A Distinctive Style

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FALL 2011 ECO FASHION TRENDS AMERICAN HERO shameless JeWelRY J.R. MARTINEZ SINGER/SONGWRITER GIVE AWAY JENNIFER WARNES LEGENDARY WOMEN REGInA TAYLOR BLAZE THE TRAIL BReaking FRAn DREscHER the silence on SPEAKS OUT AbOUT CANCER ovaRian canceR 2 A Distinctive style . com A Distinctive style . com 3 4 A Distinctive style . com A Distinctive style . com 5 www.mauricegainen.com the sound of An International Journey of fReedom Music Creation By Stacey Kumagai

Freedom means different things to passion for music, spending time with His father, who was a well-known (1964 different people. It is something many live loved ones and being inspired by life’s Academy Award) Jewish author was told to experience and strive to find in their journey and the journey of others who he should leave right away, so they fled to lives all over the world. It can take on a have become part of his life’s musical Israel. He was driving me to the airport different note of understanding from tapestry. and we were talking. He said, ‘When I was many growth perspectives of what it “The inspiration for the theme came a kid in Czechoslovakia and I heard The means to be truly free. As a five year-old from the song and the song inspiration Beatles, Stones, Jazz, Blues, the BBC and child, Composer-Musician-Producer and came from a visit with George Grosman in Voice of America, that was the sound of Master Engineer, Maurice Gainen found Toronto in 2009. He was one of the first freedom to me.’ “I said, wow, that is a freedom on a piano built in 1923, in his people I met when my family moved to great song title, you should run with it!” family living room. Today, The Sound of Israel when I was in 11th grade. As a “When I got back to LA, it would not Freedom is more than just the title of his teenager in Czechoslovakia in 1967, he leave my head. I called him and said, Dude, new album. For Gainen, freedom is doing was awakened to Russian tanks rolling remember that sound of freedom stuff we what he loves independently, sharing his down his street in the middle of the night. were talking about, when I said you should

6 A Distinctive style . com write a song? Well, I just wrote it, but you from numerous music publications from that transcends airspace via cyberspace – have to write a verse about your experience Music Connection to Billboard Magazine , a world-fusion CD he produced with an growing up in Czechoslovakia,” explains he plays the flute and saxophone effort - entire cast of thirty-eight musicians via the Gainen. lessly and produces music and video internet with vocals and music performances Music truly sets people free in many creatively, with dedication and passion. from yes, all seven continents! “Music is a ways. In The Sound of Freedom music video , While most may marvel at these talents great unifier,” explains Gainen. His next Gainen adds colorful notes with his sax- alone, what some may not know is that work will come in July 2012 with his own ophone to the lead vocals of Grosman in Gainen is also an accomplished Master works tentatively called World Jazz Czechoslovakia via Toronto, Immaculee Engineer in music. “I am blessed to get Remixed with video shoots in Brazil and Awino in Kenya, Africa and Jamal "General" paid to wallow in the best music ever Africa for the new CD. Patton in South Central Los Angeles, who created of all types. Too many to list, but “There is more great music out there punctuates his story with Rap-style lyrics. just for starters, Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, than one can absorb in a lifetime…great They share their true-life stories in the Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Joni Mitchell, musicians in big and small cities all over song’s lyrical message. These real-life Sinatra, Marvin Gaye. I have Mastered 140 the world. You just have to make a little experiences are what make freedom worth compilations for Starbucks, often getting effort to seek it out. A lot of very worthy celebrating as they discover themselves the opportunity to make the songs sound stuff gets left behind or not supported and their own life harmony by what better than they ever have through enough. I am in as much control of my they’ve endured and overcome in hard restoration.” destiny as anyone can be. All I have to do times. Also making an appearance with his While most of Gainen’s time is spent on is stay focused and break the silence in a soulful, gritty back-alley blues vocals is remastering legendary artists, he’s kept positive way,” concludes Gainen. blues great Mighty Mo Rodgers. true to his own self-imposed ‘my own CD Maurice Gainen is breaking the silence, After studying at Berklee College of every two years’ deadline to create the indeed. If you listen closely, you may Music, Gainen’s music journey has been music he wants to produce. His other actually hear the sound of freedom . Now both an interesting and successful one. inspiring works include Jazz World Colors that can be music to anyone’s ears. Receiving accolades on his music performanc e and Jazz Flute Jams . But it is 7 Continents

A Distinctive style . com 7 8 A Distinctive style . com A Distinctive style . com 9 “I want to design furniture that grows up out of th e floor” Verner Panton, Architect and Designer veRneR Panton was one of the most in - design chal lenges in unconventional ways. made of enamel or plastic—into a unified fluential designers of the 1960s and ‘70s. Verner Panton, born 1926 in Gamtofte, gesamtkunstwerk, Panton's interior instal - Born in Denmark, Panton relocated to Denmark, studied at Odense Technical Col - lations have attained legendary status. The Switzerland in the early 1960s. He lege before enrolling at the Royal Danish most famous examples are the "Visiona" became known for his original and imagi - Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen as an ship installations for the Cologne Furniture native designs in the field s of furniture, architecture student. Fair (1968 and 1970), the Spiegel publish - lighting and textiles. Installations such as He worked from 1950-52 in the archi tec - ing headquarters in Hamburg (1969) and the legendary ‘Visiona’ exhibition demon - tural firm of Arne Jacobsen, and founded an the Varna restaurant in Aarhus (1970). strated Panton’s masterful use of colour, a independent studio for architecture and Panton's collaboration with Vitra began hallmark of his work. design in 1955. His furniture designs for the in the early 1960s, when the firm decided “I want to design furniture that grows up firm Plus-linje attracted attention with to develop what became his best-known out of the floor. To turn the furniture into their geometric forms. In the follow ing design, the Panton Chair, which was something organic. Which never has four years Panton created numerous designs for introduced in 1967. legs." seating furniture and lighting. This was also the Pushing materials His passion for bright colours and geo - first independ - to their limits was a metric patterns manifested itself in an ently devel - passion of this Dan - extensive range of textile designs. By fusing oped ish architect and de - the elements of a room—floor, walls, ceil - product by signer, who always ing, furnishings, lighting, textiles, wall panels Vitra. approached A Distinctive style . com 11 12 A Distinctive style . com THE UNSEEN WAR ON AMERICAN FAMI LY FARMS The government needs to stop harassing small farmers, private food buying clubs and co- ops without food freedom…. we are not free. ameRicans’ Right to access fResh, healthY foods of theiR often drive out of business small farms. These farmers have choice is undeR attack . Farmageddon tells the story of small, proven themselves more than capable of producing safe, family farms that were providing safe, healthy foods to their healthy food, but buckle under the crushing weight of government communities and were forced to stop, sometimes through regulations and excessive enforcement actions. violent action, by agents of misguided government bureaucracies , Farmageddon highlights the urgency of food freedom, and seeks to figure out why. encourag ing farmers and consumers alike to take action to Filmmaker Kristin Canty’s quest to find healthy food for her four preserve individuals’ rights to access food of their choice and children turned into an educational journey to discover why farmers’ rights to produce these foods safely and free from access to these foods was being threatened. What she found unreasonably burdensome regulations. The film serves to put were policies that favor agribusiness and factory farms over policymakers and regulators on notice that there is a growing small family operated farms selling fresh foods to their com - movement of people aware that their freedom to choose the munities. Instead of focusing on the source of food safety foods they want is in danger, a movement that is taking action problem s—most often the industrial food chain — policy makers with its dollars and its voting power to protect and preserve the and regulators implement and enforce solutions that target and dwindling number of family farms that are struggling to survive.

