The 3W Podcast

The 3W Podcast: Gay Prescott - Part 1

• Kasie Yokley

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The moment a cancer diagnosis lands, life tilts. Calendars stop being yours, choices get crowded by appointments, and the simplest barrier — like a ride to treatment — can decide outcomes. That’s where we go today with Gay Prescott from Hope Cancer Resources, exploring how a community-built nonprofit evolved from NARTI’s radiation roots into a full-spectrum support system for patients and families in Northwest Arkansas.

We walk through practical help that changes lives: oncology-trained social workers who triage crises and calm the swirl of questions, financial assistance that keeps fuel in the tank and a collaborative network that prioritizes patients over turf. Then we sit with a fragile season many don’t talk about — life after active treatment. Hope’s Wellness Center offers a quiet, guided path to rebuild strength and confidence, from one-on-one plans to yoga and meditation. It’s a bridge back to daily life, designed for survivors and caregivers who need a gentle re-entry before the world expects them to be “normal” again.

Gay also opens the lens on what’s new and what’s next in cancer care. Research has reshaped treatment with targeted therapies and improved symptom management, powered by brave patients who join clinical trials. Prevention and early detection rise to the forefront, with calls for accessible screenings, employer education and thoughtful advocacy to expand insurance coverage for tools that catch cancers sooner. We round it out with a look at Hope’s refreshed brand — brighter, clearer and rooted in the same mission: deliver hope, reduce burdens and stand with people through every step of the journey.

If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with someone who needs a lift and leave a quick review so others can find it. Your support helps more people discover the resources that make a hard road a little lighter.

Speaker 1:

Hey everyone, welcome to The 3W Podcast. I'm so happy you all are here. I have such a dear friend with me today. I want to introduce you to Gay Prescott. Gay, welcome. Thank you. Gay is with Hope Cancer Resources, and they have had a million and one changes this year, all for the good. So we're going to dive right into it. We're going to do two podcasts with Gay. So the second one is why we're really here. So I hope you will listen to part one and come back for part two because she has something amazing launching. And that's what part two is going to be all about. So, but first part one. Gay, welcome. Thank you. I'm happy you're here. I'm so glad to be here. You're one of my most favorite humans in Northwest Arkansas. But you're so kind. Because you're just always so smiley and chipper. And I could carry like you and Alison McElroy with me in my pockets. It would be a great day.

Speaker:

Well, we would love that. We can trio a day. That's perfectly fine.

Speaker 1:

Probably like my little elves all day, like little angels sitting right here. I would love that. Tell us, tell us who you are. Tell us who gay is. Oh, goodness. So you've been at Hope Cancer for 20 years because you just had a huge anniversary. I do. And 3W is turning 18. So I've probably known you 17 of those. Yes. So yes. Yay. I'm so excited.

Speaker:

So I have been with this organization for 20 years. Um, obviously, I love it. Obviously. I would not be there for 20 years.

Speaker 1:

Nobody has stays with anyone. Like what's what are the words? Like um, loyalty sounds like a disrespectful word. So I don't want to say no one's loyal anymore, but there's a lot of job happening and looking for the next big thing. Yeah. Constantly, especially in the younger generations. But I don't think our generation is exactly wired for that. And I love that about our generation. Yes.

Speaker:

I think there is, um, I don't know, for me personally, it just is something I'm so passionate about. And before I was with this organization, I was with Washington Regional with the Cancer Support Home. And I was able to step into that role and honestly met some amazing patients and they changed my life. I don't think I knew that part. And so I had patients who literally walked me through what it was like day to day um being a cancer patient. And I feel like you know all the ins and outs I know of the cancer attorney. But um I know from family members having cancer, from friends having cancer. Um, I don't know for me personally, and so there is still that that I can't say this is exactly what it is. Right. And the reality is it's different for every person. Um, I often say um people are not cookies, and so we're not out of a cookie cutter. Oh, you know, I would love to be a cookie people love Aries. Some days it would be easier. Some days it would be easier, you know. But everybody is so unique and their journey is so unique. And I think that's what keeps me passionate about what we get to do. Every day's a new day. It's a new day, and um some days are hard days for patients, and some days are celebratory for patients. And the reality is we get to be with them on every one of those days. I love that. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

So tell us what about hope cancer resources. Um wow. Which is also evolved. It's talk about evolved. Um, gosh, should we go back to the beginning or should we just jump in where we are today?

