Diary of a Working Woman
Passionate, hard-working, fearless Educationalist, Psychologist and mother, Johnette Barrett talks to a selection of working women who have gone through many challenging experiences, often having to undergo many conflicting roles. Johnette unravels the secrets of being a successful woman in today’s world.
Diary of a Working Woman
Serena Williams: Turning a Breast Cancer Diagnosis into a Wellness Revolution
Facing stage 3 breast cancer at 39, Serena Williams, a civil servant, mother, and dog lover, took an unconventional route to regain control of her life. Turning a devastating diagnosis into a life-changing mission, she chose an intense detoxification protocol over traditional medical treatment. Join us on this deeply moving journey, where Serena opens up about her battle with cancer, the unexpected support she found, and how she changed her lifestyle to combat the illness.
Serena's courage didn't stop there. Inspired by her cancer journey and love for dogs, she launched the innovative 'Puppy Love and Wellness' business. This unique concept offers puppy-led wellness sessions, providing a unique and heartwarming way for people to relax and rejuvenate. The transformative impact of this business venture, both on her life and her customers' lives, is nothing short of inspiring.
As she continues to conquer her personal battle, Serena is on a mission to help others. Her vision for a free Cancer Support Centre in SE19 is a testament to her unyielding spirit and determination. Serena is calling for volunteers, trustees, and investors to bring this vision to life, showing that even in the face of adversity, there is hope and a chance to make a difference. If you're seeking a motivational and heartfelt conversation, this discussion with Serena Williams is one you won't want to miss.
A new podcast in which Johnette Barrett, educational psychologist, seeks out inspirational working women who have transformed their lives and that of others through their courageousness and compassion.
The conversations that follow are sometimes eye-opening, sometimes heart- breaking and sometimes humourous.
Diary of a Working Woman (DOAWW) is hosted by Buzzsprouts .com.
Email: diaryofaworkingwoman@yahoo.com
Instagram: doaww podcast
Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2227789
Hi everyone, my name is Johnette Sparrett and you're tuning in to the spanking new podcast, diary of a Working Woman, a W W or Dua, because women are doers, aren't we? We get things done. Over the months to follow, I'll be interviewing working women from all walks of life, listening to their challenges, how they're overcoming them, and listening to their views, their own perspective, on the key to a successful life. In this podcast, we aim to educate and empower, and occasionally entertain. If you know inspirational women that you think would be great for this show, then please do get in touch with me on my Instagram page, which is Diary of a Working Woman, or Dua W W.
Speaker 1:Now, in this first podcast titled, I am the ringmaster of my life, despite my cancer diagnosis, I will be interviewing my dear friend, serena Williams, who I've known for about 25 years. Serena is a mother of two children aged 15 and 10, they're absolutely amazing kids. She's done so well with them. She's been a civil servant for the past 20 years or so. She loves spending time outdoors in nature with her loved ones and her three gorgeous dogs, leo, coco and Shiloh. She loves any opportunity she can get to relax and unwind.
Speaker 3:So, hi Serena, hello yeah so introduction's over.
Speaker 1:I'm so good to have you on the show. I know how wonderful you are as a human being, but I would like our listeners to get to know you this time together. So could you please describe yourself using three?
Speaker 3:words. Well, hello and yeah, I'm really pleased to be here today. How would I describe myself? Three words, I would probably say independent, optimistic and determined.
Speaker 1:Yes, I think I would if you were with all of those. I think I would add to it, though, nurture and care giver, because I think you're very nurturing and you give a lot of yourself to people and you do put people first and that's an amazing quality that you have, but I admire in you, so we'll get straight to the chase now. In 2017, you were hit with a bombshell, a really life-changing event. Could you share it with our listeners, please?
Speaker 3:Sure. So in February of 2017, I was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer, so at the time of my diagnosis, they already found several lumps in my left breast, in my lymph nodes and in my backbone.
Speaker 1:Even now I just feel so choked. Stage 3 cancer and according to the research cancer UK database, one in seven UK females will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, and that's 55,000 women per year. And the extraordinary thing here is only 4% of every diagnosis is in people women of age 39 or under. How old were you at the time? You were quite young, weren't you? I was actually 39. So part of that 4% is actually shocking. 8 out of 10 cases are women of age 50 or over. So just not great luck. So what sort of thoughts ran through your mind at the time, if you can think back to?