A Distinctive style . com 13 14 A Distinctive style . com DISTINCT IVE AMAGAZSItyNle E cover photo GREGORY COSTANZO www.GREGORYCOSTANZO.COM

cover music performed by jENNIfER wARNES | IT’S RAINING SO HARD www.jENNIfERwARNES.COM

editor in chief DENISE MARIE

fashion editor TERESA LOUISE jOHNSON

graphic design ERUM EHMAD | MAYTHE CARpENTINO

cinematographer SEERGEI kRASIkOv | www.kINOSERGE.COM

contributing writers SUZANNE ANDORA BARRON | STOwE DAILEY SHOCkEY ALYSSA pHILLIpS | SHARYN wYNTERS

director of sales and marketing STACEY kUMUGAI

story ideas [email protected]

editor-in-chief EDITOR-IN-CHIEf@ ADISTINCTIvESTYLE.COM

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CONTENTS | fALL 2011 | ISSUE 16 A Y L O R IN THIS ISSUE

6 THE SOUNd Of fREEdOM An International journey of Music Creation with Maurice Gainen

11 fARMAGEddON dOCUMEN TARY The Unseen war on American family farms

18 WASTE LANd dOCUMENTARY Turning Garbage into Art

27 INGREdIENTS dOCUMENTARY An Exploration of the Local food 66 Movement

31 MARIO LOpEZ Encourages friends to Give Back

32 STUdENTS fIRST American Students at Risk

38 fORCE Of NATURE A glimpse into the events that shaped David Suzuki's life and career

39 A dAY IN THE LIfE A documentary about a kaleidoscope of images we call life

40 fALL 2011 fASHION TRENdS 22 45 AdS fAVORITE THINGS REGINA TAYLOR | MICKI GRANT | CARMEN DE LAVALLADE

48 WILd HORSES & RENEGAdES J

A documentary about wild horses being . R

killed at taxpayer’s expense .

62 ASkRAMER COLUMN A R T I 63 LIVE YOUR LIGHT COLUMN N E 66 CANCER STORIES Z A variety of inspirational stories from all ages, that have dealt with or are dealing with the disease

84 SHAMELESS JEWELRY GIVEAWAY

86 SHARYN WYNTERS putting Cancer where it Belongs — 58 IN THE TRASH B f R I L A L

N H

E d N R d E S E C R S H O E R N

28 72 R E L A I C S A H B A E E T L H

A R O M H p A M

34 56 p J E E N T E N R I

f S E H R A

W N k A M R N A E N S

52 61 WASTE LAND What Happens in the World’s Largest Garbage Dump will Amaze You! Filmed over nearly three years, WASTE LAND follows renowned artist Vik Muniz as he journeys from his home base in Brooklyn to his native Brazil and the world's largest garbage dump, Jardim Gramacho, located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. There he photographs an eclectic band of "catadores" — self-designated pickers of recyclable materials. Muniz's initial objective was to "paint" the catadores with garbage. However, his collaboration with these inspiring characters as they recreate photographic images of them - selves out of garbage reveals both the dignity and despair of the catadores as they begin to re-imagine their lives. Director Lucy Walker (DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND, BLINDSIGHT and COUNT DOWN TO ZERO) and co-directors João Jardim and Karen Harley have great access to the entire process and, in the end, offer stirring evidence of the transformative power of art and the alchemy of the human spirit. WWW.WASTELANDMOVIE.COM

18 A Distinctive style . com the giPsY magna PICTURE OF GARBAGE Photograph by vik muniz courtesy of vik muniz studio

A Distinctive style . com 19 ameRican WoodtuRneR bOb STOCKSDALE

Bob Stocksdale (born in Warren, Indiana) was an American motor. He turned baseball bats and spindles among early woodturner, known for his exquisite bowls formed from rare projects. After graduating from high school, he worked in a and exotic woods. He was raised on a farm and enjoyed factory making wooden paddles used by cracker bakers. Later working with tools. According to an oral history he recorded he worked in a factory that made cedar chests. His job was to at the University of California Bancroft Library, he powered assemble the chests from the pre-cut wooden pieces. his first lathe with a surplus Maytag gasoline washing machine He was a conscientious objector during World War II, and

20 A Distinctive style . com was sent to several CO camps doing forestry work. This bought a Victorian duplex in South Berkeley, where he lived brought him to the West. While at the camps he was able to and worked for the rest of his life. He put together a shop of procure a lathe and began turning bowls. He was encouraged modest tools in his basement, and there turned out work that in his woodturning efforts by Helen Winnemore, the owner of gradually earned him acclaim and fame as a woodturner. He a crafts gallery in Columbus, Ohio. died at age 89. After the war Stocksdale moved to Berkeley, California. He

A Distinctive style . com 21 Regina taYloR micki gRant caRmen de lavallade

Actress, Director, Playwright, Activist. A multi-talented actress, singer, Legendary dancer, choreographer, Golden Globe, NAACP Image, Tony, author, composer-lyricst, playwright. professor and stage and ﬁlm actress. Peabody & Gracie, Hope Abelson, Grammy Award Winner, Tony Award Awarded the Black History Month Helen Hayes, L.A. Dramalogue Nominee. CLIO Award Winner for Lifetime Achievement Award, the Award. First African-American commercial jingles. The ﬁrst African- Rosie, the Bessie, the Capezio Dance woman to play Shakespeare’s Juliet American cast member of a Award and received her Honorary in Broadway’s “Romeo and Juliet” daytime soap opera. Doctor of Fine Arts from Julliard

A prolific playwright, Taylor penned and Ms. Grant has appeared in numerous de Lavallade began studying ballet with directed Crowns , the most performed plays and musicals, on Broadway and in at the age of 16. She studied painting, musical in the country in 2007. The play regional theatre, such as To Be Young, acting, music, set design and costum - pays homage to African-American matri - Gifted and Black, Brecht on Brecht , The ing, ballet, modern and ethnic dance. archs – and their beloved Sunday hats or Cradle Will Rock , Leonard Bernstein's She made her Broadway debut in Truman “crowns” – by immersing audiences in Theatre Songs , and Funnyhouse of a Negro Capote's House of Flowers . Her televi - the colorful richness of black Southern among them. Of the multiple shows for sion debut was in John Butler's ballet culture. Taylor has won numerous awards which she has been both lyricist and Flight , and in 1957 she appeared in the throughout her career and is a leading example of an artist-advocate whose composer, the most notable were, Your television production of Duke Ellington's work inspires humanity. Taylor is best- Arms Too Short To Box With God and A Drum is a Woman . She also appeared known for her role as Lilly Harper in the Working which was adapted from Stud in several off-Broadway productions, television series I’ll Fly Away . She starred Terkel's book of the same name. She has including Othello and Death of a Sales - in the CBS drama The Unit , in films such been the recipient of Grammy, Drama man . An introduction to Twentieth Cen - as The Negotiator, Courage Under Fire, Desk, NAACP Image, Outer Critics' Circle, tury Fox executives by Lena Horne lead A Family Thing, The Keeper, Clockers, and Obie awards. She performed through - to more acting roles between 1952 and Losing Isaiah , and Lean on Me . On stage out the country in the mid-1990s as Sadie 1955. She appeared in several films in - in such plays as As You Like It, Macbeth, Delaney in the stage play Having Our cluding Carmen Jones with Dorothy Dan - Machinal, The Illusion and Jar the Floor . Say: The Delaney Sisters' First 100 Years . dridge and Odds Against Tomorrow with An Artistic Associate with Good man An enduring and remarkable talent, she Harry Belafonte. She staged musicals, plays Theatre, her plays Magnolia and The additionally has historical significance, and operas and became a professor and Trinity River Plays have played there. having been one of the first Black day - member of the Yale Repertory Theater. Most recently Taylor wrote and directed Post Black , which is part of the time contract players on network televi - Choreographed Porgy and Bess and Die Ensemble Studio Theatre’s “The River sion with running performances on soap Meistersinger at the Metro politan Opera. Crosses Rivers” festival in NYC. It features operas The Edge of Night, Guiding Light , In 2010, she appeared in a one-night Ruby Dee, Carmen de Lavallade, and and a seven year run as attorney Peggy only concert semi staged reading of Micki Grant. Nolan on NBC's Another World . Evening Primrose by Stephen Sondheim.

