Vol. 24, Issue 1, June 10, 2026

For Your Well Being: From Diagnosis to Dancing

I love being in the audience and experiencing my speakers personally. It’s one of my favorite parts of this business. So on a recent Saturday my husband and I headed to Lacey, Washington, to see comedian and pancreatic cancer survivor Wendy Hammers at Providence Swedish Cancer Institute’s Cancer Survivor Day.

Around 250 survivors of many types of cancer assembled for this morning event. It started with several excellent presentations by local experts and Providence healthcare personnel, followed by a delicious brunch, and capped off by keynote speaker, Wendy Hammers.

 

Cancer as a Master Class in Self-Love

It was an unexpected opening as Wendy entered the room dancing excitedly through the tables toward the stage to loud, upbeat music.

That was just the beginning as she engaged and enchanted her rapt fellow survivors and their families and caregivers with her descriptions of experiences that many have lived through themselves — marriage, struggles with weight, body image, dieting, and ultimately, the moment of a cancer diagnosis. She was one with them, especially when it came to her diagnosis. She had experienced unaccountable weight loss, after she had stopped dieting. When she finally paid attention, it was clear — pancreatic cancer.

“I didn’t even know where my pancreas was,” she exclaimed, “so how  could I have cancer there?”

The stories continued as she described the indignities that cancer treatment brings — experiences that nearly everyone in the audience had lived through themselves. The way that she brought those topics into her dialogue was so skillful that it offended no one, touched everyone. She was just talking about family life, married life in all its aspects, and everyone got it. Life is complicated and full of things we seldom talk about with others. But Wendy did – and did it in a way that welcomed us all to the party, brought us into the conversation, and succeeded in finding the humor as well as the lessons.

As client, Cobie Whitten, PhD, Psycho-Oncology Consultant, shared with me afterward:

“Our survivors, families, and staff were wowed by Wendy.  ‘Dynamic’ and ‘energetic’ don’t even begin to cover it—she absolutely electrified the room! She managed to perfectly balance deep empathy with an unstoppable, uplifting energy that left everyone in the room feeling deeply seen, inspired, and motivated.”

As one attendee wrote, “The day was perfect in every way, especially being entertained by humor from the fabulous keynote.  Who would’ve thought we’d have such great laughs at a cancer conference? Loved it!”

Another beautiful feature of Wendy’s talk – her love of life, of being alive – came through in her exuberant energy, as well as her humor. Worth knowing, too — Wendy isn’t only a great fit for cancer events. Her “50 Shades of Gray Hair,” a conversation on why getting older is a gift, not a liability, or “Giggling with The Girls: Laughter for Women of All Ages”  are perfect topics for Women’s Night Out or women’s conferences.  Learn more about these topics and more on our website.

Bottom line: “Cancer is a master class in self-love,” Wendy said in a more sobering moment. “The tumor shrunk, and with it shrunk my ability to have a small, unexpressed life. The chemo killed my ability to self-loathe my body.”

I’ve been at a lot of events over the years — and I don’t say this lightly. Wendy left that room different than she found it.

To bring her master class to your community, drop me an email or feel free to call — barbara@speakwellbeing.com, 503-699-5031.

Meantime, take time to laugh away your cares, take care of yourself for your well being and those you love.

Barbara

P.S.  The event ended the way it began, with upbeat music, and an invitation for everyone in the audience to get up and dance. And we did!  My kind of celebration!