Speaker:

I can just quickly, for people who have been in this community for a long time, um, they will remember an organization, Northwest Arkansas Radiation Therapy Institute. Narti, which was which I did not know what Narti was. I just knew it as Nartai in Springdale. Because it was established when the world did everything in acronous. Yeah. And um, but people did not know exactly what it was absolutely. So it was the radiation therapy treatment in Northwest Arkansas. The reality is it was out of philanthropy uh in our community. The hospitals did radiation therapy at the time. It was actually cobalt therapy. Okay. And um the world of cancer treatment was changing. And so um Little Rock had a linear year accelerator, Northwest Arkansas did not. And people were traveling for their radiation therapy treatments, and so the hospitals came together. It's it's such a great philanthropy story. I love it. And um I mean, our hospital systems are amazing in Northwest Arkansas. Yes, I completely agree. But they came together and um the it didn't really make sense um economically to have every one of them do radiation therapy. And so they created this center with the giving of the community. Okay, and the giving of the hospitals, and that's how Nartai was established. Okay. Uh in 1930, and all the hospitals funneled and all the hospitals were part of that. I love this. And then individual donors in the community, uh, the state of Arkansas also get a large gift to make sure that this happened. And so just to see, go back and see how philanthropy has made all of this happen. Um, when I went to Nartai, uh, it was shortly after that that we sold our treatment services to Highlands on College. Yes. And to be honest, it just made better sense for a patient.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you spoke about that at your anniversary, uh, at your, I always want to say retirement. I don't know why. It's at most people have parties for retirement.

Speaker:

It's because of my age. No, it is not because of your age. It was at your retirement party. No, I actually, it was just a 20-year celebration.

Speaker 1:

It was a huge 20-year celebration, but I did not know that I knew it's like what you said. Like, I didn't know what the acronym stood for. I just knew Narti and I knew you were there, and I knew Cindy, and um it was, and then you're like, we sold that stuff. And I was like, oh, I had no idea how it morphed out of Narti into Hope. So you sold the services.

Speaker:

So we sold our treatment services. It made it um seamless, more seamless, I think, for a patient. All of their treatment is under Highlands Oncology, which I will say a shout out to them. Absolutely. Phenomenal cancer care. Absolutely, I completely agree. I mean, really amazing. They um do a lot of things that other people in the nation look at them. I love that. And they want to know how Highlands does it. And so it's really amazing. And for us to be a partner with them just works great for a patient and their family. Um, there was another organization, it was Hope Inc., it was helping oncology patients excel, and they really focused on financial assistance.

Speaker 1:

Again, hold on. I did not know what it was for. I thought it was just the word. I didn't know that was another acronym. And that's where Cindy came from. Yes. And I remember the merge. Yeah, but I didn't know it was two acronyms merging. Yes, it is okay.

Speaker:

And the reality is both organizations, um, cancer was not in their name. Oh, you're right. We had oncology and helping oncology patients excel. But for the general community, oncology, it's a clinical word. Right. And for our healthcare community, very known. Right. Um, in the general community, not as we say cancer. Right. And so we were very specific in choosing our name. Okay. Um, we wanted cancer in the name. We certainly know that we offer hope and we offer resources. And so that's how hope cancer resources came into play. Wow. And so I'm very proud to be on the ground floor of that happiness. And uh we had two boards that merged together, leaders in our community that really had a lot of vision to make it happen. And so as hope cancer resources has grown, some of our programs have changed, some have we've added. Um, the reality is we have a core of what we do. And I am so proud of it. And I feel I'm so strong about what it does in a cancer patient's life.

Speaker 1:

I mean, at the um on a simple level, I feel like if a cancer patient needs a gas card, you all are there for that. Like a very simple. Right. It's it's very comp. I mean, there's many more resources that you offer, but I'm just saying just the the most simple basic a ride or a gas card or something to treatment.

Speaker:

That's right. Okay. You know, just getting to treatment is the largest barrier. Is it really? It really is. Um and I think there's so much that happens when a patient is diagnosed, all of a sudden their calendar is no longer their own. Other people are making their calendar for them. Um, they're trying to still manage their family, um, manage work if they are working. Um, sometimes they have to step back from work. And so then you're trying to manage finances and it's just so much that goes into it.

Speaker 1:

Do you have a checklist? Or do your people have a checklist for day one of hi? The entire universe is just dropped on my shoulders and I don't know what to do. Yeah. So I know everyone's different. Everyone's different, right?

