Connected Lives. Connected Voices.
In honor of Lisa Manning Laudico….
I lost my friend, Lisa Laudico, to MBC (Metastatic Breast Cancer) this past summer. I’m still processing the loss, swinging between the hole it has left and my lack of belief that it’s actually true. Most days it still feels surreal, other days it’s too heavy, and I think that’s why I’ve been struggling with how to honor Lisa this month – Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A month set aside for us to raise our voices and scream at the top of our lungs…support women and families fighting this dreadful disease…and please, please find a cure! Find a cure!
I have found myself day after day staring at a blank page with the cursor blink blinking back at me..unable to find the right words to say. And then today I realized (again) what I suppose I’ve known all along anyway, the best way to honor her is to encourage all of us to follow the example she set for us. To lean into each other in the biggest open-armed way we can to fight for what we believe in. To use our voices and stand firm together with our arms locked with one another by the truth that when we come together – fully together – we CAN bring about change.
Our connected voices matter.
Lisa’s superpower was how she connected to everyone she came in touch with, making each of us feel uniquely seen and loved. She gave us each the presence of her unshakeable belief that we can do the hard things and we can stand together to reach for more and create change where it’s needed.
Lisa brought her whole self, every bit, to every community in her life. She believed in being together, she believed in loving big, and she lived an amazing example of what it means to show up authentically, in all things, and love the people in your orbit.
And I believe that is what her legacy continues to give - The world of connections waiting for us all.
Connections to new friends and old. Connection to the love of God’s light. Connection to what we can do when we stand together. Connection to continuing the work still ahead of us…
-Advocating for more funding to go to late-stage breast cancer
-Pushing for legislative changes so that ALL women can have full access to the treatments they need
-Providing deeper and more universal support and information for women and families facing this battle
This month and every month we can do this…we can make a difference! Join me by sharing Lisa’s legacy, spreading hope, calling for change, and standing together for a cure!
Hope. Progress. Change. Cure. TOGETHER.
Lisa gives us each other…help me honor this by showing up to be with each other today and always!