Speaker 3:that time, according to those figures. That's probably one of the reasons why I was so shocked and so taken aback by the diagnosis because, as I say, I was 39 at the time. It was just a furthest thing from my mind, just did not fathom for a second that I would ever be told that news. That's devastating. Yeah, it was hard, it was definitely difficult but I think it was a good thing. But there's been many blessings that have come from it. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:So when you're ever the optimist, but I can't imagine how I would have felt at that time. So can you describe what happened when you got the diagnosis? They called you in and he were with them and yes. So how much time do you have? That's it, and how.
Speaker 3:So I've probably gone back a little bit to finding the lump. So I remember it was an evening and I was on the phone with my younger sister and I just felt a small lump in my breast and didn't think anything of it, but something subconsciously must have told me to chase this up with my GP. So I called the GP the following day and just said look, I found this lump. They called me in and even at that stage they said look, we're going to send you off to the hospital just to rule out cancer. And I heard the word cancer and it came in one year and went straight out the other. It didn't apply to me.
Speaker 3:It didn't even register it as something that would hit me. I really thought it was something that other people it was it happens on the people. Yeah, it happens on the people, not the staff. But I went with the motion it went along with. The hospital had all the scans and tests, biopsies, everything. Scary, scary. It was a lot. I just thought I'm just going to go through the motions and follow what we're going to do.
Speaker 3:I'll just do it. Never for a second did I think anything of it didn't register, didn't resonate, just did it. Then, a few weeks later, they called me in and I remember I went in with my son, who was only nine years old at the time, because you didn't think you were saying it was serious right, I didn't think it was anything serious.
Speaker 3:I thought it's just a minor, just go in, have your. I just thought they were going to say you know, love your breasts and that was it. So I didn't think anything of it, didn't think there was anything to worry about. So I brought my son along. I remember I picked him up from school and then I had the appointment, so I just brought him along with me. We were sitting and waiting for over an hour and I was just thinking about the time when my car parking ticket. So they called me in, even though that's time I walked in I never get. I walked in and there were a sea of consultants. There were nurses no way Consultants.
Speaker 1:So did you know then there was something wrong. I didn't know then. No Right.
Speaker 3:So at that point I actually sat there and just kept thinking come on, just tell me that it's okay, let me go, I get to my car. I get to my ticket, so they sat me down.
Speaker 3:Yeah, just quite gladly. He just said look, I'm sorry to advise you, miss Williams, but you have stage 3 cancer. What a blow, and in front of your 9 year old, in front of my son, it really did hit me. The first thing I thought was can we please just remove my son out of the hospital? Yes, of course, and the nurse kind of took him out, but yeah, it was not what I was expecting at all.
Speaker 1:Goodness. So you know Diagnosis of breast cancer at 39 from out of the blue. Who did you tell first? How did you find the courage to actually share that with your family and your friends?
Speaker 3:I mean, that's huge yeah it was huge and I think from the outset I was quite. I had my own plan and my own journey that I wanted to go down Even then, when you first heard, at the very beginning. So when the consultants said look, you know, it's a surgery cancer and it's a breast cancer. You're going to need extensive chemotherapy for about 12 months, followed by quite a quite severe surgery and then radiotherapy and then only 10 years of hormone therapy. So this is going to be quite involved, quite intense.
Speaker 3:And even at that stage I just thought to myself look, this just doesn't resonate with me and I feel that I need to go away do my research. But I didn't feel confident to go down the medical route.
Speaker 1:So, you didn't have the confidence. And the doctors, and that whole set of faces, as you described them, of medical practitioners experience, you just felt like you.
Speaker 3:I just yeah, and I don't want to take away anything from the medical profession. What they do is basically they say they're saving lives and I don't want to anyway diminish what they do, but for me personally, chemotherapy wasn't an option for me and they advised that that was the gateway to everything else.
Speaker 3:Chemotherapy was the start of the journey. Without chemotherapy I couldn't explore the other. So for me it just didn't resonate and I just felt that there was another way. And I said to the consultant look, I'm going to be one of God's miracles.
Speaker 1:I'm going to do my thing, and up to that point, you're going to be one of God's miracles. Had you always been a spiritual person, or did it just keep you in that moment that you needed God?
