surgery.

Rehabilitation under water eliminates this tendency to compensate and therefore, is much more beneficial for both your knees and your body as a whole.

Leigh Catoe, a resident of Camden, has found aquatic therapy so extremely beneficial that she has been willing to drive from Camden to Lexington three times a week for treatments. After her shoulder surgery, she was making little progress at the previous physical therapy clinic. It was then her doctor recommended switching to Vital Energy. Leigh

has made significant progress since starting a hydrotherapy regimen at Vital Energy about two months ago. She states, “The pool therapy visits have made a huge difference in my healing time. The warm water also helps tremendously to loosen the muscles in my shoulder.”

In addition to benefits during post-surgical recovery, aquatic therapy can also provide a less stressful means of weight loss and cardiac strengthening, which may be ordered by your doctor prior to surgery. For patients who are eager to have surgery, aquatic therapy is a quicker and more enjoyable way to meet the goals set forth by their doctor than traditional on-land exercises.

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POOL FEATURES:

1. An integrated variable speed treadmill 2. Resistive jets 3. Massage hose 4. Removable grab bars 5. Warm water at a therapeutic temperature 6. Entry into the pool can be gained by using steps with handrails or the hydraulic chair lift for easy access

IDEAL FOR INCREASING: 1. Strength 2. Endurance 3. Posture 4. Mobility 5. Sensory Integration 6. Body Mechanics 7. Cardiovascular Training 8. Balance 9. Range of Motion

803.359.1551

www.vitalenergytherapy.com FM/CFS Support Group 28

IDEAL FOR TREATING:

1. Chronic pain 2. Arthritis management 3. Fibromyalgia 4. Neck, shoulder, lower back, knee, hip, groin and ankle injuries and pain 5. Post-op conditions (e.g. ACL, TKA , laminectomy, rotator cuff repair) 6. Scar management 7. Sports and work related injuries 8. Balance and gait disturbance 9. Neurological disability 10. Obesity 11. Sensory impairment for pediatric conditions 12. Lymphedema

For more information, visit www.vitalenergytherapy. com or call 803-359-1551

MAIN LOCATION:

163 Charter Oak Road Lexington, SC 29072

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NEW LOCATIONS: 450 Killian Road Columbia, SC 29203 Inside Golds Gym- Forest Acres 4114 Forest Drive, Columbia, SC 29206

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29

Breast Cancer With A Little Help from Our Friends

Patti Handel is a four-time cancer survivor

C

“’

ancer’ is the scariest word in the English language,” says Patti Handel. “But it’s only part of us. It doesn’t define us.” The 61-year-old from Irmo shares words of wisdom at monthly meetings of Woman to Woman, Lexington Medical Center’s support group for breast cancer survivors.

Handel started attending Woman to Woman meetings after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2007, just one month after she and her husband moved to Irmo from Long Island, New York.

“I didn’t have a South Carolina driver’s license yet and I needed an oncologist, surgeon and other doctors. It was overwhelming.”

So, she found comfort – and new friends in a new town – at the support group, which is designed to offer companionship to women who are recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

At Woman to Woman, cancer survivors share their experiences, learn about the latest treatment options and swap tips including how pickle juice seems to help cure chemotherapy-induced nausea.

That’s where Patti met Brenda Osteen in 2010.

Brenda, age 67, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 after a mammogram.

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Celebrating, Motivating and Educating

The Lexington resident endured a mastectomy, chemotherapy and reconstruction.

At the meetings, Patti and Brenda hit it off.

“Patti’s been where I’ve been,” Brenda said. “You can’t explain cancer to someone who hasn’t gone through it. It’s like trying to explain a migraine to someone who never had a headache.”

When you see Patti and Brenda together, you can tell they’re close. Both impeccably dressed, they laugh like college friends and share jokes and stories that make you laugh from your belly.

From trading bestsellers they’ve read to talking about their grandchildren while sipping a cocktail at a weekly dinner, they understand each other well.

“We need friends to hold hands with, laugh with and cry with,” Patti said.

Patti especially needed Brenda’s support after a cancer

Real Women

(Left to Right) Brenda Osteen and Patti Handel talking at the West Columbia Riverwalk along the Congaree River

We need friends to hold hands with, laugh with and cry with recurrence in her leg in 2010, and another in her abdomen and pelvis one year ago.

