MEET A 60-YEAR-OLD FLY GIRL HOPE • INSPIRATION • POSSIBILITY
®
November/December 2013
WENDY CHIOJI is Ready to Beat Cancer Again
EASY DOES IT After a Stroke, TV’s Secily Wilson is Determined to Stop and Smell the Roses.
INSPIRING OLYMPIAN
DeeDee Trotter’s Speedy Comeback
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The Holiday Turkey is in the…Dishwasher?
Top 10 Warning Signs Your Elders May Need Help By Mary Merrell Bailey, Esq. CPA MBA MSTaxation MSAccounting Publix has the greatest holiday television commercials, doesn’t it? They evoke love, warmth, family and wonderful meals. You can’t wait to visit home. This year, between your multiple servings of sweet potato casserole, get a feel for how your elderly loved ones really are doing. They may be disguising fading capacity behind a cheerful façade. You might not be privy to the results of Mom’s latest neurological exam, but these practical hints can alert you to warning signs that Mom’s mental and physical well-being might not be as strong as she may lead you to believe.
1. The Main Meal. Your Mom may have been holding large family dinners flawlessly your whole life. But this holiday, perhaps she overlooked a traditional family favorite, or undercooked the turkey, or added salt instead of sugar to the pecan pie batter? Hosting a large meal requires a surprising amount of executive-level brain function. Mom has to plan the menu, travel to the store and purchase the appropriate amount of ingredients, read and follow a recipe, use multiple kitchen appliances, time the food preparation, and get the house ready for company. Bobbling the holiday meal can be one of the first public signs of cognitive decline.
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2. The Car. If Dad’s car has scrapes and dents, Dad’s eyesight might need to be checked. He may not be able to judge distances, or see past the hood. He could be suffering from seizures. Limited mobility might hamper him from being able to turn his head to look both ways. Dad may be experiencing regular fender benders, but if he is crafty, he may rush to fix the damage without reporting it to you — or to the insurance company — for fear of losing his driver’s license. 3. The Refrigerator and Pantry. Do you notice spoiled or out-of-date food? Are the shelves bare? Aunt Sally might no longer remember
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electronically. Record his passwords — the inability to access digital assets is an ever-increasing problem. 6. The House. How does your parents’ home appear? Is the foliage overgrown? Are the shutters askew, screens torn, windows broken, or is paint peeling? Does the plumbing function? Are all appliances operable? Are there stacks of dirty dishes or garbage in the house? Do you smell anything odd or offensive? Your parents may lack the physical, mental, or financial wherewithal to keep up their home. We all hate to recognize it, but there comes a point as your parents age that they will be unsafe living at home alone. They may need assistance with lawn care, house cleaning, meal preparation, and personal care. They may need to downsize, or move into some form of communal living. This is an incredibly difficult subject to discuss. Start the conversation early and keep the channels of communication open, but don’t be surprised if your parents balk at discussing any plan for their incapacity.
to eat. Perhaps she doesn’t have transportation to the store. Could Aunt Sally lack the money to buy food? 4. Personal Physical Appearance. Is Uncle Henry unclean or disheveled? Is he bruised or cut? Uncle Henry could be losing his sight. Are his clothes too large or too small? Uncle Henry could suffer from an undiagnosed medical condition that is affecting his weight. 5. The Mail. Is the mail piled up or unopened? Are there notices from creditors? Dad may be overwhelmed and unable to handle his financial affairs. Shipments of bizarre items that Dad ordered, or thank you notes from disreputable charitable or religious organizations, or unexplained checks or PayPal deductions shown on the bank statements may mean Dad is being manipulated. No bank statements? Dad may bank or pay bills
7. The Pets. Are the pets being cared for properly? Are there unexpected pets? Has Cousin Ethel turned into the crazy cat lady, or does Uncle Billy have aggressive and uncontrolled dogs? Are they spending money on the pets to their detriment — is everyone eating dog food because it is all they can afford? 8. Personality Changes. Has your sweet-mannered Dad become aggressive or abusive? Has your outgoing Mom become withdrawn? Do their moods swing? Changes in brain function often manifest in behavioral changes. People don’t talk about it much, because it is shocking to have a parent become violent or depressed — but it happens. A lot. Make sure your parent’s physician is aware of your observations, and push for a neurologist’s evaluation if you feel it is warranted.
9. Companions. Our elders can be lonely, isolated, and vulnerable to predators. Be skeptical of new and suddenly close relationships. Pay attention to the names of the people surrounding your loved ones. If your internal warning system alerts, listen to it. 10. Conversation. Can Mom track the discussion? Are her responses appropriate and timely? Suspect hearing loss if Mom tunes out only when there is background noise, but if Mom regularly loses her train of thought mid-sentence, or answers in non-sequiturs, beware of cognitive decline. Your elders have pride and desperately want to maintain their dignity and independence. They can become masterful at presenting a wholesome picture of health and happiness because they love you and don’t want you to worry. Look deeper and pay attention to the smallest signs of mental or physical decline, so you will be better equipped to help them. The holidays are an excellent time to assess and enjoy your loved ones, whether your family resembles a Publix commercial or a Jerry Springer episode.
Merrell Bailey is the managing partner of Your Caring Law Firm, a boutique law firm in Maitland offering probate, wills, trusts and guardianship services, as well as business succession, asset protection and estate planning. Merrell and her partner Hallie Zobel offer clients throughout the Central Florida region compassionate legal counsel on very private family matters. Visit www.YourCaringLawFirm.com or call (407) 622-1900.