Speaker:

We're not cookies, but but but I will say, um, is there a starting point? I don't think I've ever known a person diagnosed with cancer where they didn't feel like it just hit them to their core. Oh I can't even imagine. Yeah. And their family. And so there's usually the patient um who's very overwhelmed. Um and I I like to, you know, there's the there's the person that's gonna collect all the information, you know, like you don't have to worry about it. I'm gonna have all the information and I'm gonna know what you need to know. Wow. And there's usually the person that's the doer, like, what can we do? What can we organize? What can we help with? And and somebody needs all of that. We need all of that in our life. Someone to step up and help us. Um, the reality is there are some patients who won't have they don't have one person in their life. And so, but regardless if they have a big family, they have no family. Um, I encourage people like talk with our social workers because that's really where it begins. Okay. And our social workers are trained and they're very focused on. We have the only social workers that are just oncology social workers. And so that's that's their world. That's what they live in. And so Jules and their crown. Yes. Jules and y'all's crowns. It is a it is a hard day-to-day. Absolutely. But they do, oh my goodness, they do mating work, yes, they do God's work. They do. And so they get to be a part of somebody's family and really just help them through navigate through really deep waters, I would say. Um, you know, we plan for things in our life. We we generally plan for all the good things in our life.

Speaker 1:

We don't plan for cancer. We don't plan for cancer.

Speaker:

That is an unexpected exit. And so all of a sudden, it's like, what do I do? Who do I talk to? What's gonna happen to my family? Most patients really focus on the family, the people around, you know. Um, and so there's just so many questions. And what our social workers can help with is like just answer those questions one by one. Okay. And so it helps alleviate some of the stress. Um, and also resources that we have are resources in the community. There's a strong cancer network in our community with cancer support.

Speaker 1:

But in a connected way. Like it's it's probably like this, but y'all make it like this.

Speaker:

That's right. Okay. Because we it takes all of us to make it strong for a patient. And that's really all of our goal. There's not a competitive nature, there is a collaborative nature, but that's sole focus is a patient. And so it really does work well. I feel like it works well. It absolutely is. Is it perfect? No. Is anything perfect? No. No. And so I know there's people that get missed, or maybe we can't help them as much as we would like to. Um, but there's other resources that we try to connect them to just to make their everyday life a little bit easier. Um, another thing that we have, we have a couple of things as far as we have our wellness center that we started in 2017. And um, I'm gonna give a shout out to Sandy Arnold. Yes, do it. Sandy Prince Arnold, um, because it was really her vision. Um, we had the space, and so what we added to our facility as a small gym, basically. Um it's quite a maze of a facility. It is.

Speaker 1:

You've got lots of hidden, hidden treasures in that building. I say just keep going.

Speaker:

Just keep going around. Um, but it's one of the first things that you can see and be a part of. And so for patients, a lot of times they'll utilize it after their treatment. Really? Um, it's very celebratory to end your treatment. And then there's this okay, what what's next? Oh. And also, um, you know, I'm used to somebody looking at me and checking me every week. Right. And now they tell me it's three months and oh, that's probably a weird feeling. It's kind of a scary moment. Yes, okay. Um, but also uh treatment can deplete us. Uh-huh. And so our wellness center, we have a trained therapist and she trained her. She comes in and um works with patients one-on-one and also with caregivers. And so it's a place where they can come, it's a quiet space. Um, maybe they're not ready to get back to their gym. Maybe they've never been in a gym, but they want to restore some of their strength. And so it gives them that one-on-one time to be able to do that. That's awesome. Um, we do yoga classes in there. We have some meditation that we will do. And so it's really a restorative place. I like that. And um, we're real proud of it. And I've never known about that space. It's really um a great transition for a patient and gets in something after treatment, but really kind of before they're ready to just jump back out there.

Speaker 1:

If that makes sense, I don't like that three-month window of the test. Um I don't know that it didn't probably because it didn't go well for my stepdad. And I'm like, I don't like that. I'm like, let's just keep on testing, make sure we're okay. So I get it. Yeah, we want to limit exposure, but I'm like, expose away. I need to know that's what it's not come back.

Speaker:

Well, and I think you know, you get so pushed into that. Right.

Speaker 1:

Your time object.