22 A Distinctive style . com In her new play POsT BLAC k, Regina Taylor, along with legendary actresses TR AIL bLAZING Ruby Dee, Carmen de Lavallade and Micki Grant, tells the story of Pearl; a WOMEN REFUSE 110-year old woman who is, among many other things, a cancer survivor. In this captivating one-woman play,Taylor uses LIMITATIONS OR Pearl to show us “Life is supreme, life is precious…life is something to be fought for with all of its complexities. There is nothing bOUNDARIES that we can’t move through.”

Regina Taylor was one of five playwrights chosen to participate in the Signature Theatre’s new Residency Five initiatives as part of their expanded programming. This is a unique program that guarantees each playwright three world-premiere productions of new plays over the course of a five-year residency. Taylor will receive a significant cash award, full health benefits, a stipend to attend theatre, access to Signature’s resources and staff, and like all of Signature’s playwrights, a place at the center of the artistic process. For her recognition Taylor responded “With an open heart, spirit and mind I enter into this new experience as a student and strive to bring my full self to all the work presented.” For more info visit: www.thesignaturetheater.org

A Distinctive style . com 23 24 A Distinctive style . com A Distinctive style . com 25 26 A Distinctive style . com INGREDIENTS A DOCUMENTARY FILM A Seasonal exploration of the Local Food Movement

At the focal point of this movement, and of this film, are the food comes from and in the process we've lost a vital connection farmers and chefs who are creating a truly sustainable food to our local community and to our health. system. Their collaborative work has resulted in great tasting A feature-length documentary, INGREDIENTS illustrates how food and an explosion of consumer awareness about the people around the country are working to revitalize that benefits of eating local. connection. Narrated by Bebe Neuwirth, the film takes us across Attention being paid to the local food movement comes at a the U.S. from the diversified farms of the Hudson River and time when the failings of our current industrialized food system Willamette Valleys to the urban food deserts of Harlem and to are becoming all too clear. For the first time in history, our the kitchens of celebrated chefs Alice Waters, Peter Hoffman children’s generation is expected to have a shorter lifespan than and Greg Higgins. INGREDIENTS is a journey that reveals the our own. The quality, taste and nutritional value of the food we people behind the movement to bring good food back to the eat has dropped sharply over the last fifty years. Shipped from table and health back to our communities. ever-greater distances, we have literally lost sight of where our www.ingredientsfilm.com

A Distinctive style . com 27 THE ARTIST IS ALIVE

A Distinctive style . com IN ALL OF US 28 The unique colors we shine and contribute in life, through a smile, a nod, a twinkle of an eye, create a beautiful image and paint a gorgeous picture of life. We create art from within just by being. By Stacey Kumagai

I stopped inside a Starbucks in my local neighborhood for coffee. gave a damn about his era of music and that I was moved by it. Everyone was busy, chatting away and blenders were whirling While he was not performing on this particular Ella track that about making Frappuccino’s. Little kids were screaming outside was playing it didn’t matter. What mattered to him was that the chasing pigeons. People dressed in their Sunday best were either music was embraced and that’s all he needed to know. People going to or just coming back from church. Fitness fanatics were can still appreciate this music today. It lives on. wearing spandex and getting their morning reward or caffeine fix. What was happening here? As an artist sits, an artist knows that The world was spinning. Life was happening. All the while, off in deep within his soul, his spirit soars when he does what he loves. a corner, sat a very graceful, handsome gentleman with a cane. The rest of the time, he can enjoy life and soak up the elements He had on a stylish hat and wore glasses. His beard was grey. He as inspiration to continue to have the life experience in his soul to looked like a teddy bear. do what he does. The simple liberation about the arts is being able He was sitting there, telling a story and also listening intently to to express yourself in ways the daily grind of life does not enable you a young ‘cyber’ junkie yammering on who may or may not have to. known who he was. No one and nothing can take away the talents you were born He had a style about him, a presence. His friendly demeanor with. Not even a boring day job, can take away the continued was infectious and contagious. He was unassuming. Just sat there cultivation of that talent you have that burns from within for you. without a care in the world, just being himself. Whether or not your name is in lights, what matters is that you do Being a jazz/blues lover, I tried with all of my being to retain my what you love and what inspires you. composure because I recognized him. The impactful aura of being Whether you are Blind Lemon Jefferson or Bill Henderson or in his presence with about 60 or so Starbucksters roaming about someone who plays a harmonica in a garage or performs on a and no one even bothered to notice him in the room or know street corner, the common denominator is found in your soul, whose presence they were in the company of. you are a musician. A legend. Not acknowledged? Forgotten? It was none other If you paint walls in your house or spray paint your bicycle or than one of the greatest jazz singers in history, Bill Henderson. paint on a canvas or maybe you’re Michelangelo and paint on ceil - Bill Henderson is what is known as one of the world’s “Last ings, the common denominator is in your soul, you are a painter. Great Jazz Singers” on the planet. To understand the accomplish - If you are five years old playing with Play-Doh or you mold clay ments of this Chicago native, you have to go to his website and showcase your work in a gallery, your soul knows you are a www.billhendersonmusic.com . Making his mark as the lead sculptor. vocalist for The Count Basie Band is where his impressive career One thing stands firm and true: Passion in the heart becomes path dazzles. Playing at the Apollo with Dizzy Gillespie, perform - your art. What your job title is, does not define you. What your ing and touring with Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Quincy Jones paycheck is or whether or not you are on the cover of some mag - and many others, the list is endless for this multitalented man azine, does not define your level of success. Success is doing what that I happened to be in the same room with. you love, when you can, as you can. I had the honor to see this man in the flesh. Not in a concert set - The master of his or her own art is one that takes great pleasure ting. Not singing with Count Basie or the Oscar Peterson Trio or in being human first and an artist second. The artist will emerge the vast array of historical musical moments…but sitting there, regardless and that in itself is art which gives us life in return. Bill exchanging and storytelling. Henderson demonstrated this brilliantly. Bill was celebrating the moment. He was taking in life, in the The unique colors we shine and contribute in life through a here and now. It wasn’t important he rattle off who he was or smile, a nod, a twinkle of an eye create a beautiful image and what he’s done or what he was about to do. He was sitting there paint a gorgeous picture of life. We create art from within just by living life as Ella Fitzgerald was singing in the background and I being. was tapping my toe. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw me tap - And yes, Bill we'd better love you when you're gone. You’ve ping. He maintained the conversation he was having – but I knew given us more than art, you’ve shined your artist within, just by the twinkle. The twinkle in his eye was thankful that someone even being you. A Distinctive style . com 29 30 A Distinctive style . com Kind He arts Mario Lopez and girlfriend Courtney Mazza encouraged friends and family to give back—while their baby Gia grows up. By Rachael Sokol

