Sunday, July 10, 2016

UCAAN Change a Life Road Trip - Day #21 - July 6th, 2016

Wednesday July 6th, 2016 Jacksonville  - Visiting Ackerman Cancer Center then heading to Orlando, FL



We got up early in the morning to enjoy a wonderful breakfast at the Ramada Inn. I had stayed at this hotel before and knew what to expect. So we headed for breakfast and Doryn and I were ready to go right after to meet Jessica H of Ackerman Cancer center, who was escorting us to the TV station, for our interview in Jacksonville’s Channel 4 Morning news show. As we walked into the restaurant at the Ramada, I saw a familiar face, the woman I met 5 years before on my last trip was still there. I walked up to her and she remembered me, I had given her a handmade bracelet in memory of her brother who had died from liver cancer. It’s always interesting how we reconnect with people, even years later!







After breakfast we walked outside to meet with Jessica who was ready in the parking lot to meet with us. She was one of the many people who made our TV and radio interviews possible along with our visit to Ackerman along with Aryn and Chelsea. We arrived at the TV station and walked inside, there on the TV I saw my name. I had never done a live recording on TV for UCAAN and I was excited! We went into the green room and waited for them to call us, when they did, we all were lead to our room where the segment would be recorded live and they sat Doryn and I on the couch with our mics on. We were ready to go on!! Jennifer the TV News Anchor was exceptional and did a great job interviewing me. Before I knew it, the interview was done – but it was a GREAT one! Watch it here:  www.news4jax.com/news/morning-show/cancer-survivor-mission


The morning show was so much fun and I loved the fact that they included Doryn as part of the interview. After the show we headed back to the hotel for a little rest and then made our way to Barnes and Noble to hang out and then head to Ackerman Cancer Center. 






As we entered Ackerman Cancer Center in Jacksonville, Florida I felt and saw one of the many things that makes them different. It’s not standard like a cancer center or doctors’ office, instead it’s vibrant and full of what I would consider happy and healing colors. The center is welcoming, with big half circle shaped colored couches and seats, the rooms and hallways are decorated with unique designs on the walls and artwork of all kinds. The staff in the clinic sit in uniquely designed circular desks and each patient is greeted with a smile. The overall feeling I got upon walking in was healing and calming, perhaps it was because of the colors on the walls or the large wall in the clinic that looked like multi colored pieces of wood, accented by the Ackerman logo, which resembled a colorful sunflower, that won me over. Whatever it was, I loved it and really was enthusiastic about meeting the man behind the center and the staff that were there to support and encourage their clients. I felt at home, which is what they wanted people to feel when they walked through those doors. 




As we came in, we waited to meet Chelsea, the social worker that I connected with to visit the center, she then introduced us to her other team member, Aryn who also worked in Media Relations/communications. We received a tour of the facility and viewed the various rooms of the hospital, one of which was a room where doctors and a medical radiology research team would assess radiology tests taken and decide the best way to move forward in catering the treatments to each patient. We visited the radiation center and viewed one of their radiation machines, one I remembered from my previous treatments. We walked by the integrative medicine office and past the room that housed their remarkable proton therapy machine), they schedule appointments to use this machine back to back, so we were unable to see it). The center was remarkable and the staff was beyond personable and exceptional, they offered a different type of care, which I had never really experienced. The rest of the tour included interviews with the founder of The Ackerman Cancer Center, Dr. Scot Ackerman, speaking with their nutritionist and dietician Karen and other staff members who shared what brought them to Ackerman Cancer Center. 

 

By the end of the day, we prepared to attend the patient/survivor dinner which is held weekly on Wednesday nights. I was able to meet, share and interview patients while I was there. I shared my story and information about the trip goals and my cancer treatments that caused my dental deterioration. We once again gave away our pamphlets of information, glow bracelets, hope bracelets, samples of all natural soaps and our special support bags we made them. I shared information about our UCAAN CARE dental program and why we started it. We got rave reviews by the attendees and the staff that was there. It was a wonderful visit and we hope to return again on our next trip! 







 After dinner we headed out for Orlando, only 2.5 hours there!
So we arrived at our hotel and got to sleep after a long day and we planned on going out to Magic Kingdom the next day.

(By the way the sink is driving Doryn crazy, it screeches like a tea kettle that’s ready to be taken off the stove.}

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