“When it came back, I was mad as a hornet,” Patti said.

Patti has had chemotherapy

three times and lost her hair twice. She’s monitored every 8 weeks, with scans every three months.

Brenda has inspired Patti to stay positive.

Kelly Jeffcoat, Lexington Medical Center breast cancer nurse navigator, support group leader and breast cancer survivor

“We get up, put on our makeup, lipstick and earrings - and head out. Life is too precious to waste,” Brenda said.

Kelly Jeffcoat, breast cancer nurse navigator at Lexington Medical Center, runs the Woman to Woman support group at the hospital. As a breast cancer survivor herself, she has a first-hand understanding of the group’s experience.

“This crazy, horrible thing called breast cancer ends up giving you these beautiful relationships,” she said.

Having a cheering section during cancer is important. Studies have shown that women with friends who support them through their cancer journey may experience better outcomes.

Patti and Brenda count Kelly as a big part

(Left to Right) Patti Handel and Brenda Osteen standing at the West Columbia Riverwalk

of the cheering section.

“Kelly is instrumental in the treatment, care and recovery of women going through breast cancer,” Patti said. “Kelly can really say, ‘I know how you feel. I understand.’”

Patti and Brenda will attend Women’s Night Out on October 14, Lexington Medical Center’s annual dinner that recognizes October as breast cancer awareness month and honors cancer survivors and their families. More than 900 people attend each year.

The event includes a silent auction, physician exhibits, fashion show featuring models who are breast cancer survivors, dinner and a talk with keynote speaker Kate Larsen. A breast cancer survivor, Larsen will talk about the importance of friendship during cancer treatment.

For more information about Women’s Night Out or to purchase tickets, visit LexMed.com or call Lexington Medical Center Community Outreach at (803) 936-8850.

The Woman to Woman support group at Lexington Medical Center meets on the 4th Thursday of each month at 5:00 p.m. inside the Women’s Imaging lobby at 2728 Sunset Boulevard in West Columbia. That’s Lexington Medical Park 1 on the hospital campus. The support group is free and open to any woman who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, regardless of where she has received her treatment.

For more information about Lexington Medical Center’s cancer services, visit LexMed.com.

www.lexingtonwomanonline.com

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Blake Michael 8lbs 2 oz and 20 1/2 inches May 20th, 2014

Congratulations to the Poston Family!!

It was Spring 2010 when we first told you about the Poston family. I will never forget I was at a Fundraiser event that May when a lady came up and introduced herself to me.

“Lori Duncan”, she said, “Thank you for making me cry in my cornflakes.” She went on to tell me how her heart went out to the Poston’s and how she thought they were incredibly strong to share their story. It was the fall of that year that we told you the happy news that the Poston’s had delivered a beautiful healthy baby girl to add to their family. That made their family two girls and one little angel boy.

On May 20th of this year, Crystal Starnes Poston delivered a beautiful , healthy baby boy.

His name is Blake Michael Poston and he is just precious. All smiles and blue eyes, he has the whole family entranced. Because it was heartbreaking to tell you about little Benjamin and his journey, I only thought it fair to share the birth of their other son.

Congratulations Benjie and Crystal! May God continue to bless you and others through you.

The world is a better place for having one more little Poston in it!

(You can read the full story of Benjamin Michael Poston II online in our Lexington Woman Archives in Volume VIII)

Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

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Business & Web Directory Adult Care Columbia’s Care Services LLC.................... 32 www.columbiascare.com

Health Services

Art and Entertainment

Centa Hearing Center.................................. 32 www.centamedical.com

Aiken Visitors Center.................................. 19 www.visitaikensc.com Columbia Museum of Art............................. 7 www.columbiamuseum.org Spinners Resort & Marina........................... 15 www.spinnersresort.com Stepping Out Dance Studio......................... 15 www.steppingoutsc.com Town Theatre................................................ 15 www.towntheatre.com Attorney Kinard & Jones................................................ 9 www.kinardandjones.com Childrens Instructional Play

Bee healthy.................................................... 15 www.beehealthyclinics.com