Speaker:

Yes. And then all of a sudden you have some free time. Free time. And it's it's kind of um a weird place. I bet that's a hard shift mentally. And so, and they're so connected to their treatment team. Right. That becomes their lifeline, and it's like they're their people, those are their new people. Yes. So to have the distance that's that's probably hard too.

Speaker 1:

You're like, oh, it's a hard moment. My friends have been ripped away from me in the best possible way. That's right.

Speaker:

Still, yes, yes. And so this gives them another place. Okay, honestly. And it's um, Hannah does a really great job of evaluating like what what would what would be successful to you personally, and then building a plan for that.

Speaker 2:

Wow.

Speaker:

Um, one of my favorite stories was uh a couple, they were a little bit older, but he had bought a trip as a celebration of her ending her treatment. And he was very thoughtful about it. He did it six months out, you know, knowing like she was recovered. And um, and she was excited about it, but she was worried about it. Of course. He said, you know, I I don't feel like I can welcome this trip. I don't feel like I have the strength to do that. And so that's what they worked on, is just building her strength little by little. And um, while they were on their trip, we got a postcard, and it was so sweet. It was simple, but it's like we made the trip. Oh I walked every day. Oh my gosh. And it was just you all, and it was just a gift. And she was she was doing the work, but she had a reason to do it, and um, I think that's the thing when I think about our services, they're very evidence-based, but they're so personal. And um maybe not everybody in my organization would say this, but I think they would. Um is truly a gift of love. Yes. It truly is a gift of love to people. Well, you you said at your anniversary party that you cry every day. I do. I cry every day. And sometimes they're happy tears and sometimes they're really hard tears. Um, but I there's a lot of happy tears. There's stories like that. Okay. And just knowing, like I don't have to know all the stories. Uh-huh. And I know that we get to be a part of it. And it's really life-changing for people. Uh, okay. Yeah. Okay. I know. See, that's it. I knew you were crying any day.

Speaker 1:

I know. That's why you can make people cry, you can raise money. That's tears turn into money real fast, which I love because you know, we have to have money at Hope Cancer resources to pay for all those services, to pay for the person to come in and do the health plan that you were talking about. I mean, I don't think we just wake up and we're like, Hope cancer needs a gym. That's not an obvious solution, right? But it is mentally and it's about the holistic approach.

Speaker:

Yes. So it is that. It is. So one of the things in our future, and we've had it a little bit before, but we really want to focus on it more in the future, is really educating our community more on things they can do every day to lower our risk of cancer. Okay. And, you know, um, we can't get out of a plastic lid. Again, we probably know those things. Um, but to be more intentional. Um, we're going to look at talking to like human resource managers when someone's diagnosed, um, or even thinking of wellness within corporations, which I think that is more and more a focus, something we can give people, a benefit we can give people as education and something that they can really apply to their lives. Because it's overwhelming. So if you all can break it down in simple forms. Like what are the age appropriate screenings? What are the screenings that are appropriate for you? What are the, you know, and just and then what is accessible? Where do you get it?

Speaker 1:

Oh, right. I mean, I wish that uh full body screening was covered by insurance. So once a year, once a year scanned. would do us all wonders. That's right. To pay for it out of pocket and uh not have to be sick in order to get it. Right. Right. But to be well relative in your house. Yes. Yes. I wish I we have a new uh business that just opened up in Rogers, which is so great. I just wish insurance covered things like that. Yes.

Speaker:

So hopefully we're headed in that direction. I think we will be it might take a little bit. Okay. You think we'll say it? I hope so. Okay. I think it'll take some advocacy to make it happen.

Speaker 1:

You know I had a mission. So before I had kids, my stepfather passed away I think it was the summer before I got pregnant and he was larger than life. And it was a it was a very quick journey for him. But I think it was four or six months of that. And it was um I think it was a central nervous system lymphoma that metastasized in its brain. And that's not ultimately what killed him what took him was um a pulmonary embolism as a side reaction to his chemo medicine. But I wanted I had so much after he passed and of course then I had kids and that focus shifted like to advocate for whole body screenings because I had been there for a while and had it been caught sooner and you know maybe the outcome would have been different. And I know Mercy has that blood test I believe that you know you can it's fairly inexpensive I think to go take it and it test a gazillion markers right so many success stories from that. And I'm like I just want all this stuff out there and accessible to everyone that's right.