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contents 6 FROM THE EDITOR
20 BEHIND THE SCENES
28 BOLDER LIFESTYLE
8 GROWING BOLDER WITH...
What’s new, and who’s new, in our world.
10 GROWING BOLDER KIDS
22 SURVIVING AND THRIVING
How to leave a lasting legacy for your loved ones. By Patricia Charpentier
For our staffers, Growing Bolder starts at home.
Cancer diagnosis leads to a life-saving discovery. By Jackie Carlin
12 FINDING HER TRUE VOICE
23 CHASING THE DREAM
Overcoming a stroke inspires Secily Wilson to use her voice to say “no. By Jackie Carlin
My old nemesis returned, but I’m still looking ahead. By Wendy Chioji
16 MOVE FORWARD, GIVE BACK
30 THE TAKEAWAY Time is precious, so don’t let another year fly by. By Bill Shafer
24 BOLDER NUTRITION
Olympian offers inspiration to athletes of all ages. By Katy Widrick
Make these five superfoods the stars of your feast. By Susan Mitchell, PhD, RD, FAND
18 5 QUESTIONS
26 BOLDER SPORTS
An Orlando broadcast executive finds his “Mojo.” by Katy Widrick
Acrobat Kay Glynn is 60, but she’s still soaring. By Marc Middleton
ON THE COVER: Secily Wilson is a familiar face to Central Florida TV viewers, covering stories about other people. But her own story, recovering from a stroke at age 33, is perhaps the most compelling of all. Photo by Harry Wilkins Photography
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GROWING BOLDER
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Dr. Robert Masson, founder of the NeuroSpine Institute, combined his skills in microneurosurgery with his passion for sports to create the field of sports spine surgery. Inventor of iMas, an intepedicular minimal access surgery of the lumbar spine, he is responsible for the education, product development and research for Synthes Spine in iMas productis and techniques.
All spinal surgeries are not created equal. The NeuroSpine Institute’s renowned minimally invasive surgery means shorter downtime for patients so you can
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Dr. Mitchell Supler brings 17 years of experience to NeuroSpine Institute. Dr. Supler graduated with honors from the University of Florida College of Medicine in 1989, receiving the Lyerly Award for excellence in Neurosurgery. He completed his residency in Neurosurgery at the University of Florida in 1996, having trained with Dr. Masson. Dr. Supler was trained by Dr. Albert Rhoton, the father of microneurosurgery while at the University of Florida, in advanced microneurosurgical anatomy and surgery.
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No-Haters Zone
From the Editor
At Growing Bolder, Civil Discussion Means Zero Tolerance for Trolls.
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ou know by now that we believe the world is filled with hope, inspiration and possibility. We’re not ignoring all that’s wrong or pretending that bad things don’t happen. We get it. Life is a challenge. We all struggle, and it’s easy to get discouraged. What we don’t get is why there seems to be an epidemic of mean-spirited unhappiness. Why are there so many haters? Is the Internet responsible for the rudeness that now seems to permeate nearly every corner of our society? Have you spent any time in online discussion forums? No matter the topic, most forums quickly devolve into nasty name-calling. Emboldened by their anonymity, flame-throwing disrupters called “trolls” seem intent on destroying every conversation simply for their own amusement. Trolls dislike happiness and success. They’re about extinguishing dreams and highlighting flaws in hopes of making themselves look better by comparison. And it’s not just on the Internet. It’s in our own communities and in the nation’s capital. We’re becoming a society of contrarians in which we define ourselves by what we oppose. And what we oppose, in many cases, is simply that which someone else is for. Politicians will kill anything that benefits the other party. The art of compromise is dead. Why can’t we stop noticing differences and start celebrating similarities? Why can’t we promote what we love instead of bashing what we hate? Why must we always look for the bad instead of seeing the good? It’s time to stop tearing down and start building up, and we encourage you to do the same in your life. Growing Bolder has officially been declared a No-Haters Zone, with zero tolerance for trolls. That doesn’t mean we won’t discuss difficult issues. And it doesn’t mean we won’t encourage differing opinions. We love respectful discussion of any idea, including those that are contrary to our own. That’s how we learn and grow. It’s stimulating and it’s fun — until the haters arrive.
Editor-in-Chief Marc Middleton Managing Editor Bill Shafer Associate Editors Katy Widrick, Jackie Carlin Contributing Writers Wendy Chioji, Jill Middleton, Bess Auer, Dr. Susan Mitchell, Patricia Charpentier Contributing Photographers Harry Wilkins, Harry Wilkins Photography; Victah Sailer Digital Development and Production Jason Morrow, Pasquale Dominick Narciso lV, Josh Doolittle, Mike Nanus Senior Account Manager Beth Dover
407-406-5910 1 Purlieu Place, Suite 139 Winter Park, FL 32792 growingboldermagazine.com
Group Publisher Randy Noles Art Director Laura Bluhm Senior Associate Publisher Lorna Osborn Associate Publisher Kathy Byrd Growing Bolder is a publication of Florida Home Media LLC, publishers of Orlando Life. 407-647-0225 2700 Westhall Lane, Suite 128 Maitland, FL 32751 orlando-life.com
Marc Middleton, Editor-in-Chief marcmiddleton@growingbolder.com 6
GROWING BOLDER
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9O SO OR SO
Growing Bolder With... Linda Evans
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Actress and Author “Women oftentimes are caretakers and take care of everyone and leave themselves out. Later in life, one of the great things about staying alive is you get wiser. And I learned I would be a lot happier if I also loved myself and honored myself the way I honor others. Self-love is a beautiful journey, because you stop looking outside of yourself to be happy.” Linda Evans is best known for her roles as Audra Barkley in The Big Valley and Krystle Carrington in Dynasty. In her new book, Recipes For Life: My Memories, Linda Evans is sharing both recipes and candid Hollywood stories.