Lexington Medical Center..... 29 ,Back Cover www.lexmed.com Triangle Pharmacy....................................... 35 Vital Energy Rehab Center.......................... 28 www.vitalenergytherapy.com Home Services JDM Building Group................................... 23 www.jdmbuildinggroup.com Hotels Comfort Suites.............................................. 12 www.comfortsuiteslexington.com

Homewood Suites by Hilton................................26 www.homewoodsuites3.hilton.com

Programs The Little Gym.............................................. 12 www.thelittlegym.com

Wingate by Wyndham...........................................34 www.charlestonwingate.com www.lexingtonwingate.com

Dentist

Insurance

Northwood Dental....................................... 29 www.northwooddentalsc.com

Health Markets – Jeff Howle....................... 26 www.healthmarkets.com

Education Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School............ 17 www.willougray.org

First South Insurance Agency, INC............. 5 www.fsia.net Interior Design

Southeastern Esthetics Institute..........................32

Beautiful Windows....................................... 19 www.beautifulwindowselgin.com

Eye Care Envision Family EyeCare............................. 29 www.envisionfamilyeyecare.com

Chris Metz Interiors..................................... 26 www.chrismetzinteriors.com

www.seestheticsinstitute.com

Parent Coaching Happily Parenting......................................... 12 www.happilyparenting.com Pets Grace Pets Animal Hospital.......................... 5 www.gracepets.com Millcreek Animal Hospital.......................... 22 www.millcreekanimalhospital.com Photography Clark Berry Photography........................ Inside Back Cover www.clarkberry.com Robert Patrick Image Design.................................. Inside Front Cover www.rpimagedesign.com Real Estate

Earth Available Realty, Inc.......................................3 www.EarthAvailable.com

Remax – Laura Reid..................................... 22 www.lakemurraylaura.com Restaurants Main Street Cafe........................................... 23 Mcdonalds....................................................... 5 www.mcdonalds.com Salon Dw Headquarters......................................... 19 www.dwheadquarters.com www.jaasthings.com Shopping Catz Formals................................................. 23 www.catzformalwear.com Decorative Fabrics........................................ 22 The Classy Cruet........................................... 23 www.theclassycruet.com

A Personal Note

Have I Done ENOUGH?

I

find myself in very uncomfortable spot right now. I am the mother of four distinct individuals, each of whom is in a different place and stage of life this Fall. I have one who is a college freshman, a Junior in High School, a Sixth Grader in Middle School, and a Second Grader at the Elementary School. I would love to tell you that these transitions have been all sunshine and roses. I wish I could say that homework is getting finished; that there are no disagreements; that everyone is up and where they are supposed to be on time; and that life is moving forward just the way it is supposed to. Unfortunately, I’d be lying.

I have always been a very hands-on Mom, so having my oldest son two hours away is hard. (I’m sure some of you can sympathize.) I worry about what I can’t see; what I don’t know; what I might miss because I can’t look him in the eyes every day. I know it is time to take my hands off more, to let him learn on his own by experience. Knowing it does not make it any easier.

I worry about Abby as she ventures out on her own more frequently. For her to be driving on her own is very scary to me, even though she has proven herself to be a responsible driver. More time alone in the car means more opportunity for something to go wrong, and many more “somethings” that could go wrong.

Colton is alone at the middle school and Ryan is alone at the elementary school. Who are their friends? Are they choosing wisely? Is their circle of influence growing in a way that will help them make good choices for the future? Are they making new friends? Are they paying attention in class? A minister once told me the best thing I could do for my children was to know who their friends were, because, after a certain age, that is who they will look to for guidance.

All these worries are probably articulating the same question, “Did I do enough?” Did I give them the tools they need to make good choices, to follow the right path? Isn’t that what all of us want to know? As parents isn’t that what we are all trying to accomplish - to raise happy, healthy, law abiding, successful adults?

And, the worst part, of course, is that I know in some ways, some days, I didn’t. None of us are perfect parents no matter how hard we try or how much we want to be.

I have prayed every day for each of them since they were little - that no weapons formed against them will prosper; that they will make good choices; that they will be kind to others, and work hard to do their best.

All I can do now is keep trusting and trying to give them advice (as long as they ask me for it, and probably sometimes when they haven’t!) and praying that God will cover the areas I might have missed and show me what I can do better today. I will pray the same for you and yours.

Your Friend,

Lori Samples Duncan

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.