Speaker 3:No. So you know, I grew up going to church as a young child. My parents took myself and my sister to church and then I kind of had a breakaway in my teenage, you know, young adult years. But then when I had children, I brought my children to church. My children were christened very young, I was christened very young. So you know, despite having that breakaway from church and from God, I've always believed in God. I've always reached out to him at certain times of my life and at that moment I just felt some experience which was kind of washed over me and I just felt this overwhelming idea that, serenely, you don't have to make this decision right now and there is another way. I just felt this overwhelming feeling and just felt that, yeah, I'm going to be one of God's miracles, god is going to provide a revelation in me. You know and I remember saying that to the doctor and he gave me this very strange look- and he fears, no doubt, but he probably heard it all before.
Speaker 1:But you knew within you, deep within you, you had this, maybe spiritual awakening, that you know your strength was going to come from. You know from God. There's a figurehead that you always hold dear from childhood and that's what you're going to turn to in this moment of weakness, which is just extraordinary. I've never heard of anyone describe just that, knowing that you're going to be okay, from that spiritual source. So you said that you'd educated yourself and you know, I've been just looking, you know, a bit into breast cancer and I discovered that sort of a third of women 39% of women do not check their breasts on a regular basis and some just wouldn't know what to look for, even though there's so much literature out there. But you said you found your, you were diagnosed because you found the lump in your breast.
Speaker 1:Are you able to share with listeners any other things that you may have noticed, that they, you know, signs into symptoms other than the lump in the breast, because obviously you've done a bit of research.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah. So from what I found out from my own personal experience, yes, a lump in the breast is a really key indicator, but also just the appearance of your breasts. You might see discoloration or dryness in the breast, change of the texture that's right, yes. Yes, the texture. Anything leaking from the nipple is an inculatonous birth. That's right, yeah. And then, for me personally, just changes in my mood, headaches, irritations in the areas where my tumor sites were itching, and just irritation. Yeah, I thought that as well. But I do remember you going back to a question that you asked when you said how did I feel about telling friends and family, when I was saying about me making that decision at the time Of receiving that diagnosis at the hospital? Yeah, because I had made that decision to not go down that medical route. Yeah, I, although I'm quite an open person, particularly with my friends and my family, I did feel a bit of resistance or or unsurety about the sinking out. Yeah, yeah, so a bit of opposition perhaps.
Speaker 3:Because, yeah, because I wasn't going down the conventional route and because, as friends and family are wanting the best for you and thinking that the medical route it's a five and tested route, isn't it?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, which is really understandable.
Speaker 3:I just thought I knew I'd have a lot of resistance and me trying to have to fight or fight my decision as well as fighting the cancer and my journey. I just thought it was going to be overwhelming for me. So I did tell my mom, my sisters, my brother and a couple of really close friends that I had to.
Speaker 1:I waited until I was stronger in my decision and further on in the journey before I felt comfortable, and that's really sensible because I suppose at the outset, when you're first here, that you'd be vulnerable and you, and then, if you tell too many people, everyone have their different opinions and it's a case of too many cooks, so it's a very unique thing, isn't it? I mean, I would imagine that you know every woman's journey in breast cancer is very unique and you would choose a treatment plan to see if you watch right?
Speaker 1:for you. So I completely get that, completely get it. So I just want to, just before I continue down the you know who supported you, what happened. I hope you don't mind me saying, because obviously I've made you feel a while, but you know one of your many, many assets has been these beautiful breasts that you've always. Yeah, and you've got beautiful breasts now, but what was the psychological impact of knowing that your breasts weren't well and healthy but they've always been like a number, a major asset?
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 3:So, I went through a lot of different emotions, yeah. So there was the whole. You know why me? And you know, in my life I've gone through a big journey with my breath, in particular because I developed really young, yeah, and I always felt really uncomfortable because it drew a lot of unwanted attention. I was pretty young, I developed breath and I always felt very uncomfortable with them and there was a time when I used to try and suppress them, to hide them, because, you know, I was going to primary school and no one else had these huge breaths and ideas. And then, when I became like a teenager, I went into a phase of accepting them and just like embracing what God had given me. Is that all that womanly? Yeah?
Speaker 3:absolutely so, as a teenager and a young adult, I went for that period of like really just embracing them and just enjoying being a woman and just being thankful for what God blessed me with.