Dallas Diamond Page
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Former Professional Wrestler, Founder, DDP
“The first 42 years of my life, I was a guy who wouldn’t be caught dead doing yoga. That’s how I was raised on the Jersey shore. Then I realized flexibility was youth, not just in my body but in my mind. Once I became flexible to the idea of trying yoga, it really started to help me and heal me. It’s not about how many times you fall down, it’s about how many times you get up. Never give up.” Diamond Dallas Page is a three-time WCW world champion and a four-time World Tag Team Champion. He’s also one of the great all-time reinventors. These days, he’s a motivational speaker, a nutrition expert, a fitness guru and founder of DDP Yoga, a zero-impact program that combines yoga, sports therapy, resistance training and traditional fitness moves. 8
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Anne Abernathy
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Six-time Olympian, Cancer Survivor “Prior to making my first Olympics, I had a doctor in the ‘80s who told me I couldn’t train for the Olympics because I probably wouldn’t live that long. Instead of being the cancer victim, I became the Olympic hopeful. People look at you differently when you have a goal and when you’re focusing on something other than the disease. Training for the Olympics, whether it’s luge or archery, was something for me to focus on other than my disease. And that doctor is no longer here and I’m training for my seventh Olympics, so it’s just a matter of perspective.” Anne Abernathy made her first Olympic Games appearance at the age of 34 and has since competed in five additional Winter Olympics in the luge. She is the first female six-time Winter Olympian and the oldest Winter Olympian ever, earning her the nickname “Grandma Luge.” She’s now switched to the sport of archery and is training for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. If she makes it, she will be 63 at the time and the only female to ever compete in a combined seven Winter and Summer Olympics.
4H 4H
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Listen to our full-length Growing Bolder Radio Show interviews with Linda, DDP and Anne at GrowingBolderMagazine.com.
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Bolder Kids
Never Too Soon
For Our Staffers, Growing Bolder Starts at Home. by The Growing Bolder Staff
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t is never too late to start Growing Bolder, But it’s also important to understand that it is never too soon. Young people are doing great things out there, all because they choose to embody the Growing Bolder philosophy of making a difference and daring to dream. For great examples you need look no further than the families of our staffers. We’re big believers that Growing Bolder starts at home. Here are three young people well on their way. Evan Shafer ■ Evan Shafer, 18, is the son of Growing Bolder Vice President Bill Shafer. He captained his high school ice hockey team to its second straight championship, leading the way with character and selflessness. He insists that the lessons learned on the ice will translate to success in life. “It’s taught me how to lead, how to set an example and how to turn a group into a real team,” Evan says. He’s just begun college, where he plans to pursue his interest in computers and Internet technology. “It’s weird, but Growing Bolder never struck me as something Quinn Middleton for just adults,” he adds. “I’m having to make decisions now that will affect the rest of my life. It seems to me that everybody my age should be thinking about how they’re Growing Bolder.” ■ Jackson Auer, 17, is the son of Growing Bolder producer Bess Auer. He’s a nationally ranked competitive swimmer who was inspired by his cousin, a Special Olympics athlete. He says that she helped open his eyes to what true courage is all about, and motivated him to do something that celebrated her and helped others. Jackson Jackson Auer started an event called the “Be a Hero Run & Swim,” open 10
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to people of all ages and all abilities. In its first year, the event raised more than $2,000 for the Special Olympics. He also started his own website, beaherorun. com, dedicated to inspiring others his age and beyond to make a difference in their community. “Life is what you make of it,” Jackson says. “You can sit by while life happens to you, or you can go out and make life happen and make an impact. You have to strive and fight for what you want.” ■ Quinn Middleton, 20, is the daughter of Growing Bolder founder and CEO Marc Middleton. She’s found her passion in helping those less fortunate through mission work. It’s already taken her to different parts of the world and focused her on finding a greater purpose — and taking the steps to fulfill it. “All of my experiences so far have taught me that Growing Bolder, living a life of purpose, comes down to loving God and loving others,” Quinn says.”It’s about forgetting your own needs and taking care of the needs of others. Everything falls into place after that.” Quinn notes that living boldly isn’t just about making the most out of every day for yourself. “In my experience, I’ve found the opposite to be true. Living boldly means loving and serving others in beautiful, humble ways.” ■
GB EXTRA
V isit GrowingBolderMagazine.com for links to Jackson’s Be a Hero website and to read Quinn’s blog about her recent mission trip to Mexico.