ctor, TV host, and fitness guru Mario Lopez—best “Gia and I are so thankful to be able to work with MyRegistry.com known for his beloved role as AC Slater in the popular to donate to the Community Youth Center of Chula Vista, a A80s teen sitcom, Saved By the Bell —and his stunning wonderful organization that deserves tremendous support,” said girlfriend Courtney Mazza, celebrated their daughter Gia Mario Lopez in a press release. According to Mario, the couple Francesca’s first birthday by asking friends and family to give was “excited” to celebrate Gia’s birthday in this extra special way. back for a good cause. The couple created Gia’s birthday registry MyRegistry.com can be used for weddings, birthdays, baby on MyRegistry.com, letting friends and family know what to showers, graduations, or any other gift giving occasion. But what gifts purchase for Gia. Besides toys and diapers, one of the gift makes this site so unique is that it provides users a platform to requests was to make donations to the Community Youth Ath - assist charities and nonprofit organizations. letic Center of Chula Vista, California—near Mario’s San Diego MyRegistry.com believes that Mario Lopez and his family will hometown—an organization that benefits troubled youth from help inform and inspire others to, “use their own gift giving occa - the San Diego area. sions to create donation registries for their favorite charities.”

www.myregistry.com/public/giafrancesca

A Distinctive style . com 31 rg sfirst.o tudent www.s

Great teachers make a tremendous difference in students' lives. This year we risk losing some of the best teachers in America. • At least 160,000 teachers face layoffs. • Most layoffs will be based solely on seniority, not on performance. • The result: many of our most effective teachers will lose their jobs. • Even if there have to be layoffs, we can save great teachers.

Parental engagement is critical to ﬁght for better schools. Without a If you agree with our mission, and want ensuring student success, so we'll work widespread, concerted movement that to help transform education in your to get all families more involved in their engages all sectors of society, our community and throughout America, schools. But lasting reform requires that country will continue to fall further and join us. whole communities get involved in the further behind the rest of the world. www.studentsﬁrst.org/pages/membership

32 A Distinctive style . com A Distinctive style . com 33 Röhm is Where the Heart Is

Former Law & order actress elisabeth röhm is a woman’s healthcare advocate, red Cross volunteer, writer and mom.

By Rachel Sokol

Elisabeth Röhm loves serenity and being time.” Röhm’s favorite quote is: “When part, then be with Easton for a solid home. The actress, mommy, and health - the going gets tough, do it anyway,” from month,” she says, pointing out a differ - care advocate splits her time between the poem, “Do It Anyway.” “It’s just a little ence between television and film work. New York and Los Angeles, but she knows gem I turn to,” says the actress who starred Motherhood, says Röhm, also taught her, how to channel her inner Dorothy Gale. as the spunky Assistant Attorney Serena “to be present, to be forgiving—and that “Home is an essential part of your life, it’s Southerlyn on the popular NBC series Law it’s OK to not be perfect.” important for me, and for my young & Order . “I turn to that poem as a reminder Röhm, a voracious reader, loves the daughter Easton, to have a peaceful en - to not take things so personally.” literature of DH Lawrence and Pat viron ment at home, whether it’s in Los Currently filming a series of movies Conroy—to name just a few. “As a child, Angeles or New York,” she explains. “I such as Sara’s Cell and Blueglass Run , I fell in love with books and Easton loves love the security I have around me in New Röhm refers to her years on Law and books too. I read her books by Brian York, it is home. I can just hop on Amtrak Order as her “first big break.” Andreas— he writes children’s books with or Metro North to escape.” The native “It was filmed in my hometown, after adult themes.” New Yorker calls the Empire State, ‘the all. I felt like I was recruited by the Yankees, One of Röhm’s other gems is the most beautiful’ but has come to really it was my dream come true,” she recalls Tibetan Book of Living and Dying , a book enjoy the West Coast. “We are lucky we excitedly. “It was also an intellectually she has turned to since the loss of her have that New York-slash-Los Angeles stimulating show, which I liked. I also mother, two years ago. “I thought it was diversity in our lives,” says Röhm, a Sarah liked the consistent work of television.” going to be a bunch of spiritual mumbo Lawrence graduate with a degree in Writ - There is “no real method to the madness,” jumbo, but it’s absolutely not.” ing and European History. laughs Röhm when asked about balancing Röhm, an only child, beautifully describes The cheerful, forward-thinking Röhm work with being a mom. (Easton’s father her mother as someone who, “just loved actually describes herself as “quiet to an is Röhm’s fiancé, Ron Wooster.) “I try to me with every drop she had—she was extent.” really focus on what’s in front of me. And always so incredibly patient with me,” “I like being surrounded by my inspira - I worry a LOT less now than I did in my recalls Röhm, whose mother passed away tional quotes and pictures and artwork. 20s. Instead of worrying about when, from a heart attack at age 60. “Sadly, my My refrigerator and walls are covered where, what if, I remind myself that every daughter will never know my mom in with my daughter’s art,” she says. “I am a career has its demands,” she explains. body, but she will know her in spirit. She big advocated for doing crafts and art “My job may not be 9 to 5, but we can go had a huge heart.” projects together and we do them all the away for a week or a month…I can play a Continued Next Page

34 A Distinctive style . com PhotogRaPheR: Russell BaeR A Distinctive style . com 35 Rohm, pictured here with daughter Easton, soon to be 4 years old.

Röhm is greatly moved and inspired by “As with all great things in my life, my Harvard Medical school. “It’s important the lessons and values her mother taught work with the Red Cross was inspired by for me to get behind a campaign that her. “My mother was quite the gardener. my mother,” says Röhm . “At a very diffi - excites me,” says Röhm, who often writes I would love to know more about gardening, cult time for my mother financially, her about the Campaign’s mission. “Most for Easton’s sake as well,” says Röhm. house was in a fire and the Red Cross charities are grassroots and you don’t “My mom had a huge garden in New replaced her roof. My mother urged me know where your donation money goes. York; the blueprint of her work is still years later to focus my energy on their That can make you powerless when it there.” Röhm says her family loves to eat relief work, which I have done in New York comes to diseases,” she says. organic, healthy foods and she is focused as well as internationally,” says Röhm. “The Campaign for Cancer Prevention on that with Easton. “We are a vegetarian - “I’m an emergency-trained volunteer in (www.causes.com/cancer ) educates donor s friendly family and I like to share this with New York, and have been involved with and participants. There is information Easton. I’d love to create a large garden fundraising on their behalf.” about where your money goes. With cancer, of our own someday.” Röhm is an advocate for the Campaign we have a big fight ahead of us.” As a mom, actress and someone just for Cancer Prevention, an organization full of passion, inspired by her own mother, that supports cutting-edge research and Röhm writes a popular Web blog about Röhm supports “healthy child, healthy prevention strategies against cancer. The her life and travels as a working mom. To world, and global green issues—how to Campaign is partnered with Brigham and learn more about Elizabeth and to read llive a greener life.” Women's Hospital, a flagship hospital of her writings, visit www. Elisabeth-Röhm.com .