Speaker 3:So to then find out that these breath, or one in particular, and even go before that, celebrate the fact that breastfeeding my children was amazing, which celebrate that. And then, as I say, the later I'm finding out that one of them is very unwell and carrying a disease that essentially killed me. I went through a period of like really going back to kind of, in a way, resenting myself and resenting this part of me, but thankfully that was quite short lived, because I then went to a point where, again, I accepted myself and accepted that you know, I believe and I say to this day, our bodies are remarkable, amazing things. You know, they have the ability to heal, but then they also show us when we are not treating them well. It will show in some way or another, and I had to realise that my body was telling me things that I should have told myself, things like diet or environmental stress sometimes.
Speaker 1:Obviously, breast cancer can be a reditude as well, but we do need to think about the environmental aspects of you know of breast cancer? As well, so a little bit of self-blame then as well, or just recognising the signs.
Speaker 3:You know, I've gone through most of my life just always putting myself last. You know where my career was taking was was a priority, my relationship was a priority, my children was a priority, everything else was a priority. My family was a priority, everything else and I always put myself last. And even when I felt ill or, you know, something didn't feel right, I would always just overlook it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, to just because you're a natural giver as well. Yeah, yeah for yourself, yeah. So I mean, did you find support? Came from any unexpected places, you know?
Speaker 3:I feel that this diagnosis has allowed me to be a lot more open to things where I was a lot more closed. Yeah, I have allowed myself to experience different people, different environments, different situations, and I found that London living in London, um whereas before I thought was quite a you know um isolated place to be people quite selfish, quite self-absorbed, I found it to inhabit some of the kindest, uh, sweetest, most generous people and I've been really blessed and I do say that quite a lot. Yeah, I've been very blessed. I've had that's interesting, yeah great support from friends, family, but I've also had some really amazing support from the most unlikely do tell us, give me an example.
Speaker 3:So you talk, a stranger so yes, essentially, I mean, um, there was, uh, one lady that I knew who was going for a similar journey, similar cancer journey as myself, and she had a family member who I met once or twice. Yeah, she had heard about the journey that I was going down. She I explained that, you know, financially I was trying to obtain some, um, alternative equipment for complimentary equipment, that was very, very pricey, yeah, yeah and I can afford it.
Speaker 3:And just out of the blue, she um managed to get my number. She didn't have my number. She's got my number from she went out of her way and contacted me and just lived up to me. I've heard that you need this particular equipment. I really believe it's going to help you and I just want to gift you this financial gift. What? A multiple story yeah, it's no, it's attached. She just said I just want to give you this gift yeah, no fake, no previous relationship.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, there's some angels out there that's obviously a really true angel of yours, um, which is lovely.
Speaker 1:So what choices did you make in terms of your treatment plan? They just mentioned that this angel but no, it donated some money to you to get some of this very costly. Yeah, I was also. So what is your treatment plan? Bear in mind that, no, won't, this won't be the route for someone in, and that is Down to individual personal choices. Yeah, for you, you want to go down the alternative route. So what's the treatment plan? And what with positives and the negatives?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so, um, as you rightly say, this is my personal journey and I wouldn't advocate my personal journey Above any other. It's a very individual decision and it's my decision to take lightly. Conventional has its purpose and it has its place, but for me personally, I Took the decision to go down a more holistic alternative route you know. So it was. It's an intense Protocol and it's not for the faint-hearted. It's not easy. Involved a 30-day fast, juice, fasts and nothing, just juice for 30 days 30 the facts are about.
Speaker 1:That was reminding the story a little while. So 30 day juice fast.
Speaker 3:It was a High detoxification regime Coffee enemas five times every day Time to date. Did you do this? You should do this out. I did this myself. So, yeah, fine, out today. Coffee enemas a complete change of my diet. It was a raw, organic diet. It's boosting your immune system high dose of it and see high supplementation and then just eliminating as much toxic Environment. Yeah, yeah, yeah toxins.
Speaker 1:So I mean I just it's just, I mean that's extraordinary. I can see where the price would would accumulate, right. Yeah, I remember the one time visiting you and it was just extraordinary to watch in your kitchen. You had your two children yeah, well trained, and I helping you to chop up the organic for the juices and, in a dream, a large routine.
Speaker 1:And I looked at them in awe, thinking, my goodness, he's just gonna teach them discipline and responsibility, but how to care and nurture the people that they love. You know, I'm sitting next to people that love and I thought look at you. You've got all this to continue, but still you're mothering, your teaching or giving my thought. That was amazing. You talked about eliminating the stresses in your life and you know notes for our Listeners that you are a single parent. Did you have a difficult choice to make with regards to Partner?