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FINDING Overcoming a Stroke Inspires Secily Wilson to Move Forward While Taking it Easier by Jackie Carlin
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or TV veteran Secily Wilson, exhaustion was nothing new. As a morning news anchor and reporter for WKMG Local 6, she was accustomed to early wake-up calls. She was also a single mother to two daughters, so headaches and fatigue were hardly unexpected. But in 2005, the symptoms became worse. “I was repeatedly having headaches, dizzy spells, uncontrolled slurred speech and I didn’t know what it was,” says Secily, now 48. “At the time, I was going through a very stressful divorce. Combine that with my job, getting up at 2:30 a.m., and my kids, I just put it off as being really, really stressed. But it wasn’t that at all.” One morning, Secily took her place on the set and, at 6 a.m., as the bright TV lights came on, her body shut down. She suddenly couldn’t talk. At that moment, she recalled a story she’d recently done on Valerie Greene, a motivational speaker who had suffered a stroke at 31. She quickly pulled the story up on her computer. “I went down the list of symptoms saying, ‘Check,
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TRUE VOICE
NG HER
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Secily turns on the charisma when the cameras are rolling. She’s thankful that she’s fully recovered from her stroke, and determined to educate other women about the risks of stroke and heart disease. That’s Growing Bolder’s own Bill Shafer in the background, helping to set up the shot. check, check,’” recalls Secily, who later learned she had indeed suffered several mini-strokes, known as transient ischemic attacks. For six weeks, the woman whose career was based upon her ability to communicate suddenly went silent. She also experienced some minor memory loss. “Only by the grace of God am I speaking again today and healthy,” Secily says. “I ignored the warning signs, thinking they were because of my crazy, hectic lifestyle. There are times when those red flags are right in your face. I ignored them. Never again.” Following her stroke and recovery, Secily made it her mission to educate other women, particularly women of color, about the risks of stroke and heart disease: “I tell them very candidly, we are not superwomen. When we have the opportunity to say no, say no. It really can make the difference.” 14
Her entire life, Secily has prided herself on being the goto friend for everyone else’s problems and needs. Saying no was a foreign concept to her — but one she now embraces. “Now, when I know it’s too much for me to handle, ‘no’ is a complete sentence. That’s it. ‘No.’” Secily is also a board member of BCenter, Greene’s nonprofit organization, which educates and empowers stroke survivors and their families. “I believe had I not done that story on Val, my story may have been different,” she says. She’s also discovered the joys of living a healthy life. These days, she works out three to four times a week and incorporates healthy eating into her family’s diet. She says she’s surprised by how easy the changes have been. “I love it,” Secily says. “When I don’t work out, I feel like a loser. I’m kind of liking the way I feel, especially at my age now. I’m a lot more aware of how I’m feeling and what I’m doing in my life.” That self-confidence was hard won. She calls her divorce several years ago one of the most painful, difficult periods of her life: “I questioned myself. ‘Who is Secily? Am I not worthy? Am I not beautiful? Am I not smart? What’s wrong with me?’ She says she eventually came to the conclusion that she
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was just fine, exactly as she was: “I looked in the mirror and decided, ‘You are beautiful, you are loved, you are courageous and you are bold.’ I dusted off the shoulders, wiped away the tears and said, ‘His loss. He missed it.’” Secily says her two daughters, now 23 and 13, inspired her to keep moving forward and looking for the joy in life: “Chrissy and Nicole are the best gift God has ever given me, and I would never, ever trade being their mother for anything in the world.” She also credits her strong faith with sustaining her through her toughest times: “When I tell someone prayer works, I know it without a shadow of a doubt. I wouldn’t have been able to survive the past 10 years had I not known that there’s only one person in my life who has helped me move along — and that’s God himself.” Secily’s TV career has taken her from Macon, Ga., to Tampa and finally to Orlando. After nearly 20 years in the news business, she’s thrilled to join the Growing Bolder team as an on-air host, sharing stories that offer hope, inspiration and possibility. “When I see these Growing Bolder stories, I think, ‘I can do that,’” she says. “And it inspires me and inspires others to do the same thing. Hopefully my story will cause someone
Secily says her beautiful daughters continually inspire her. That’s Chrissy, 23, on the left, and Nicole, 13, on the right. “I would never, ever trade being their mother for anything in the world,” she says. to say, ‘If she did it, I can do it too.’” In addition to her work with Growing Bolder, Secily also works full-time at the YMCA of Central Florida, raising funds and informing the community about the Y’s educational, health and wellness programs. She says she’s more excited than ever about the future. “Fifty is the new black,” Secily proclaims. “People look at me and say, ‘You’re what? How old are you?’ I revel in that. I think it’s so cool, and I pride myself because I think it’s really about taking care of yourself, taking care of your health, and growing bolder as you move forward.” n
GB EXTRA Visit GrowingBolderMagazine.com to see Secily in action, reporting for Growing Bolder TV. Plus, find a link to BCenter and learn more about early stroke symptoms and resources for families.
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Move Forward. Give Back.