36 A Distinctive style . com A Distinctive style . com 37 FORCE OF NATURE www.legacy.davidsuzuki.org/about_the_ﬁlm

David Suzuki, iconic Canadian scientist, educator, broadcaster Winner of the People's Choice Documentary Award at the 2010 and activist delivers a 'last lecture' — what he describes as "a TIFF, Force of Nature oﬀers a glimpse into the events that distillation of my life and thoughts, my legacy, what I want to shaped Suzuki's life and career. say before I die."

38 A Distinctive style . com What happens when you send a request out to the world to chronicle, via video, a single day on Earth? You get 80,000 submissions and 4,500 hours of footage from 192 countries. Producer Ridley Scott and Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald took this raw material and created Life in a Day, a groundbreaking, feature-length documentary that portrays this kaleidoscope of images we call life. National Geographic brings it to theaters. Prepare to be amazed. A LIFE IN A DAY www.movies.nationalgeographic.com

Photo BY stuck in customs A Distinctive style . com 39 FALL 2011 TRENDS: The eco-conscious every Woman’s Way

I’ve been trend-spotting recently and though many of the Fall 2011 runway trends aren’t my cup of tea, that’s not to say eco designers haven’t hit the mark with their latest collections. One of those eco apparel lines, Nally and Millie, is exceptional in that many of their pieces are reversible while still maintaining a stylish elegance and affordability. Deborah Lindquist’s line of vintage cashmere for Fall 2011 promises to be eco-sexy but it’s so much more than that with what’s sure to be wide audience appeal. Always impressive although this season more than ever, Dahlia Drive pieces fit trend without being over-the-top or unattractive, which is essentially how I’d describe the runway versions of this season’s hottest. However, couture trends are ever-present in our lives and we can certainly fit them into our eco closets by re-interpreting them.

40 A Distinctive style . com bold Colors Color in its many splendored variations hit the runways this season. Eco-clothing line Dahlia Drive ( www.dahliadrive.com ) hits the mark for Fall 2011 with eye-catching kimono tops in bright colors and floaty feminine shapes pairing look-at-me with flirtatious lady. Color, color everywhere in autumn shades like rust and green with gallant yellow peeking in, like the sun through the multi-colored trees. Best of all? Designer Wendy Van Riesen has chosen to use recycled saris, curtains and vintage scarves to create her apparel, making her mark not only in fashion but on the environment as well. Proudly heralded as a company whose apparel is made in the USA, Nally and Millie ( www.nallyandmillie.com ) is unique in that some of the pieces are reversible and some are handmade for intricacy. The pieces speak of a designer’s eye that is beautifully unafraid of color (and pattern) but who is familiar with elegance and an understanding of the female figure (every woman’s figure, which is particularly important to this fashion lovin’ mama).

Ponchos Don’t think Grandma. Think soft blanket to snuggle with on a chilly fall day. Think pairing it with high boots and skinny jeans. Think wrapping up in it with a loved one. Think handmade Cecile Benac Knitwear (www.cecilebenacknitwear.com ) in organic cotton and viscose. The neutral poncho I spotted on her website with braided detail is a testament to craftsman ship and the everywoman’s answer to this season’s poncho trend.

Color blocking Deborah Lindquist’s color blocked reincarnated vintage cashmere sweaters (and skirts and dresses) are elegant and subtly rendered. They’re done in bright but attractive colors and range from pretty to sporty to neutral shades to sweet, so there’s one for every girl. Even the girl who is shy about color can ﬁnd a long sweater in neutral shades of brown to throw over her jeans or pair with a simple dress (www.deborahlindquist.com ).

Going Dotty Dots might not be for every gal (admittedly, I have very few dotted items in my own closet) but Dahlia Drive has come up with a cute response to this challenging trend. The translucent bubble dress in a light hue of yellow with large muted purple and pink dots sounds a bit out there but is quite fetching paired with gray leggings and boots. The twirly pleated hemline is ﬂirtatious, making the garb date-worthy indeed.

A Distinctive style . com 41 Swinging 60s United Bamboo’s ( www.unitedbamboo.com ) 100% Cotton Orange Beige Abstract Print Cotton Dress is not only a throwback to little swingy 60s frocks but it’s a subtly printed work of art as well. Pair it with boots or ﬂats for a look that’s modern appeal and a look back. Appealing to most women is the lack of a wild cacophony of psychedelic color and pattern you’d be afraid to leave the house in.

Subtlety Pure and simple looks graced the runways for Fall 2011; jackets in dark solids gave us wearable outerwear options. To create the subtle look, United Bamboo is a top choice with items like the Lightweight Hooded Blouson Jacket, simple but thoughtfully designed or lace-up boots in natural shades paired with sporty knit tanks or the 100% silk pale green dress in the reﬁned print.

Flower Power Some of the flower-themed designer pieces are a little over- the-top for a typical professional woman’s workplace or PTA meetings but California based Nally and Millie’s brand does flowers with a subtlety that is breathtaking. The Begonia Scroll Reversible Skirt is like a work of art, done in a print that gives the impression of pink water color flowers on a dark watery canvas without evoking thoughts of grandma’s Mid-Calf Skirts chesterfield. Women know (and designers have discovered this season), whether instinctively or by obser - vation or word-of-mouth, that flirting is easier in a skirt, especially a flowing one that plays around the legs like a happy cat. Enter A.D.O., the eco line ( www.adoclothing.com ) that promises style the sustainable way using or - ganic materials, dyes made from herbs and plants and even tags made with recycled paper. I adore their mid-calf length dresses, particu - larly a belted gray number with detailed shoul - ders.

42 A Distinctive style . com bold Shoulder Giving back Never Goes Out of Style For this season’s decorative sleeves, Though these are just some of this season’s trends and Sofia ( www.sofiaclothing. com ) Clothing couture is striking and has its place, it’s undeniable that eco offers several possibilities in an array of designers make them wearable for everywoman. Not only colors and styles. From a one-shoulder do eco designers provide us with earth-friendly, luxurious red empire waist top to a gray jacket with fabrics but they create jobs in employee-pleasant environ - graduated shelves of black running down ments and are charitable as well. Nally and Millie employees, the shoulder to a transparent pouf sleeve for example, are touted to be close-knit relatives and friends blouse, Sofia’s shoulders are statements who are dedicated to a quality product. of stunning elegance. To Desire’s designer Jeeta ( www.todesire.com ) created a collection of Hugg wraps specifically to benefit the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Proceeds (in part) from pur - chases go to the foundation during the month of October and buyers are rewarded not only with good consciences but also with luxury wraps in exotic fabrics. The owner of TAB bras ( www.tabbra.com ), Yvonne Hogenes, founded the LaPenita Mexico Project. She journeys to Mexico every year in February to give away 500 bras to women who are living with breast cancer. Women travel from all over to get clothes, wigs and makeup as well. Fashion isn’t simply about looking presentable or being creative with one’s appearance. This fall, it’s so much more than that; it’s about giving back, about saving lives and feeling good on more than a superficial level.