Speaker 3:right. So Well, I always say that this cancer diagnosis was a bit of a blessing in the curse. So you know it's obviously a devastating diagnosis and you know it's immensely stressful, Life-changing. But then also the blessings are. It's life-changing for many great reasons. It allowed me to just really really Re-evaluate my life, yeah, to look at things that were not serving me well, and that included my relationship. I was in that relationship for a very long time, yeah, and In retrospect it was a really difficult one and one that shouldn't last you as long as it did. Wow this.
Speaker 3:This journey and this diagnosis told me to Eliminate stress, anything that makes you unhappy, anything that doesn't serve you well.
Speaker 1:That must have demanded a lot of personal strength, though Some women would probably have done the converse about and thought, well, I can't be on my own.
Speaker 2:I've got two months of contention with that part of the children.
Speaker 1:I can't cope with dogs, I can't cope with the school trips. You know I need this person, although this person isn't serving me well. Yeah, but you have this strong Feeling that you would be able to take better by yourself. Yeah.
Speaker 3:I knew it would be tough, regardless. I knew it would be tough, yes, but I felt better Doing it on my own, yeah yeah and they have a decision and I don't regret it.
Speaker 1:Okay, well, you know well, yeah well, you're smiling, so obviously made the right decision. So, um, I mean just a few more facts, really that you know, breast cancer is survival rates, it's improving and it's doubled in the past 40 years, and Say that's an estimated 600,000 people are alive in the UK after a diagnosis of breast cancer, which is really Positive. So how are you doing six years on?
Speaker 3:So it's been a roller coaster of a journey. I Was really determined at the beginning and was able to Um financially support the journey by yet using all my savings and borrowing from Family. But I was working, yes, so I had quite a bit of savings, but it's a really expensive Root to take. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's essentially private. So, although there are charities out there which are great and can support to a certain degree, filling that or continuing the Complementary alternative journey is a very costly one.
Speaker 1:So all you farm pseudocalls companies out there, there is a gap in the market, absolutely For those people who decide that the conventional medicine route is not for them and then alternative, but they want it at an affordable cost, affordable price really so please, please, please. We're putting it out there, yes, the universe. So you are smiling, you're doing okay.
Speaker 3:I'm still here, still fighting the fight. It's a bit of a fight.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, every year around 11,500 women and eight to five men die from breast cancer in the UK, which is one every 45 minutes. So I think whatever you've been doing, you know to keep looking. You look healthy on the outside. If I just share with our listeners that you know. So that's my friend Serena's gorgeous woman always has been. You know she's been model. In her younger days she was the face of Abbey national.
Speaker 1:People say, oh, you've got the car Figure that I see Abbey national branch. So it's still lovely that you've retained that youthful appearance and that you know if that's that's the life it was expected of what you're going through. So we're gonna take a quick break now so we'll be back shortly. Okay, back again. I'm here with the gorgeous, fabulous, inspirational, astorational Serena Williams and Park houses.
Speaker 1:I am the remorse of my life, despite my cancer diagnosis. Now, serena, you've said you just found yourself as a positive, optimistic person in general, and very determined. So you're not the kind of person to wallow in self pity for too long. So what has inspired you to start your own business in July by 2023? Cause? Puppy love and wellness.
Speaker 3:Well. So my cancer journey has Allowed me and enabled me to really focus on my own personal well-being, and I realized that people generally are not doing enough for their own. You know, psychological, emotional, physical yes, you know, it's so important, it's integral to us all. We need to love ourselves, we need to love our bodies, we need to take time out for ourselves. So that's one thing I really wanted to tap into. But then I've also always had a love of dogs. That makes us. I can remember, ever since I was a young child, before I could speak, I Always remember asking my mom and my dad for a dog never got one Always got these little dog choices, oh yeah.
Speaker 3:Really annoying irritating dogs that were bark and then do it on some Some sort and then bark again.
Speaker 3:So I had a rainbow, not a real dog, never got a real one and then was diagnosed with cancer and I I thought to myself, I'm gonna get a dog. Don't know how I actually wanted to adopt, but because the age of my daughter she was only four at the time yeah, it just wasn't possible. I got the dog. Yes, yeah, I would have rather adopt one. They initially said that because of her age you need to try and get a very young dog right or a puppy, but they were very few in far between. And so many people are waiting this. We were on wait list for ages. I just said, look, you know something will happen. Yeah, I'll tell it what happened. My dog will come to me.