Soul in Her Soles
Olympian Offers Inspiration to Athletes of All Ages. flected in the glitter face paint and wide smile that she rowing Bolder is not about age — it’s about attiwears when competing — knows that there’s life beyond tude. It’s about overcoming obstacles and emerging the podium, and no matter what she does later, the lesbetter, stronger and more empowered. That’s why sons learned on the track U.S. Olympic track and field will serve her well. athlete DeeDee Trotter, who “You have to keep going, is setting her sights on anno matter what. You have to other Gold Medal at the 2016 turn your failures into the Games, is such an inspiration foundation of your success,” to athletes of all ages. she says. “Don’t let it turn If she makes it, she’ll be you into a pile of rubble.” one of the only women ever Despite a full-time trainto compete in the daunting ing schedule, Trotter is pas400m event in four differsionate about finding ways ent Games. She won a Gold to give back as she moves Medal in the 4 x 400m reforward. She’s started her lay in 2004 and 2012, and a own non-profit called “Test Bronze Medal in the 400m Me I’m Clean” to combat the individual event in 2012. She use of performance-enhanccompeted but didn’t qualify ing drugs in all sports. for the 2008 400m finals due In addition to sharing her to a severe knee injury. motivational message with In a sport in which most young athletes, Trotter also athletes peak in their 20s, hosts fundraisers and shoe Trotter is facing some steep drives to support families in challenges. She’ll be 33 in need. 2016 and underwent intense She’s busy creating the life rehabilitation after her knee she wants, but not too busy injury. to help others create the But she’s a dreamer, and lives they want. says she’ll never give up. She’s an inspirational “We’re all highly motivatOlympian who moves fored when we start working toward as fast as anyone in the ward a goal but when we enAfter recovering from a knee injury, DeeDee Trotter has her world — and gives back just counter struggles along the sights set on another track and field Gold Medal at the 2016 as quickly. ■ way, it’s hard to get back up,” Games. Trotter also gives back, hosting fundraisers and shoe Trotter says. “In order to get drives for families in need. from point A to point B, you have to go over the hurdles, the potholes and everything in between.” GB EXTRA Visit GrowingBolderMagazine.com to watch our She considers herself living proof that “if you just keep full interview with DeeDee Trotter from the Growworking hard and you have a ‘never give up’ mentality, you ing Bolder TV Show. can accomplish anything you dream of.” Trotter — whose energy and infectious spirit are re16
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by Katy Widrick
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5 Questions
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We say that Growing Bolder is about believing in yourself and dreaming big — despite the risks. Troy McGuire has done both with the launch of a new business: Mojo Brands Media. For years, McGuire been the creative force behind The Daily Buzz, a national news and entertainment program produced on the campus of Central Florida’s Full Sail University. McGuire and his Mojo partners recently acquired ownership of The Daily Buzz while launching several new national programs, including Emotional Mojo, Heart and Soul and Al Dia, a Spanish-language show. Mojo, which is also a production/distribution partner of Growing Bolder TV, is helping shape creative partnerships that integrate digital, social media and brand sponsorship. McGuire knows he’ll face some challenges, but he also realizes that an important part of Growing Bolder is opening up to opportunities.
More to Buzz About
An Orlando Broadcast Executive Finds His “Mojo.” by Katy Widrick Troy, your background is in television news. You’ve been a producer, a vice president of news, a news director and now, the chief operating officer of Mojo Brands Media. Your industry is changing overnight. What do you think the biggest change is in how you do business? I think it’s a two-part answer. The first is how people are viewing your content. Television is not the only option, and we’re figuring out how to offer a quality viewing experience, whether it’s on the TV, phone or tablet. Also, we need to start addressing peoples’ desire to view programs on demand, and how to we’re going to pay for the production if a majority of people are skipping commercials. The second part is choice. People have so many choices for 18
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programming now, and the mass audience you used to see for certain shows is evaporating. I think the future is niche programming like Growing Bolder. Smaller audiences, but geared for specific interests that advertisers will want to sponsor. ■■■ You’ve described Emotional Mojo as your baby. The program is all about empowering people to follow their dreams. It’s part life coaching, part psychology — and all inspirational. Why is this program so close to your heart and why do you think it can resonate with today’s audience? Not that I haven’t had moments working in news where NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013
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Troy McGuire is creating a mini-empire from studios at Full Sail University.
I felt I was making a difference, but I wanted to produce something that inspires people on a daily basis. I grew up in the Crystal Cathedral and listening to Robert Schuller, who preached “possibility thinking.” Whether you’re religious or not, people crave hope. We want to be inspired, but often times we’re procrastinating and holding off on following our dreams. Emotional Mojo is about starting to live the life you want today — not tomorrow. nnn Has there been an Emotional Mojo moment in your own life? Perhaps a time when you faced a personal or professional crossroads, or a challenge that you had to overcome? How did you move through it and come out with a more positive outlook? I think there are Emotional Mojo moments every day in my life. There wasn’t one big event, but I’m inspired by the feeling that I can do better at work and home if I just start attacking the issues that get in the way of improving my life. It’s still a struggle, juggling work and family, but everyone needs reminders that we’re are in control of the ability improve our lives. There’s so much inspiration in this world, but you have to want to look for it. Too many people live with a “glass half empty” attitude. A therapist once told me that most go into therapy to “fix” themselves first. Maybe that’s why I built Emotional Mojo — or maybe I need a therapist. nnn Mojo is a distribution partner of Growing Bolder TV . What attracted you to the Growing Bolder brand and its team? I think Growing Bolder is very similar to Emotional Mojo
in that its mission is to inform and inspire. As we get older, it’s not always easy to feel like we’re performing at our peak, whether it’s mentally or physically. Growing Bolder does an awesome job of finding incredible stories that inspire the 45-plus audience to believe that they can do the same. And I don’t necessarily believe that Growing Bolder is made only for 45-plus viewers. I’ve seen our 20-yearold employees inspired by Growing Bolder content. A good story is a good story, no matter how old you are. nnn It’s hard to imagine that you have a lot of extra time — outside of the business, you’re married with kids — but we know that you’re a runner and that an active lifestyle is important to you. What do health and fitness mean for you personally, and what goals do you have for the future? Running has changed my life and my weight. With three children, all boys, and operating a business, it gets busy. But running is a no-excuse exercise because you can do it anywhere, anytime. About five years ago, I started running a couple miles. Now I’m doing four marathons a year. I’ve crossed the finish line eight times now, and the satisfaction you get after completing 26.2 miles can’t be explained. My goal is to qualify for the Boston Marathon in two years.