Speaker:

Yes. And so those are the things we can advocate for and we can talk to our legislators about and we can talk to like the insurance commission about and things like that like what is needed for every individual. And um healthcare has come a long way um there's been a lot of changes in health care research is amazing and I will say in cancer care research has been tremendous in changing the actual treatment of cancer.

Speaker 1:

Are you amazed from 20 years ago to today? Yes at what your patient so just take a handful of your cancer patients at what they go through like just take one type of cancer right and just isolate them make them cookies for a minute. Yes and what their treatments look like 20 years ago to today versus success rates back then to today and are you just right mind blown? It is mind blowing.

Speaker:

Okay. And it's still hard treatment is hard but to realize how targeted treatment has become and yes there's still some that is like cancer treatment as a broad spectrum um and I'm not a healthcare provider.

Speaker 1:

So let's be real clear we do not have D's after our names.

Speaker:

But the reality is um to realize how they can pinpoint something within a cell that's unbelievable. That's amazing and it's all because of research and so it's wonderful scientific minds um but the bravery of patients that are willing to be in a clinical trial so that it may or may not make things better for them.

Speaker 1:

There's always the hope that it is but to realize that they're paving the way for people after them and I just think of the bravery of a patient to be able to I feel like everyone always wants in these really tiny clinical trials and they're just fighting to get in but I never thought about the other side of it the bravery to even get in and do it.

Speaker:

That's right. That's we thought about that angle. You know and just the how many people work to make that clinical trial and um it's just it's amazing to see the results of it and how like you said how cancer care has changed at one time there was just treatment and we all knew it was bad. We all knew it was hard because we watched it. Right. We watched it happen um to people that we love dearly and to see how now they know like well this treatment but we have this that will help with that side effect and it won't change the treatment effect. And so really I think um the healthcare community has looked at um the quality of life also and the measurement of that within a patient but and how that affects even the family unit. And then once you get into genetics and understanding um that's a whole that's a whole other thing. And but but realizing like how that can be a preventative measure within the family on certain things. And so just I mean the cancer world is just changing I feel like by the minute I love that for the better. For the better and learning and when my dad was going through treatment um there was that moment that I became really frustrated and I'm like why like everything is a frustrating journey.

Speaker 1:

Everything was a why every I always said that when my stepdad my mom and stepdad were in Florida and I'm like did you ask why why why and she's like she um loved her dearly she wasn't wired like me. I'm very um I always have aggressive questions I always she's like enough with the questions and I wish I had been down there to be more of an advocate for her and for him. She was just there loving on him. Yes but you have to have someone just go be a jerk unfortunately you have to keep pushing for more answers and I'm the why person.

Speaker:

And I I just you know was like why why this treatment why this why are they asking him to do this this and this and I'm really dear friend said I need to remind you that it's the practice of medicine. Oh okay and I'm like actually that helps me okay and it made me reflect and I'm like you know I can't imagine what it was like being a patient 50 years ago. Oh no no and you know now in our world we have more survivors of cancer than we've ever and it and it's all because of the research and the treatment and the bravery of healthcare providers and their their gift of science that has been given to people and the bravery of patients and families welcome to say yes. You know and so at a really hard time in their life. Yes and they brave during they say yes to treatment and they say yes to the next treatment and they say yes to this procedure and it's a lot for a patient.

Speaker 1:

Wow I'm like I like that they you have such good angles on it oh you're so sweet. I'm like that is I love that I love love love that okay let's talk about um we kind of talked about the journey of hope cancer resources I always say hope cancer so sorry I don't say acronyms but I will say hope cancer. Let's talk about this new logo.

Speaker:

Okay yeah it's pretty thank you do you like it I do like it of course I like that the hope is emphasized the blue ribbon. Yes so we had a whole team um Jamie led that and really worked on they got a committee together and you know some people go a committee have to have that you have a have to have a lot of input I would say a focused task force okay is what it was. And so they took like our history and then where we are today and looking forward. And that's really what you have to do with your breathing. Yes. And um you know we're in a um marketing world now right whether people realize it or not we are I'm and we always have been um but it's I I think more now than ever because there's so many channels you know to reach people and and everybody wants their own they they like you reach me where I am I'm not gonna look oh I'm not gonna look for you. Yes um you come to me in the in this world with our brand um because we deal with cancer people do look for us because it's the moment of what now. Yes. And so um I think they You're like a life preserver. Yes yes and so I think they did an amazing job in balancing our strong history and looking for the vision of of going forward. Our whole purpose is to help people is to help people where they are in their cancer journey. And the reality is we would love to to look at more preventative and lowering your risk um because that's what makes our community healthier. And so we just to find that balance of that but I think the brand is fresh and it's out there and we like it and um we've had good response from it but just see um it will still be evolving. Yes. Because it you know it your brand has a life of its own it does and it really is supported by the foundation of your mission. And so I think our mission is strong in this community and um but we want it to continue to be what is okay so forgive me I it's probably something I should know.

