Karen Iverson on how she survived cancer and wrote a book

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https://www.motivatecollective.com

 

Episode Details:

 

Summary

In this conversation, Karen Iverson shares her transformative journey from New York City to Oklahoma, her experiences with community building, the healing power of music, and her battle with breast cancer. She emphasises the importance of self-advocacy, nutrition, and the therapeutic benefits of journaling. Karen also discusses her journey of writing a book about her experiences, aiming to help others navigate similar challenges. The conversation highlights the significance of connection, support, and personal growth in the face of adversity.

 

Show Notes

 

Keywords

Karen Iverson, breast cancer, community, music, nutrition, self-advocacy, healing, writing, mental health, support

Takeaways

Karen moved to Oklahoma with faith and guidance.

Building community takes time and effort.

Music can foster deep connections and joy.

Breast cancer diagnosis led to a journey of self-discovery.

Nutrition plays a crucial role in healing.

Journaling can be a powerful therapeutic tool.

Self-advocacy is essential in healthcare.

It's okay to take time before sharing your story.

Connection with others can alleviate feelings of isolation.

Healing is a journey that involves adaptation and support.

Titles

From NYC to Oklahoma: A Journey of Faith

Building Community in a New Place

Sound bites

"Music speaks to our soul."

"It's okay to talk to yourself."

"We always have a choice."

Chapters

00:00 Karen's Journey from NYC to Oklahoma

04:34 Building Community in a New Place

09:46 The Power of Music and Community

14:41 Facing Breast Cancer: A Personal Story

19:23 Navigating Treatment and Recovery

21:51 Understanding Lymphedema and Recovery

23:21 The Journey to Self-Discovery

25:35 The Power of Journaling

28:43 Nutrition and Healing

35:00 From Journal to Book: The Writing Process

40:41 Navigating the Medical World

44:44 Self-Advocacy in Health

47:32 Staying Connected and Supported

 

 

Transcript

Karen E Iverson 

 

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (00:01)

Okay. Karen Iverson, welcome to the podcast. It is a privilege to have you on the show. Hello.

 

Karen E Iverson (00:11)

Hello, thank you so much for having me. It's an honour to be here.

 

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (00:16)

You have so many stories and so many experiences. We were just talking about how you moved from New York City to Oklahoma. You say, let's start, let's start with that journey for a bit of a background to introduce yourself.

 

Karen E Iverson (00:26)

Yes, Oklahoma.

 

Sure. So, I was living in New York City, and then I spent time in New Jersey, and I was looking for a new job, a new career. And I was talking to my mom about it, and she actually went to her neighbour's house. They were in Tennessee, and her neighbour's sister, who was a superintendent.

 

And at the time, I was thinking of getting back into teaching. I had been a teacher before, but I had stopped teaching. And this superintendent said she would love to become my mentor. And so she spoke to my mom, and my mom was like, 'Well, now, Karen has had some difficult experiences and is not quite certain she does or doesn't want to become a teacher again.' And so she says, ‘Well, I would love to mentor her.’

 

So she becomes a mentor for me, and she almost immediately wants me to move to Oklahoma, which is where she was from. And I was like, well, I don't know anything about Oklahoma other than the musical and the wind goes sweeping down the plane. And so I originally said, 'No, I don't think I'm moving to Oklahoma.’ And then as time passe