GB EXTRA How will more and more Internet-delivery methods affect the future of original programming? McGuire answers that question and more on GrowingBolderMagazine.com.
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Behind the Scenes
What’ s New at GB 1. New Growing Bolder staffer Bess Auer. 2. Wendy Chioji and Marc Middleton after their interview about Wendy’s new cancer diagnosis. 3. New Growing Bolder staffer Mike Nanus. 4. Singer/songwriter Rickie Lee Jones and Bill Shafer 5. The Growing Bolder team moves its offices to be nearer to its production facilities at Full Sail University.
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6. Four-time Olympian Hunter Kemper signing his cover of Growing Bolder Magazine for fans.
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Surviving and Thriving
A Twist of Fate
Cancer Diagnosis Leads to Life-Saving Discovery. by Jackie Carlin
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ancer is never a good thing. We do hear that a cally fatal heart condition. cancer diagnosis often leads to positive lifestyle “Only because they were looking for cancer did they hapchanges and a greater appreciation for life itself. pen to find this heart problem,” says Debbie Irish. “So Ben’s But let’s be honest — cancer sucks. cancer literally saved his life.” And then there’s Benjamin Irish, whose life They couldn’t diffuse what was essentially a might have actually been saved by cancer. time bomb in Ben’s chest until his cancer was At age 3, Ben began having trouble breathing. in remission and until his heart was closer to His pediatrician treated him for asthma, but his adult size. So, while he fought one life-threatencondition worsened. Eventually X-rays revealed ing battle, he always knew another was looma large mass in his chest. ing. That sent his family from their South Florida “I just said, ‘Let’s go and let’s do all this.’ I home to the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children had to fight to survive,” Ben recalls. Shortly in Orlando. His condition was so serious that he before his 10th birthday, his cancer was in almost didn’t make it through that first night. remission and he returned to the operating After weeks of radiation, doctors determined room for open-heart surgery. that Ben had T-cell lymphoma. They quickly be- Benjamin Irish Today, Ben is a healthy and very active teengan chemotherapy three times a week. ager who loves to surf, ski, play soccer and much more. For two years, while birthdays and holidays passed, “We’re extremely proud of his strength. He’s a trooper the Irish family never stopped fighting, never stopped livand he just goes through it and takes it like a champ,” says ing and never stopped appreciating the efforts of friends, Debbie Irish. neighbors, strangers and especially the hospital’s doctors, Says Ben: “My feeling about life is you’ve got to strive nurses and staff. to survive. I feel ready to go, to do anything and see what “You find your strength in family and in the doctors and life gives me.” ■ nurses here at the hospital, who become your other family,” says Debbie Irish, Ben’s mother. GB EXTRA Visit GrowingBolderMagazine.com to watch our During those two years, doctors performed regular full interview with Benjamin and Debbie Irish checkups to make certain the cancer wasn’t spreading. and Ben’s Arnold Palmer Hospital physician Dr. Don Eslin. One of those checkups led to a frightening and ultimately fortuitous discovery. Ben also had a symptomless and typi-
Growing Bolder has partnered with WKMG Local 6 and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando to bring you a new one-of-a-kind television program. Surviving & Thriving tells the inspiring and uplifting stories of ordinary people who have overcome disease, trauma and adversity to live extraordinary lives. To find show times, learn more about the people featured and to share your story of survival, visit survivingandthriving.tv.
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The Grammy-winning entertainer has difficulty with his short-term memory, but is still wowing audiences with his undiminished musicianship. Somehow, music
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Chasing the Dream
Cancer, Part Deux
My Old Nemesis Returned, But I’m Still Looking Ahead. by Wendy Chioji
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and stay up late. here’s something weirdly deja vu about my secI face five or so weeks of radiation, supported by low ond cancer diagnosis last month. Just like in April doses of chemotherapy. Fatigue seems to be the worst im2001, I was on the verge of a big race and asked my mediate side effect, and it’ll be interesting to me to see doctor if I could put off procedures so I could run. how, or even if, I can manage that. Then, it was the Boston Marathon. Now, it was the Big Friends ask whether I’m scared Kahuna Triathlon. Both doctors or angry, but I am not. I don’t wonsaid yes; both times I was in surder “Why me?” My good health gery just a few days later. means I benefit on the back end of I’ve gotten MRIs every year treatment. I was out of the hospisince my breast cancer diagnotal in five days, back in Park City sis. This year, the MRI showed in seven and hiking and biking a a shadow behind my sternum. A couple of days later. CT scan confirmed a tumor that Truly, my overriding feeling turned out to be stage II Thymic is gratitude. I’m grateful that a Carcinoma, a rare, fast-growing routine MRI found a new cancer cancer that’s usually not detectearly. I’m grateful that I have ed until it spreads. In fact, breast health insurance and the best cancer aftercare may have saved cancer care available. I’m gratemy life. ful for my friends, who took care As recently as a few years ago, of me and sent me tsunamis of the surgeon would have had to positive vibes. crack open my ribcage to remove I’m grateful that five years ago, what turned out to be an 8-by-4I listened to my heart and left a by-5-centimeter tumor. Now, it’s great job for a life that’s been as “simple” as collapsing a lung, wonderful for my soul. I’m grateinserting instruments through ful that my new Utah oncologist holes in my rib cage and pulling sees life the same way my old Orout the mass. Surgery, as always lando oncologist and I do: You’ve for me, was easy (I always tell the Wendy Chioji hasn’t allowed a second cancer diaggot to live it. doctor, “I’ll do my part!” i.e. lie on nosis to diminish her zest for living. In fact, right after receiving her diagnosis, she was off to California for I’m also grateful that I will still the table unconscious). be able to climb Mount KilimanPost-surgery brought some the Big Kahuna Triathalon. jaro with Livestrong in February. pretty gnarly hours of tossing Maybe I should climb it twice now. Positive brings positive. cookies while trying desperately to find the right combiAnd attitude is everything. ■ nation of pain meds and anti-nausea meds. I also had hallucinations developed what I call Bugs Bunny eyes — eyes so dilated you look like Bugs in the witch’s cauldron. GB EXTRA Now, as a two-time cancer survivor (technically, I supVisit GrowingBolderMagazine.com for a link to pose I’m still working on the “survivor” part), I’m discoverWendy’s blog, where you can follow her latest diagnosis and treatment as well as read her Cancer ing my New Normal. I’m still healing, still short of breath, Chapters series chronicling both cancer battles. still having pain and numbness in the surgery areas and still trying to find the limits of how long I can bike, hike GROWINGBOLDERMAGAZINE.COM
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Bolder Nutrition
Healthy Holidays
Make These 5 Superfoods the Stars of Your Feast.