Speaker 3:And then I was walking through a food market, market, and I saw this amazing dog just walking around, no owner and you know, considering this food around, this dog is not jumping up, trying to steal food. There was, there was meat, there was fish cheese. This dog did not jump, she was just walking around, just looking around. I thought, because this dog is amazing, don't worry guys, I did take the dog.
Speaker 1:I'll be like, go into that, I'll tell you what was going to come next.
Speaker 3:But I eventually saw the owner and I said oh, my goodness, your dog is amazing. And she said oh, she's expecting puppies. Oh, I like that. And I thought well, the rest is history. We've exchanged numbers. And then, when the puppies were born, I went round to my house and I found my first dog. Leo.
Speaker 1:Leo is the most gorgeous looking dog ever, and when you dress him up in his little do you call them jackets? He looks like his little tartan jacket.
Speaker 3:He has a little cap on.
Speaker 1:He's quite a figure of a dog, isn't he? It's amazing. Oh absolutely gorgeous. So, just for our listeners, what would they get from visiting one of your sessions? Attending one of your sessions, puppy level wellness or what will happen?
Speaker 3:So it is essentially a one hour puppy led wellness session. I say that we do. Yes, we do provide the best wellbeing session. You're going to get the best one out of your life. We will transform our venue space into an outdoor oasis, so we'll have a white picket fence, we've got artificial grass, flowers, we have soothing music, we've got toys for the puppies, treats, water, and it's just an hour where you can spend quality time just interacting, engaging and just enjoying the space with puppies.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because 10 million people, or 34% of UK households, own a dog. So it sounds like the right business at the right time.
Speaker 3:And it seems to me like when.
Speaker 1:I go for a walk in the parks, you know, I see people now with more than one dog. They've got two or three dogs. It's changed. It's like getting twins and triplets, you know. And there's a lot of dog walkers. They're our dogs.
Speaker 3:Yeah, dogs are packed animals, so I always say it's always good to have two. They should come as a pair because they need companionship. I have three, though, by the way. I don't know, and I'm always thinking maybe I could fit one more in.
Speaker 3:I don't know how she does it. But yes, it's an amazing event to attend and it's an amazing business. I can say it really fills me with a lot of joy Just to see how our customers and our guests really take to our sessions, what they take away from it. They're really present. They come in and we get people from all different walks of life that come in and they're just obviously they're really just present and then you can just see any stresses and strains or worries just melt away. That is amazing and they just completely just engage in that and they just enjoy that stuff.
Speaker 1:That's amazing yeah. Because you know that obviously you've mentioned yourself living with cancer and going through all these treatments. Can we be stressful? And spending time with dogs has been shown to help to lower blood pressure and stress levels and even right that dogs can actually sense tumours and cancers in their own lives which is quite extraordinary because they have an amazing sense of smell.
Speaker 1:So I can see why people would want to visit one of your sessions and spend time with puppies, and those people are lonely. It's why you've got people who are lonely. But, as you said, I've lost a loved, a dear one, lost someone. Oh, children, children love dogs.
Speaker 3:Yes, absolutely and.
Speaker 1:I'm an educational psychologist and I work very closely with children who've got autism and very often, although some of these young people can find it very difficult to connect with people, they connect with animals and dogs in particular which brings out something within them that makes them want to communicate with these animals, be it from touch or smell. Yes, yes.
Speaker 3:It's just quite remarkable indeed, it's one of the many reasons why I really wanted to start this business because me having my three dogs, walking my dogs and doing the school run. We often are met with people who have huge fears and worries of being around a dog or a puppy. So it enables people to come who have phobias and just to interact safely interact with puppies in a safe and secure environment. We also, you know, people will come routinely, come up to us and say, oh my gosh, can I stroke your dog, can I stay with your dog? And obviously, a luller absolutely go ahead and they'll always say that's just made my day.
Speaker 3:So walk away about six feet taller, absolutely, and that's just a five minute stroke, so you know if someone's able to come and just de-stress, or you know we've had guests that have come, that have gone through a bereavement, or we've had people with sensory issues or psychological issues that come and just find it so beneficial, absolutely, and you know that's the whole purpose of doing. What I'm doing is just to allow people that opportunity to, number one, spend quality time with dogs, but also to de-stress, tap into, you know, those happy hormones that love hormone oxytocin serotonin.