Speaker 1:

Is blue synonymous with cancer? It is not necessarily is it like the pink ribbon there are there are certain cancers that blue is okay um or we just pull in blue from our old yes i and I don't mean old but our tie was blue ho cancer that's we can't hope that's right with it. So it just kind of carried over right I like it.

Speaker:

But it's a fresh blue it is a fresh blue it's bright it's life it's happy blue and so um I loved that aspect of it.

Speaker 1:

I didn't that was the first thing I noticed was it's a much brighter blue which brighter always means happier to yes that's right and it I feel like it kind of breathes life.

Speaker:

It does and so that's really important in our work um and to kind of be a beacon of life in the community and um again in really hard times. That's a good one.

Speaker 1:

Okay we're gonna so we're gonna save what you really do for part two and what you're really doing for part two. But I want to jump into we just have a couple minutes left on this one. I want to talk about gay as a person. So outside of your day job and your AFP and all the things you're connected to what does downtime look like for you outside of Razorback baseball season okay because Razorback baseball season is important in the presentation very important to you the two of you that's right it is um it's like it's a it's like a four or six month holiday yes so outside of Hope Cancer Resource it's hard because I feel like it all I know it all be together.

Speaker:

And it it stays together. Yes you know so I'm married to Larry which is why I moved to Northwest Arkansas. He actually lived in Fayetteville and so um I got to move here and um our life together has been wonderful.

Speaker 1:

And if y'all don't know Larry on Facebook, you need a friend on Facebook because he's an absolute treasure to he's um he's funny.

Speaker:

He's very teamer he is so funny. We have two dogs I feel like we have always had at least two dogs our whole married life and um he was not used to having a dog in the house and when we got married I brought Katie and um I'm like well she's she wants to meet in. Yeah. And so at first it was like and it took about one night of course in and now all our dogs have come in and so um he's he is retired and so really my life outside of work is is with Larry. Yes. And so we do um things with our church we do things at the university um we play tennis Larry got me into playing tennis and are you all obsessed with pickleball? Um I feel like that's the next we actually did that tennis players jump into. Yeah we did a lesson with took with pickleball and um Larry was of course quite good at it of course very athletic I am not athletic and so I was okay. Okay. I'm gonna say I was okay. I wasn't terrible but I think I'm gonna try to play tennis a little bit longer. I like tennis. I'm there for the skirts I've always done I've always been there for the skirts. Yeah so we um you know we just we enjoy doing things together most of our my family most is in Mississippi and so um we love to go down and see them and be a part of their lives and have nieces and nephews in different places and the next generation and so I always wanted to I'm like we have to go and visit them because they they're busy that's the way they will know us. Yes yes and so I have um 16 great nieces and nephews. That's a lot so it's a lot and but I they're wonderful. So they're 17 down to eight months old.

Speaker 1:

Wow you have a whole range how amazing is that you get every single one of them knocked out and they're so you're like all your stages I pass you back teenager. That's right give me the baby give me the baby snuggles yeah okay yeah sweet or savory sweet really I am not surprised not surprised by that at all what is your favorite time of day morning.

Speaker:

I'm a morning person too which we are never thought I was would be I do I like morning I don't love three o'clock in the afternoon. Do you want to take a nap? Because I do actually I I think that's it my body does I'm I don't think as well um so I have to like okay I need to get up and but then I get recharged and then I get recharged and then I can go. Yes but I like love to three on like I have this 30 minutes to an hour where I'm not super productive. Same.

Speaker 1:

And then I'm like hey yeah let's go the day isn't over with I love it someone's like can I meet up for and I'm like no it's like that's just not going to work for me. It's like you want me then you don't want me then you don't want me but if you would like to meet me at 7 a.m I'm all yours. I will not look good but I'm all yours. I will be charged and ready. Mind is ready. Yeah I can even do five I this again not going to look good but I can absolutely do it. Okay one more thing at 13 what did you want to do? Would 13 year old wow gay be shocked about what you're doing today?