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by Susan Mitchell, PhD, RD, FAND
■ Sweet potatoes. Just as it does in pumpkins, the bright et the food fest begin! From Thanksgiving until orange color of a sweet potato means there’s plenty of vitathe Super Bowl champs head to Disney World, it’s one continual eat-a-thon. Food is ubiquitous — and min A and beta carotene — and in chart-topping amounts. Plus, a medium sweet potato contains almost four grams there’s plenty of it. of fiber. Really, is there such a thing as healthy holidays? Or is the phrase an oxymoron? It’s easy to get caught up in the ■ Apples. Granny Smith, red delicious and every kind of apple contains significant celebration and lose track of levels of various antioxicalories and consumption. The good news: many of our favordants and are an important part of a cholesterol-lowite holiday comfort foods are, ering diet. Apples also conin fact, also power foods. tain soluble fiber that works ■ Cranberries: Everyone’s in your body similar to a favorite holiday berry contains sponge, helping to mop up naturally occurring antioxidants excess cholesterol. called proanthocyanidins, which may help protect against urinary ■ Pecans. Nuts have received a lot of attention for tract infections by preventing their heart-health benefits. Pebacteria from sticking to the cans, obviously the staple in urinary tract. Cranberry juice pecan pie and pecan squares, counts, too. contain both heart-healthy ■ Pumpkin: When you have that slice of pumpkin pie or monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats along with antipumpkin bread pudding, reoxidants, vitamin E and fiber. member that pumpkin is a An easy way to combine great source of vitamin A for healthy eyes. The bright orboth nuts and dried fruit ange color signals that pump(cranberries or other favorites) is to make your own kin contains alpha and beta granola bars. They’re quick carotene, plus it’s a source of fiber. Your colon loves fiber beand simple and you can make cause it helps reduce the risk them ahead of time and freeze Dr. Susan Mitchell says that many of your favorite holiday comthem for busy mornings and for some cancers — plus it fort foods are, in fact, also power foods. unexpected guests. ■ keeps things moving along.
Registered dietitian Dr. Susan Mitchell is the go-to nutritionist for 50+. A featured nutrition expert for Growing Bolder, she serves on the Health Advisory Board for Family Circle magazine. Susan is co-author of Fat is Not Your Fate, I’d Kill for a Cookie and Eat to Stay Young. Read her weekly blog, How Big is Your BUT? where she shares no-excuse quick tips to eat smart and live smart at susanmitchell.org. 24
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GB EXTRA
Visit GrowingBolderMagazine.com for links to Dr. Mitchell’s “Bring on Breakfast,” “Holiday/Special Occasions” and “Easy Weeknight Suppers” Pinterest boards.
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Bolder Sports
Meet a Fly Girl
Acrobat Kay Glynn is 60, But She’s Still Soaring. by Marc Middleton
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track and field community. She wrote: “I welcome any inyear ago, Kay Glynn was struggling to find a formation that anyone might have that might help in deciway to stay in the game. Kay is a dancer, acrobat, sions my doctor and I will have to make.” motivational speaker and one of the world’s best As she continued examining her options, Kay was in50-plus athletes. troduced to Dr. Thomas Gross in Columbia, S.C., who has Doctors had recently diagnosed her with hip dysplasia, performed more than 3,000 hip “resurfacings” with great a deformity in which the ball of the hip doesn’t fit tightly success. into the socket, resulting in arthriHe convinced Kay that, properly tis. Kay’s arthritis had advanced to done, a resurfaced joint would not the point of bone-on-bone contact, only not wear out, it would allow her resulting in pain and a loss in range to return to full activity in track and of motion. field, dance and acrobatics. Kay wasn’t just searching for a soJust a few weeks before surgery, lution she could live with; she was competing with bone-on-bone pain searching for a solution she could in her hip, Kay won the high jump dance and cartwheel with. And she at the National Senior Olympics in was searching for a solution that Ohio, setting a new meet record in would allow her to continue particiher age group. pating in track and field events. “My doctors were stunned that I One doctor after another, six in could even compete, let alone set a all, said her only option was a total new record,” she says. hip replacement, which would likely Kay had hip resurfacing surgery have meant the end of her competiin August and began taking long tive career. walks almost immediately, followed Kay, now 60, is the age-group by very specific weight training exworld-record holder in the women’s ercises. 55-59 pole vault. She’s also a world“Time is needed for my tissues to class high jumper, hurdler, thrower grow into the uncemented implants,” and sprinter. But as much as she she says. “At six months, I can start loves track and field, she loves dance At 60, Kay Glynn is the pole vaulting worddoing pretty much everything except even more. record holder for women in her age group. “Track is just my hobby, but danc- Fighting through bone-on-bone pain, she also jumping events. I need to wait one year for the extremely high-impact ing is my life.” she says. “Dancing is recently won a Senior Olympics high jump activities. But it’s coming. You’ll see who I am. I couldn’t imagine never competition. me back in track and field — and not just competing, but dancing again.” hopefully breaking more records.” ■ Most surgeons are not yet accustomed to 60-year-olds who want to pole vault or perform difficult acrobatic and gymnastic routines. Restoring a hip for a sedentary 60GB EXTRA year-old is one thing. Restoring a hip for someone like Kay, Visit GrowingBolderMagazine.com to listen to who didn’t want to lose a step as an athlete, is something our Growing Bolder Radio Show interview with Kay. quite different. As the pain progressed and her condition became more disabling, Kay used the Internet to reach out to the entire
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Bolder Lifestyle
Writing Your Life
How to Leave a Lasting Legacy for Your Loved Ones.
