An empty nester, embracing the next quarter century.
What I write. What I host. Where I go. The human side of the portfolio — the wolf howls, the dance with cancer, the alleyway parties, the bucket-list trips.
I am a Cancer Dancer
I am healing effortlessly, shimmying towards jubilant health, in my dance with cancer.
I sidle past scary terms such as 'battle', 'fight', 'survivor' – and ease into forward gliding twirls, as part of the human experience.
Conventional procedures removed all traces of cancer through lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. Respecting non-conventional approaches, I experienced almost no side-effects of the toxic treatments. I am now nourishing myself with wholesome immune-boosting habits, kick-started by my explorations.
Just passed is my one-year anniversary of the revelation of my breast cancer. I might have taken action earlier from a mammogram scan five years ago — a tiny lump triggered by a 'perfect storm' of traumatic personal turmoil — but ignored because of a never-will-happen-to-me nonchalance.
Here are some highlights and reflections of the last twelve months of my life:
- The most endearing: to appreciate the love from those I had taken for granted.
- The most carefree: to let go and appreciate the present, trusting that all will work out for the best.
- The most inspiring: to meet fellow dancers during infusions of oxidizing high doses of vitamin C.
- The most shocking: to learn the stage-1 cancer had spread to my lymph nodes.
- The most tearful: to grieve the loss of my gorgeous, youthful, waist-length hair.
- The most public: to don edgy hats one moment, then appear like a polished egg, the next.
- The most bad-ass: to adorn my head with tattoos of a lotus, for integrity and compassion, and a prism, for clarity and courage.
- The most fun: to photograph my changes — most recent trope being 'Bald Bond Girl'.
- The most languishing: to watch reactions to Dimash Kudaibergen singing, and to create our fifth fish aquarium, with teenage son.
- The most comedic: to massage my breasts once again since spending 14 years breast-feeding four children.
Thank you for reading this script; it was enormously fun to create. Here's lightly curtseying to cancer, together with you as part of the dance.
Be the evidence of it, to give others reason to believe that all can be well.
Many blessings and love,
April
"Yellow Bus", Singapore, December 2021
Ground Zero Year: Co-created new fitness-tech business as well as non-profit NINEby9.com
Crazy Chicks
I invite 4–6 people — sometimes men too — to a meal at my home. They know me, but not each other. We gather around a theme: a full moon, a winter solstice, an equinox, a funny international holiday, sometimes a taboo topic.
Twenty gatherings over five years. If it's a full moon, we do a wolf howl into the open sea from the balcony. I once hosted a "Back-of-the-Yellow-Bus Full Moon Alley Way Party" in the Everton Park heritage area of Singapore.
"Refreshing. Unexpected. Grounding." — what people always say.
Strangers become friends. Friends create remarkable things together. Rooted in five years of facilitating Stanford GSB Women Circles — and now going global.
Bucket-list travels
Over these past few years I've been writing 5–8 minute articles and reflections from the road. Each one is an invitation to see the world differently. Articles coming soon.