A Distinctive style . com 43 Kj aer Weis ECO-COSMETICS a RefillaBle make-uP sYstem GREEN LUxURY

"Ultimately what I wanted to achieve as an alternative that fused beautiful color, texture and design with organic, non harmful formulas. I think it's the way forward." ~Kj aer Weis

By Teresa Louise Johnson A

Kirsten Kj aer Weis grew up in the country - lent of eating an apple straight off the tree they make when clicking shut, as it is side of Denmark, an upbringing that brought rather than munching on a processed similar to a Mercedes door closing; it gives her closer to and taught her to value cookie. She says her cosmetics are equal a whole new meaning to green luxury. nature. Her love of “design, art and color” in both texture and color in comparison to That’s not to say they’ll deplete the bank took her to a make-up school in Paris and high end mainstream lines but they’re also account. KW compacts are a one-time since then, she has spent over 15 years as all-natural. purchase of between $44 and $54 and the a make-up artist in Europe and the US. As Kirsten didn’t stop at creating a product refills are priced from $20 to $24. a make-up artist, she came to realize that whose ingredients resonated with the Though the colors Kirsten has chosen A many of her clients were struggling with skin. She took her collection a step further, for her collection are neutral so far, she’s sensitivity to the majority of cosmetics creating packaging that is pretty and adding a blue eye shadow and a dark berry lines, sitting down in her chair and listing reusable. She likes to think of it as “a design lip stain for fall. The range might be small off products they couldn’t use. outside with a green inside.” The com- at present but it is designed to flatter a Kirsten created her own collection of pacts are made to fit refill pans that can be variety of skin tones. Lip tints are available make-up, choosing neutral colors she’d recycled and replaced with a new paper in raspberry red, pink, nude and plum worked with time and time again that she carton when a new color is required. colors while the cream blush is offered in knew would suit every woman and opting Kirsten worked with designer and well coral, rose and tan. to use clean formulations found in minerals, known art director Marc Atlan to come up For the future, Kirsten hopes that Kjaer plants and wild flowers. She liked that with the package design, which she hoped Weis will continue to grow. She’d like to these ingredients not only brought out the would be glamorous and “not too recycled add foundation, powder and mascara to beauty of the wearer, working well with a looking.” The packaging for the Lip, Cheek the collection, making it a full line of woman’s skin, but that they were so pure and Eye compacts is a work of art, while natural cosmetics. See her current collec - as well. She was happy to provide women the show stopping red lacquer make-up tion and the innovative KW packaging at with a product that didn’t fight a woman’s boxes open up to metal compacts with a www.kjaerweis.com . body but worked with it instead. simple but elegant white enamel KW logo. To Kirsten, eco-cosmetics are the equiva - The compacts are known for the sound

44 A Distinctive style . com s PatRicia Palson G Weaves WeaRaBle aRt

N that shimmeRs With light I and coloR

H Award-winning weaver with 20 years of fashion experience, Patricia Palson wants to make you look fabulous in her T clothing, and that’s not too diﬃcult to accomplish. Every item that she weaves is instantly recognizable. Three elements make Patricia's formula work: exquisite E craftsmanship, innovative fashion design, and a hard-

T headed business sense. Her fabrics are created with both I visual and tactile eﬀects in mind. Bold juxtapositions of color and pattern give her designs a 'wow!' factor. R Patricia changes her colors often and experiments, she loves using lots of colors in each fabric. Working on a large loom allows for the depth of color and pattern in every O weave. Patricia is a Master Weaver that displays her wearable art V at galleries throughtout the country. A F

D eco-sexY fashion A designeR www.deborahlindquist.com deBoRah Deborah Lindquist Eco Fashion lindquists’ Brand is the premiere brand of ReveRsaBle unique environmentally conscious couture and ready-to-wear apparel. BeRet Lindquist’s long lasting commitment and devotion to eco-sexy fashion has earned her the the moniker of “Green Queen” in the fashion world. Lindquist’s unique trend-setting designs are synonymous with style, fashion, and sex appeal. Her iconic vintage cashmere apparel has created a cult following among Lindquist’s fans all over the US, Europe and Asia. Recognized as one of the ﬁnest fashion designers, she has dressed such mega stars as Sharon Stone, Jessica Alba, Christina Aguilera, Rhianna and many more.

A Distinctive style . com 45 the eco fRiendlY guilt fRee lulu fRost mona mini handBag BRacelet BY hemPtRess collection This handbag features 100% hemp foR J.cReW

body using recycled leather trim and w w

comes in four wonderful Fall Colors w m . o l u c (taupe, herringbone, grey or teal). . l s u s Did you know that hemp is among f r e o r t s p the oldest industries on the planet, t . c m o

e going back more than 10,000 years m h e

h to the beginnings of pottery? t .

w This company takes their eco- Founded in 2004 by New York based designer Lisa w friendly practices very seriously; w Salzer (Lulu), Lulu Frost quickly became a fan they adhere to Fair Trade favorite, and the designer was awarded in 2005 as practices, use hemp and the Best New Accessories Designer by GenArt. The recycled labels, along with Art History and Fine Arts major used her skills and recycled shipping boxes. AND honed in on some of the company donates a her families, as her portion of their profits to grandmother was in Animal Rights Groups as well the estate fine jewelry as Vote Hemp, a non-profit business for over 30 agency that promotes hemp years. From Victorian farming. to Nouveau to Art A wonderful guilt free gift Deco, period pieces idea for any occasion! she has seen throughout her childhood play a WhY i large part in her design hated aesthetic. Pink: vintage glass dRoP eaRRings confessions of a BReast canceR Maryellen Brisbois is currently a Ph.D student and suRvivoR nursing instructor, whose life as a nurse and caregiver was completely turned on its head when she was diagnosed ith breast cancer and learned she would now be on the receiving end of medical attention. Her debut memoir, Why I Hated Pink: Confessions of a Breast Cancer Survivor is comprised entirely of one page vignettes that are filled with helpful, heartfelt and often hilarious examples of how Ms. Brisbois handles the entire process, from diagnosis to treatment to eventual recovery. In her compelling story of survival, Maryellen shares the intimate details from each point of her journey back to health from initial diagnosis through chemo treatments, from waiting rooms to hospital theaters, from family reactions to day-to-day struggles, all written with refreshing honesty and warmth. “I mean, I never thought I’d find myself in an MRI machine lying on my stomach with my breasts hanging toward the floor in these ‘cone-like’ compartments. All I could think was that a man must have invented such a thing .” www.amazon.com

46 A Distinctive style . com m o c .

n living With canceR o z a m a

. cooKBooK w

w An inspiring special edition published in partnership with Susan G. Komen w for the Cure® and General Mills’ Pink Together. Written by Kris Ghosh, M.D., M.B.A. and Linda Carson, M.D. With a message from Nancy G. Brinker, Founder and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure .® A diagnosis of cancer rearranges your life and priorities. Many things change including what used to be the simple tasks of cooking and eating. Nutrition is a critical factor in the ﬁght against cancer. Betty Croker Living with Cancer Cooking Pink Together Edition is a collection of more than 150 delicious recipes that provide the best in nutrition without sacriﬁcing taste. Written with the expertise of two oncologists, along with a nutritionist and presented in Betty Crocker’s friendly authoritative style, this book tackles the challenge of eating while undergoing treatment. neW this fall gingeR PumPkin w

cleansing conditioneR BY chaZ dean w w . Give your hair the treat it deserves this fall with Chaz Dean’s WEN.® This award-winning line of hair w e products has always been a favorite of A Distinctive Style staﬀers. The cleansing conditioner takes n h a i

the place of your shampoo, conditioner, leave-in treatment and styling products while it soothes r c a your hair with aloe vera leaf juice, chamomile extract, and sunﬂower seed oil. You will really notice r e . c

a brilliant diﬀerence in strength, texture and overall health of your hair! Take our word for it, o achieving ultra soft, glamourous hair is easier than you think...try their Fall Ginger Pumpkin, it will m put you in the mood for baking! Rescue RemedY foR natuRal stRess Relief Because life’s demands don’t stoP