Speaker:

Oh absolutely absolutely um you know I think at 13 I you know you we you would say those typical things you know oh I want to be a mom I want to be a teacher or a nurse a teacher not right a teacher or nurse yes that was the go-to thing yes um but I the reality is I I loved art even at 13. And so as I in high school and then um when I went to college I um was in graphic arts and so I did two years in college under a graphic arts program got an associate's degree and then went and worked for a printing company um and from there I went into an ad agency and I loved it I loved that world um an ad agency is super super fun. It is fun I know they're totally different now than they were but that's okay still fun still crazy but it's a it's fast paced and it's different ideas. I worked in the creative department I'm amazed by create creative people. Oh it is um you talk about a different day every day but every day yes it is great yes and so it was fun and exciting and um that's actually how I met Larry he was um a salesperson for a printing a national printing company out of St. Louis and he we were one of his accounts and um we knew each other for probably three and a half years and then it was like maybe we should date maybe then I think we should and we should and yeah we got married and it's been great. Yes um and I moved here and I went to an ad agency and I loved it but it was very different than what I had been in in Mississippi um but I loved it and I met some really great people but I had just moved to northwest Arkansas and Larry traveled in his job and I was like I I don't know anyone I don't even know where I am. Right. And so um I stepped back and I took a few months off and just um I drove every road in Fayetteville and um Larry got tickled because I would say just go down that road you'll get there quicker and he's like how do you know that and I'm like because I've driven it you know like I just went every every neighborhood because I wanted to know the community and um and so it it really was a a nice time for me to be able to do that. But to say at 13 number one I never dreamed I would live anywhere but I said Mississippi oh really you know I I did not have this like I want to travel the world I want to my family was in Jackson. Yeah and I've been through there many times I'm very our our family is it it's the most amazing gift to share with somebody is my family. And I it's just my experience is we have just this strong strong love and it's amazing. And so um but to think that I would number one be in Arkansas and then to which I have loved I will say I am a really good Razorback fan. I do I do make sure my family understands I can still ring a cowbell.

Speaker 1:

Yes yes and and do it lovingly absolutely around here are a lot happier when the razorbacks are performing. Yes so our transplant blood is just here to cheer you on so you're happier. So I and I like it.

Speaker:

It took me a little bit before I would actually call the hogs I don't call the hogs I feel I feel like a poser.

Speaker 1:

Well I can now I mean I could do it I guess but I feel like I didn't go still have a question oh I can't and so I feel like I'm just posing I feel like I don't not sure I'm not indoctrined. I'm not worthy of calling the hogs like that's how it feels to me. I'm like Yeah okay I just it feels weird. It's not that I'm not cheering for them. Right. It just feels like well you didn't go here and graduate from here so you can't do it. It feels just like that to me internally. Well I'm gonna cheer later by nature so not size but

Speaker:

So I I really get into I love this um at the College World Series when we go there. Big big and we're not playing. Um so whoever's playing, I pick a team. Oh, same. And so I do their chair. Yes. And Larry pick people sitting around so that they don't get angry at me. So Larry's like, what, what? And I'm like, you got a chair for somebody. Yeah, it makes it yeah. It makes the gang more interesting. Absolutely. You know, so it's kind of like that's just what we do. Oh, this is awesome. I love this. But I've been very blessed. I've been so blessed by my life.

Speaker 1:

Oh, I'm so blessed to call you a friend. Oh, we're all blessed to have you in our lives. Let's thank you. Um are just a treasure of Northwest Arkansas. I don't know anyone that doesn't love you. So you're so true. Thanks, man. Very true. So thank you. I feel blessed. You are. I love you. I love you. I just think you're so great. That's why we put you in the magazine a couple years ago. I just love that. And I know you were so excited for that. Yeah. I may have had to email you multiple times for strong argue, but it's fine. We can. You're like, no. And I'm like, nope, no, it doesn't work. Thank you though. That's right. Okay, thank you. Thank you. I hope you'll join me for part two of your podcast so we can talk about the most fun part. Yes. Okay. Thank you everybody for joining me. Check out Hope Cancer Resources if you all have time. They do amazing work in Northwest Arkansas. And while you're checking them out, don't forget to stop by Walmart and pick up your Hershey salty snacks, some skinny pop or dots, homestyle pretzels, or pirates booty. I know those are staples in my hoe. And don't forget to keep on inspiring culture of giving. See y'all next time.