Speaker 3:This is so important they really are. They really are and you know it's really essential. I mean we go to corporates so we do wellness sessions at work because you know it also improves productivity in work. You know it builds working relationships through colleagues. We're going into schools and universities because we know how much children can benefit.
Speaker 1:And you know we're going to have to use it with their stress levels. And some people don't want the expense of.
Speaker 3:You know the expense of having a puppy or a dog and having a party because it's expensive you know, so you know all the accommodations because it's a well-off business.
Speaker 1:So what has been the greatest challenge in getting your business off the ground?
Speaker 3:So again, I feel like I've been really blessed and in the short space of time businesses have gone really really well. It's been received really well, people understand it, they appreciate it and they value what I'm doing Right and Terrific. Yeah, that really is a great. Yeah, I guess I've had some great work. You know, I'm through already, but I've started this business on my own with very little money, a lot of my money, all of my money has pretty much gone into my health yeah. So financially I could do with an amazing investor to.
Speaker 1:Okay. You're putting it out first. You're putting it out first, you know?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I was. You're putting it out there.
Speaker 1:Universe please? Yeah, absolutely, it will manifest. It will Absolutely Out there now. So looking for, if you're listening and do you think you have the resource to offer a space, a permanent home, for I love permanent residence, yeah. A great location, a great location, or just a donation, which would really help.
Speaker 3:Absolutely.
Speaker 1:And it's not just helping Serena, but it's helping the community far and wild as well. Absolutely, Because of psychological well-being, obviously all these important business, Of course.
Speaker 3:So you, know businesses and then volunteers, anyone that's willing to provide manpower, because I'm a mobile business at the moment, travelling from venue to venue, corporate event, private events, parties, and my equipment is amazing but it's heavy, oh wow, so manual labour.
Speaker 1:So manual labour and a van.
Speaker 3:A van with renting. What is it Renting van?
Speaker 1:I am renting a van which is far the as well.
Speaker 3:It's not an expense so yeah, anyone who's out, kiss me a humanist compliant band.
Speaker 1:Okay, listen to me what do you have to do? You can contact me, dario of the Working Woman, d-o-a-a, d-o-a, d-o-a-w-w, sorry, on Insta, and I should make sure that I pass on any information to the lovely. Surina.
Speaker 3:Williams.
Speaker 1:Amazing. And so Surina you are. You've been juggling, been a mother of two, you're running a household, you've got three doctors of your own, you're running a new business, you're managing your cancer all single by hand. When do you find time to relax? When do you find time for you?
Speaker 3:You know that's still something I'm working on, that's the working progress.
Speaker 1:It's the working progress. Yeah, it's a lot of load.
Speaker 3:It's so important and it's one thing. I always advise people that you need to take time out for yourself, and I need to take my own advice Exactly Because practice what you want, I do. I do Because you're pretty serious.
Speaker 1:But loving what I'm doing.
Speaker 3:And I really do feel that this is one of my life purposes and one of my real goals in life.
Speaker 1:So it's amazing that you have found it in lots of people, myself included, actually, to a certain degree. You know stumble year after year.
Speaker 2:What is my life purpose? Awesome that person. What am I here for? Why am I on this planet?
Speaker 1:Well, it's a bittersweet experience in that you've experienced, you've died major breast cancer, and it's opened up a whole realm of possibilities and possibilities where you can actually give back and support others as well as support yourself, which is amazing. It doesn't stop there, because I know you've got ambitions. I hope you can get another business A cancer support centre in the SE 19 area. So what are you hoping to achieve with this cancer support centre? Very quickly, yes very quickly.
Speaker 3:So myself. Why is it needed? Yes, my servant, a very good friend of mine by the name of Bobby, she also has a stage 3 cancer. Yes, we both our children attend the same school and we both have the same goal of opening a centre to support anyone that's been affected by cancer. Right, so that can be their patient themselves, or it can be their friends, family colleagues, anyone that's been affected by cancer and they're struggling. Or they want somewhere to turn, or they want advice, or they just need some therapy, whether it be complementary therapy, some puppy love, puppy love, whether it be Rokey, whether it be a massage, whether it be practical help or just someone to just offload on, that's what we want to do. And we'll be free service.