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A Distinctive style . com 47 n Wild Horses & Renegades, Anaquad-Kleinert weaves up being sold for human consumption, the Bureau of Land shocking footage of actual roundups with the story of a Management shows very little regard for the life of wild horses," Ihorse named Traveler and his journey from a strong stallion said Director James Anaquad-Kleinert. "The federal attack on on the range to a broken inmate at a Bureau of Land the American wild horse is an indicator of what is to come of Management processing center in Canon City, Colorado. Shot our public natural resources. in high definition, this film's incredible aesthetics contrast with Wild horse advocates are seeking: the mismanagement of our last wild public lands. • A moratorium of roundups in all but verifiable emergency In the film, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Viggo Mortensen, situations while the entire BLM wild horse program undergoes Raoul Trujillo, Daryl Hannah and Dances with Wolves author objective and scientific review; Michael Blake join with former New Mexico Governor Bill • Higher Appropriate Management Levels (AML) for wild horses Richardson and Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) to highlight how the on rangelands designated for them; great symbol of the American West is being purposefully driven • Implementation of in-the-wild management, which would to extinction by a corrupt Bureau of Land Management. The keep wild horses on the range and save taxpayers millions documentary captures the corporate benefits of wild horse annually by avoiding the mass removal and stockpiling of wild roundups, including clearing land for Uranium mining claims, oil horses in government holding facilities. and gas pipelines and corporate cattle grazing. Anaquad-Kleinert is offering the film as a tool to spark support "If the public could view what's being done to wild horses, the for an executive order ending Bureau of Land Management wild public would stand up and take action. This is not a film just horse roundups and an a congressional investigation into the about America's Wild Horses, this is a film about what is Department of the Interior. "Whereas most Americans would happening to America itself," states Michael Blake, author of be shocked that the very symbol of the American West is ending Dances with Wolves, in Wild Horses & Renegades.

48 A Distinctive style . com Wild hoRses &

RWith draematic fonotage, Weild Horsegs & renaegades dexposes ehow misllions of taxpayer dollars are being used to corral the few remaining American wild horses, which are then underfed, forced into inhumane and diseased living conditions, and sold for adoption or to Mexican slaughterhouses for human consumption. The Bureau of Land Management estimates it has over 40,000 wild horses in holding facilities, costing taxpayers $120,000 a day. www.theamericanwildhorse.com

A Distinctive style . com 49 CHRISTOpHER WANTEd TO bE A FIREFIgHTER LIkE HIS dAd

50 A Distinctive style . com By R. Sokol neW YoRkeR mauReen santoRa is a declining a full-time teaching gig to ships every year for 10 years. fighter, just like her son. After her beloved pursue his dream as a firefighter. The scholarship invokes traits that son, firefighter Christopher Santora, sadly Assigned to Engine 54 in New York City’s embody Christopher – writing, history or lost his life on 9/11, Maureen fought vibrant Theatre District, Christopher had social studies. “The Scholarship essay is tirelessly to keep 23-year-old’s memory been working for just a few months when always history-related and has to embody alive. She created a scholarship in his 9/11 happened. Just 23 when he lost his Christopher’s spirit,” explains Santora. memory and also wrote children’s books life saving the lives of others. Christopher’s After a committee of judges reviews all in his honor. body was found outside a Marriot Hotel submissions from students of all ages, the My Son Christopher tells the wonderful that also went down on 9/11. winning students are honored at a cele - story about Chris Santora’s life and Christopher was one of the youngest bratory dinner reception with their interests, and The Day The Towers Fell firefighters to lose his life on 9/11 and families. Maureen meets them all. outlines what happened on that fateful from Engine 54, his body was the only “One Special Education student said day. Both books, published by SEGR Publis- one recovered. Sadly, Chris’s station lost winning this scholarship changed how he h ing , are illustrated by Maureen’s youngest more people, a total of 15, than any other viewed himself,” beams Maureen, who daughters; Christopher’s sisters. “I found firehouse on that tragic day. Maureen says all the judging is anonymous; judges the writing process to be thera peutic,” attended every single memorial for Chris’ do not even know the names, ages or recalls Maureen, an award- winning New fallen comrades. “There is no closure races of the students who submitted York City Public School educator. “Kids from losing your child,” says Maureen. essays. “A winning Muslim student told are very wise, and with 9/11 all over the “You’re part of a club you don’t want to me he thought he didn’t have a chance. I news, they know some thing terrible belong to.” According to Maureen and always tell the scholarship winners, ‘You happened that day. Kids relate better to a her family, it was important to remember won because you wrote the best essay.’ I story if it involves a child, so I had my the day, but in those early years “you are think winning changed this particular daughters create the illustrations in a way emotionally in a different place.” student’s view of America.” that schoolchildren can relate to, so they One memory Maureen recalls was Christopher Santora is the only fire - can embrace the book.” learning what her son was like at work. fighter to have an early childhood school Just days before the tenth anniversary “Al and I found it ironic that friends and named in his honor. Located in Jackson of 9/11, Maureen further explains she family said that as a firefighter Chris was Heights, Queens, Christopher’s sister wrote these children’s books (which were very quiet with his colleagues and did the taught there and his nephews proudly initially self-published) “for kids to know dishes. We joked, ‘Our son? Quiet? attends the school. what happened. I also wanted to create Dishes?’ He was naturally very chatty. Maureen donated his firefighter uniform an outlet for teachers and parents to help Christopher talked all the time! He and hat to the school. “We found an extra children fully understand what happened.” couldn’t keep quiet for 20 seconds,” uniform of his in the trunk of his car,” The resounding moral of the children’s explains Maureen. “I would sometimes explains Maureen. The uniform hangs in books, says Maureen, is: “We can counter - say put your lips together and be quiet for the hallway cabinet of the school, so act hatred in our lives.” 5 minutes, and he could never do it! He students know who Christopher was, and Maureen’s husband Al was a fire fighter. loved his job that much.” Christopher also what he embodied. “We grew up in a firefighter home; and left behind a serious girlfriend that his Maureen also donated some of Christo - Christopher wanted to be a fire fighter like family is still in touch with. pher’s old favorite toys. “The school in - his dad,” recalls Maureen, who always Shortly after his passing, Maureen spires students to never give up on their encouraged young Christopher to embrace created The Christopher Santora Scholar - dreams. Chris sure didn’t,” she says. reading. After graduating from Queens ship Fund for New York City schoo l children . To learn more about Christopher, College, where he studied History, Chris - Since its inception, the Scholarshi p Fund Maureen’s books, and the Scholarship topher worked as a substi tute teacher, has awarded $50,000 –$60,000 in scholar - Fund, visit www.christophersantora.com .

A Distinctive style . com 51 “To this day, I'm not as interested in music as people think, I'm more interested in how close we can get through the music.”

