Meet Annie.

My name: Annie

Home​: Billenica, MA

Horoscope: Sagittarius

Favorite book: The Artist Way by Julia Cameron

Hero: I’m inspired by authentic people and those who shine their lights bright.

Superpower: Staying positive and putting one foot in front of the other.

Hardest challenge​: Going through treatment and figuring out the “new normal”.

Guilty pleasure: Chocolate and House Hunters

Favorite Lacuna Loft Program: Unspoken Ink Creative Writing Program

Proudest moment: Nurturing my children and watching them grow.

The best piece of advice I’ve received: Take things one step at a time.

How I stay mentally healthy: Journaling, Yoga, Walking/ Jogging

Personal Mantra: Never give up, one day at a time, I love mantras!

My favorite part of being part of Lacuna Loft: Knowing that I’m not alone. Being part of a supportive and encouraging community.

Meet Leslie Palliere.

My name: Leslie Palliere

Home​: Currently I live in Aiken, SC- HOME is Payson, Utah

Horoscope: Capricorn

Favorite book: GENRE: Historical Fiction, Oldest favorite: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Newest Favorite: The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

Hero: My grandma, my mom, my aunts, and my brothers.

Superpower: Making meaningful connections with children

Hardest challenge​: Loss of fertility, depression, divorce, and post-cancer treatment chronic conditions that are a constant reminder of personal losses.

Guilty pleasure: Binging on favorite TV shows, wine, and chocolate-covered salted caramel.

Favorite Lacuna Loft Program: Unspoken Ink, Lost and Found Journal Group

Proudest moment: Graduating with a Master’s Degree in Communication Disorders and Sciences

The best piece of advice I’ve received: Be patient with your body, and allow yourself to feel how you feel.

How I stay mentally healthy: Daily meditation, daily and weekly check-ins with support groups, friends, and family, allowing myself time to be still, rest, and reflect, creative writing and journaling.

Personal Mantra: These have been changing often lately: current favorite is: “I take pride in myself daily.”

My favorite part of being part of Lacuna Loft: The instant feeling of safety and connection I have within Lacuna Loft groups, and the amazing friendships that have been made. The consistency of the programs has helped my confidence grow and writing has helped me work through so many issues and all allowed me to rediscover myself and feel more like ME again.

Meet Mary Clare Bietila.

My name: Mary Clare Bietila

Home​: Chicago, IL

Horoscope: Sagittarius

Favorite book: Birds of America by Lorrie Moore, Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

Hero: Amy Sherman-Palladino

Superpower: Parallel parking

Hardest challenge​: Living with unpredictable and neverending chronic illness

Guilty pleasure: Phone puzzle games

Favorite Lacuna Loft Program: Learning to bullet journal! Unspoken Ink writing workshops and any workshop I get to lead!

Proudest moment: Finding the courage to work on my marriage after cancer and parenthood.

The best piece of advice I’ve received: Anxiety is a liar.

How I stay mentally healthy: Any and all things that make me snort with laughter. My daughter, Twila, and my husband, David bring a healthy dose of silly.

Personal Mantra: Love is letting go of fear … There is no muse.

My favorite part of being part of Lacuna Loft: Finding a caring community that gets it.

Meet Xenia Rybak.

Home: New York City, NY

Horoscope: Capricorn

Favorite book: A hard one because I’ve read 70+ books alone in the pandemic

Hero: My mom, my grandmothers, and RBG

Superpower: Energy

Hardest challenge: getting out of bed every day

Guilty pleasure: None- I own all the stuff I like and I don’t care who doesn’t

Favorite Lacuna Loft Program: Creative Art Workshops

Proudest moment: completing the NYC Marathon

The best piece of advice I’ve received: “Compare leads to dispare.”

How I stay mentally healthy: laughing at almost anything

Personal Mantra: Why not?

My favorite part of being part of Lacuna Loft: knowing I’m not alone in this crazy cancer experience

Meet Christina.

Home: New Jersey

Horoscope: Taurus

Favorite book: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Hero: Julie Andrews

Superpower: Listening!

Hardest challenge: Working while in treatment.

Guilty pleasure: Cereal- any time of day!

Favorite Lacuna Loft Program: Creative Art Workshops 🙂

Proudest moment: Whenever I open a new musical.

The best piece of advice I’ve received: “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.”

How I stay mentally healthy: Baking! It’s tasty therapy!

Personal Mantra: You don’t have to be brave enough for all of it, just be brave enough for this.

My favorite part of being part of Lacuna Loft: The community that spans locations, ages, and diagnoses.

Meet Gage.

Home: Chicago, Il

Horoscope: Leo

Favorite book: The Crow Girl by Erik Axl Sund

Hero: Bill Nye the Science Guy

Superpower: Mindreader

Hardest challenge: Gravity (but also having to watch so many loved ones go through cancer).

Guilty pleasure: Pasta

Favorite Lacuna Loft Program: Book Club

Proudest moment: Learning to fly

The best piece of advice I’ve received: When we know better, we do better.

How I stay mentally healthy: Personal time

Personal Mantra: One day at a time.

My favorite part of being part of Lacuna Loft: Meeting different program participants- Lacuna Loft has a great community.

P.S. You can meet Gage during November’s Creative Art Workshop: Gingerbread Barns! Sign up today and check out our other workshops!

Meet Marnie.

Home: Portland, OR

Horoscope: Capricorn

Favorite book: The Expanse series by James SA Corey

Hero: my friends Jamie & Jill

Superpower: organizing…let me at that pantry or closet!

Hardest challenge: losing two of my dearest friends to cancer within a year while going through some really difficult medical, job, and housing challenges myself

Guilty pleasure: Captain America, as played by Chris Evans in the Marvel movies

Favorite Lacuna Loft Program: Unspoken Ink (but I also really enjoy YAC coloring hangouts)

Proudest moment: Watching my son grow into an awesome human!

The best piece of advice I’ve received: Asking for help is a strength and an exercise in trust; being vulnerable in that way allows others to show their love and kindness.

How I stay mentally healthy: reaching out to friends; writing; therapy; trying to spend time outside; petting all the dogs I can; re-watching favorite movies and shows

Personal Mantra: life is short – don’t let it pass you by while you aren’t looking

My favorite part of being part of Lacuna Loft: I love how connected this community is, even outside of Lacuna Loft programs. We truly understand and care and do everything we can to support one another.

Meet Yolanda Murphy.

Home: Pittsburgh, PA

Horoscope: Aries

Favorite Book: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Hero: My Mom!

Superpower: My ability to see the silver lining in any situation.

Hardest Challenge: Facing and surviving my breast cancer journey.

Guilty Pleasure: A hot, steamy seafood boil with spicy butter sauce, (I make it myself!)

Favorite Lacuna Loft Program: Unspoken Ink: Creative Writing Workshop

Proudest Moment: My first time as a keynote speaker.

The best piece of advice I’ve ever received: “The only thing hindering us from our next level is us.” -DK

How I stay mentally healthy: Pray! Continually connecting to family & friends; also having me time!

Personal Mantra: “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

My favorite part of being part of Lacuna Loft: Being connected to other amazing young adult survivors who just get it!