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by Patricia Charpentier
ave you ever thought about writing your life story? Do your children or grandchildren repeatedly ask you to write about your life’s experiences? What stops you? Don’t know where to start? Worried about how to do it? Well, here’s the most important thing you need to know — you can’t do it wrong. Anything you put down on paper in any way, shape or form, is going to be appreciated by those who love you. Just write from your heart. Ignore the ninth-grade English teacher sitting on your shoulder with a red pen. Have some fun and let the stories flow from your memory onto the page. You can revise and edit later. Know also that there are as many ways to write life stories as there are people to write them. One man in my class had never written a complete sentence, but he made a list of whatever was on his mind every day for more than 30 years. A woman I teach writes what she calls snippets — stories only a few paragraphs long, which are funny, touching and sometimes sad. I’ve seen cooks dish up family recipes and write the stories behind those delicious meals; artists sketch and write the scenes they lived; gardeners trace the seasons of their lives by what grew in their gardens; and automobile enthusiasts chronicle their lives based on the cars they drove. So, if you can’t do it wrong, how might you write your life story? Try this: Write about your earliest memory. What’s the first thing you remember? Who was there? Where were you? What happened? What was the feeling? ■
Patricia Charpentier, author of the award-winning book, Eating an Elephant: Write Your Life One Bite at a Time, teaches, writes, edits, ghostwrites and publishes personal and family history. Visit her at writingyourlife.org. ■ 28
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The Takeaway
The Clock is Ticking
Time Is Precious, So Don’t Let Another Year Fly By.
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by Bill Shafer
ow was your year? For us, it was wonderful, strange, heartbreaking, challenging and inspirational. Many great things took place, and some not so great. All of us at Growing Bolder were saddened to learn that our long-time and much-loved colleague Wendy Chioji was diagnosed with cancer again. You can read more about it in her own inspiring words elsewhere in this issue. Also, this year, we had to say goodbye to several friends we cared deeply about; men and women who had goals and dreams that were never fulfilled. It was quite a wakeup call, a voice shouting in our ear, begging us to listen and learn. What is it with us? We all know our time is limited. Yet, we live as if we’re going to be around forever. We put off things we really want to do. We save for a day that may never come. Instead of living lives of intent, we live lives of habit. Routine is king. We put very little active thought into what we do with each precious day. We all have obligations and responsibilities at work, but we also have obligations to ourselves, our families and our loved ones. Whenever we have to do things for work, we make to-do lists, and go to great lengths to get our tasks completed on 30
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time. But when it comes to our dreams, our hearts’ greatest wishes, we file those away under “someday.” The last I looked, there is no “someday” on the calendar. So those things, the things that we all say are the most important to us, seldom if ever get done. Why not take them off the “someday” calendar and put them on a real calendar? Pick a date and get them done. It’s an undeniable fact that each day brings us one day closer to our last. Why not sit down and have a heart-toheart with yourself tonight? Ask just one question: “What do I really want?” Put some serious thought into it, and then set it into action, not “someday,” but right now. Take the first step. Put it on your calendar and add it to your to-do list. Then it’s up to you to make it happen. None of us want to think about our own mortality, but it’s important to realize one thing — our time is limited. Don’t wait another year to start Growing Bolder. ■
GB EXTRA
Visit GrowingBolderMagazine.com for news and updates about Growing Bolder TV.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013
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www.themayflower.com 1620 Mayflower Court Winter Park, FL 32792
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An active participant in the community’s Resident Council and fitness programs, Dot appreciates the many ways The Mayflower supports physical, intellectual and social well-being. “Living here keeps you active and engaged,” she adds. “There are so many things to do, from watercolor classes to serving on committees – and so many good people to share them with. It’s a wonderful family atmosphere . . . no wonder people are so happy here!”
What’s your plan for the future? Call today, and let’s talk about it: 407.672.1620.
88141 PRAD GB 11/2013
From Dot Cline’s perspective, The Mayflower is more like a luxury apartment residence than a retirement community. “My apartment is gorgeous, the staff takes care of all my problems, and I feel totally secure,” Dot says. “I don’t ever have to worry about those things anymore. No house. No lawn. No weeds. It’s such a relief.”
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