About Me
Hi, My name is Shelley.
Welcome to Her Advice. I’m happy that you have landed here.
When we share our stories we see one another in them, allowing us to connect on a much deeper level. Connection is what keeps us going. I look forward to connecting with you and supporting you with little “Notes from Shelley”.
About Her Advice
My hope is that you will be inspired, touched, educated and that you will be a part of the tribe while reading or following along. In writing my way through my diagnoses I was able to connect with people in a way that I never had before; a vulnerable, transparent connection that felt so good and pure. It was light in the darkness and I want to keep the light on. I want to keep sharing and connecting. Cancer is part of my journey but it isn’t my whole journey and I don’t want to stop sharing. There is so much more to talk about. All those lessons I learned in coaching, my puppy “Stanley the Puppy” has his own Instagram – he’s much funnier than me, and I’d love to share his wisdom here too. Let’s talk about grief and healing and trauma.
If you have found my page because you, like me, were searching the net for a human side to your diagnosis, I hope that you will find helpful answers to some of the questions that may be keeping you up at night. That you will discover helpful links to communities and research papers that give you hope, support and answers.
Mostly, I hope you will laugh, smile and even shed a tear with me as grow through it all. Better, stronger and disease free.
People supporting people is what this life is all about. I am here for you and I am grateful that you are here now too.
My Story
I have always said “Life is hard. Life is Beautiful.” It’s really a mantra that has shone true many times in life. It’s funny how life can be what feels like perfect and then in a flash become so dauntingly difficult. I have always wanted to share my story. Not just this story, but all the stories that prove this mantra’s certainty. This story, however, is my start. My true, authentic start to really sharing.
My life turned upside down at the end of 2017 and beginning of 2018 when I was diagnosed with two different rare cancers, within days of one another. Two cancers that were unrelated but needed surgical treatments right away. One was called Adult Type Granulosa Cell Tumor Ovarian Cancer and the other Ductal Carcinoma in SITU Breast Cancer. This is my story. An insight into the mind of a healthy person, who was suddenly forced to slow down and process the traumas of her life while fighting off two rare cancers.
As a coach for most of my life, I have been known to share little notes for those I care about. Students whom I taught figure skating too often share with me a note that they have held on to for many years. Sharing our words and feelings is impactful. I worked for 15 years in financial services helping clients plan for the future by making better daily decisions.
The little personal notes always made such a difference. Remembering that someone loved gardening and popping some seeds in with their statement or that someone else loved my handwriting so always taking the time to handwrite their address on the envelope. It was these little connections/notes that always seemed the most long lasting.
I began my professional career as a radio announcer when I was 19. I have always loved words! Speaking them, writing them, reading them and hearing them. Words and how people use them fascinates me.
About Me & My Family
I am 52 years old and I live in North Vancouver, Canada with my husband Paul. We have an un-blended family. I say this in the most loving way, but our six daughters are really two groups of three. We love and support one another when it’s time to celebrate, stand by one another or some together in hard times, but on the regular each group kind of keeps to themselves. I’m learning this is more common that not, so often wonder when an unblended family isn’t a more common term for a family like ours. Paul’s girls – The Brown girls are– Lindsay, Jessica & Katrina and my girls – The Hewins’ girls are – Alyx, Kenzie and Danika. They range in age from early 20’s to mid 30’s. We have two son in law’s as well – Eddy and Tyler and two future son in law’s – Luke (Kenzie’s fiancé) and Anthony (Katrina’s fiancé) We are blessed with three amazingly wonderful grandchildren Ruby, Lola and Cole. Our house is a busy place with family and guests coming and going. We also have two rescue cats called Boy and Girl, a border collie / Labrador cross puppy named Stanley. We recently said goodbye to our senior adopted Dog Mischa who was an angel to our family. We actually have a lot of angels. You will meet many of them in my notes. They show up at just the right time with just what you need to help you through, and they are usually not who you expected them to be.