Speaker 3:Do you think we are? Yes, we're set up at the moment as a community interest company, so we're a CIC and we want to provide free services or subsidised Right.
Speaker 1:So I think that would be an absolutely amazing asset to the SE19 community.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I think we're definitely welcome because you know, you know, cancer can be an isolating experience. Cancer, it's a life threatening, almost like that. Yeah, it makes you feel really marginalised and isolated because you haven't got any work have you, as such, to return to? The job that you previously. Yeah, absolutely, but if you've reinvented yourself that's been the best thing in it all that you've been able to reinvent yourself, which is great. So do you need anything for your Prancer Support Centre?
Speaker 3:We would love we would love, love, love, some trustees, investors. We need permanent premises in the South East 19 area, and then we'd love anyone that would offer their services. Volunteers, anyone, any professionals, messes, anyone that can offer advice or support. Yeah, nutritionists, nutritionists, yeah yeah, anything like that would be amazing. Cancer is one of the good things. Yeah, absolutely so. Yes, guys, the limit Anyone that can get in touch with us. We're called the Cancer Sanctuary Puget. Get In Touch and you're Washespace.
Speaker 1:Oh, my goodness, it's really exciting. I'm so excited for you and I know you're going to do it because you are a formidable woman, yeah, and you're a great woman. So happy that you have come onto this first podcast today and what a way to launch. It's amazing. So what advice, finally, would you give to any woman who may have just received a cancer diagnosis or might believe in cancer, but feeling a little bit helpless?
Speaker 3:So I would say cancer is our death sentence and take a step back, do your research. No matter what decision you make, whether it's going down the conventional route or taking a more holistic approach to it, allow yourself the time to be comfortable and set with that decision. So it's all about. I believe in autonomy and I believe in about making your own decision and taking a step back, doing your research and doing things in your own time. Yes, yeah.
Speaker 1:Don't be forced to do things, do the other people's ideas and advice.
Speaker 3:Do your own research and get your support networks in place. Get a network absolutely new yeah.
Speaker 1:Instrumental. Well, there are resources where people can go to for advice or information. I think the Macmillan Cancer Research, the Breast Cancer Now, now's Free and Helpful Alliance, that's Breast Cancer Now and that's 0808-806000. And there's lots of information out there. Isn't there now, absolutely. I hope there's a talk in the world of vaccination. So how to be closed and, as I say, an amazing, huge thank you once again for your presence today. I'm going to be asking two questions that I want to ask all my guests. The first one if you have one wish, what would it be? Oh goodness?
Speaker 3:Don't ever think it Okay To be truly happy. To be truly happy, are we?
Speaker 1:ever? Are we really ever truly happy? That's the one, isn't it To be truly happy, Truly happy?
Speaker 3:What would that look like, then that's a good question, that's a very question, with every dream, every ambition, every wish fulfilled Right.
Speaker 1:For every aspect of your life, when you've got a dream, to have it fulfilled, and then you will be truly happy, yeah.
Speaker 3:And to be surrounded by all your loved ones yeah. To see them happy, to see them healthy, yeah. I mean, I suppose it could just go on and on.
Speaker 1:Long isn't it. Yeah, so you've social contact, your networks yeah, but also to have that total fulfillment in every area of your life, which is great. And then I wondered if you could, just as a takeaway, could you share either a fully chat up line that you've heard, or share a little story about a date you've been on, or share what your favourite track is at the moment? Oh dear, you've got choices. I mean like choices.
Speaker 3:Yes, I'm glad I've got choices because unfortunately it's been such a long time I've been on a date.
Speaker 1:I can't hold it off. Come on now, hang on. You can't take your dogs, so again there's anybody out there. He must have some man. You've got some funny stories, you must love dogs.
Speaker 3:You must love dogs, must love dogs. But yes, I can't remember a chat up line. It's been too long and funny date again. It's been far too long oh dear.
Speaker 1:Gotta get that right. I know, I know.
Speaker 3:Need a balance. Don't worry, gotta fix that, but your favourite track from here Okay let's go for a track, let's go for popular, popular, popular, the Weeknd.
Speaker 1:Okay, fine. I'll beat one. I'm not beat one. Okay, good point, I'll beat lady. Okay, thank you so much for joining me, thank you, thank you. Take care and you.