– Jennifer Warnes

52 A Distinctive style . com “Her voice is like the California weather, filled with sunlight. But there’s an earthquake behind it.” – Leonard Cohen

JENNIFER WARNES A True American Treasure

By Jane Waide

The sound of Jennifer Warnes’ voice is myself energetically resonant with certain Her face and voice are instantly recognizable immediately recognizable and absolutely situations and I just fall into them...the alongside Bonnie Raitt and K.D. Lang on unmistakable. As a two-time Grammy Smothers Brothers was one of them. I the video and CD “Roy Orbison and Friends: Award winner for her duets with Joe stepped up, I sang, they said you’re in! I A Black and White Night.” With an Cocker on “Up Where We Belong,” and hung out with the most intelligent, impressive array of albums and CD’s that Bill Medley, on “(I’ve Had) The Time of My beautiful people.” have sold in the millions, Warnes plays to Life,” Warnes voice, style and talent “sold-out” venues whenever and wherever During the 70’s Warnes was a recognizable continue to defy categorization and genre . she tours. member of a talented array of musicians, Some of her earliest performances were such as Joan Baez and Maria Muldaur, in the late 60’s as a regular member of an In March of 2011, she performed along - who shared center stage in Mimi Farina’s amazing ensemble of burgeoning artists, side her friend Jackson Browne and a host Bread & Roses Concerts. performers and creative thinkers who of other musical luminaries, in a beneﬁt appeared on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Warnes twice toured throughout Europe concert held in Tucson Arizona. The pro - Hour . Regarding this time period, Warnes with poet and lyricist Leonard Cohen, a ceeds of which were directed to the Fund shared that she had a gift for being in the time that she refers to as a “real eye- for Civility, Respect and Understanding . right place at the right time; “I always ﬁnd opener.” Continued Next Page

A Distinctive style . com 53 Photo BY maRk schmidt Out of the oceans and waves of artists and performers that have graced or savaged our ears over the decades, Jennifer Warnes is a true American treasure. A composer, producer and and an exquisite interpreter of song, her voice is a song - writer's dream.

When asked if there was one thing that heart connection, I want that to go away.” received their own special gift, presented Warnes wished to convey to her audience especially for them. I want them to feel “When a performer and an audience are through her voice, she answered; “It that the evening belongs to them, and it hooked up, it’s an amazing thing; it’s like changes from season to season, because couldn’t have happened without their a warm river of feeling that emanates my voice is part of my soul and my des tinies, their stories, their his tories, from the chest. They feel it, you feel it and progression as a human being.” their families.” it’s quite powerful. You have to be a strong “When I first started out, my reasons physical person in order to contain it, “People give them selves over to you were different than they are now. I’m especially if there are 20,000 people in when they come to see your perform, and going out on tour soon and I have a larger the room.” that’s an honor. What are you actually picture of what I want to do than ever giving to them for an hour and a half ? It’s “You want to feel that river of heart. Once before. I want to make contact with the not the sounds that come from your that’s established, anything that happens audience, but I want my ego off the stage throat; it’s the emanations from the is fine. Forgetting the words, some body and only the art, the music and the mean - heart. I bring my whole life to them. I cough ing, a baby crying, anything that ing to occupy the moment. I have to bring my father’s death and the fireworks happens is fine. It no longer matters con stantly beat back my ego and say; to them in song. My job is to bring who I because then you know the spirit will take ‘Stop that!’ I want to stop my opinions am, honestly, to the moment.” over.” and just let the songs flow through.” “What do I want to convey through my “I work with musicians who know this as Warnes continues: “There’s no use as - voice, you ask? It’s my heart. I really don’t well, who understand that anywhere the cending a stage unless you’re prepared. want my mind engaged anymore, I want song goes is fine. Of course you rehearse, For me that means doing yoga, vocalizing my heart engaged... period…that’s it,” you plan the three-minute moments, but and eating right...it’s my duty as a per - Warnes tells us. past that, it’s like plugging the wire into former. I want anything that’s standing in the wall. Once you’ve hooked up to the the way of the heart connection to dis - force, whatever happens is supposed to solve. Whether it’s coming from the audi - If you're not familiar with her work, give happen on that particular night.” ence, the equipment; or me, whatever is yourself a treat and listen to Jennifer standing in the way or preventing the “The audience gets a feeling that they’ve Warnes. www.JenniferWarnes.com

54 A Distinctive style . com A Distinctive style . com 55 click to heaR video

Beauty ’s JuST A WorD A song about healing and the reason for pain in our lives

By Rachel Sokol

Pop singer Rachael Lampa has toured accident. That every ‘success’ we may songs," she said. So, after a period of with Destiny’s Child, Boyz II Men, Nickel encounter was not by anything I may musical success in which she toured Creek, Stacie Orrico, Amy Grant, Vince have done except remain faithful to God," globally, Rachael left her record label and Gill, Jordin Sparks, the Jonas Brothers and she says, in an exclusive interview with A set out for Nashville to record a new, Britney Spears. Since age 15, she's been Distinctive Style Magazine. "I found that more adult album. skyrocketing to the top of the music there is a running theme to all of these "You can write an entire song off of one scene. You can currently catch her per - musical opportunities, and it is the chance tiny thought or feeling. That's the beauty forming on the current season of NBC's to love people. To meet people where of music," says Rachael. "That one feeling The Sing-Off . So, the real question is... they are and to be met by others at the can be the feeling you get while driving what hasn't Rachael accomplished yet? same time. These are all chances to into your hometown after a long time, or Michigan native and Christian-themed experience God in different and exciting the rush of a new love, or the fear of a singer Rachael Lampa is grateful for her ways." new adventure...." she continues. "I also musical success. Modest and practical, Rachael snagged at record deal at the love to write about conversations I have the 26-year-old singer doesn't necessarily coveted age of 14; she enjoyed performing with others or stories I hear about other believe in luck. "God has us on a journey. Christian music and even got to sing for people's lives." One of her favorite songs That no opportunity presented to us is an the Pope. "I loved God and I loved writing off her new album “All We Need” is,

56 A Distinctive style . com Beauty's Just a Word . "It's a song about hand! I like to catch ideas when the little Southern-like beach town that I have healing and the reason for pain in our emotion is fresh and real." yet to discover." lives. In reflecting times of loss and pain, Rachael appears on Season 3 of the When she's not performing, Rachael is I've always been able to find the light and NBC singing competition, " The Sing Off ." involved with an organization called Not the lessons that come of it," she says. "In late June, a friend named Jeremy For Sale (www.notforsalecampaign.org ), "Even though I might never know the Lister, who won second place on The Sing which helps to rescue victims of human exact reason why bad things happen, I Off last year with his group 'Street Corner trafficking. "I also am part of an amazing can rest in the beauty and joy that He Symphony,' called me. He was putting homeless ministry run by my brothers makes all things good. That there can't be together a group of local artists and was and sisters along with volunteers all over good without bad, or joy without pain. seeking a bunch of singers who had never Nashville," she says. Sometimes our character needs to know performed a cappella before to come Still full of contagious hopes and both." together and give it a try," explains Rachael. dreams, Rachael wants her fans to She also has a special place in her heart "Turns out, we weren't terrible, and a connect with her music—on whatever for her new song, Feel. "It's about feeling month later we were on our way to tape levels best suits them. "Whether it comforts at the end of myself. Like I can't fix any - the show in LA. The season is full of ups someone, helps him or her heal, points thing anymore. Like I am out of words or and downs, trials and errors, and him or her to Jesus, or allows him or her reasons," she says. ultimately GREAT music and amazing to escape and worship. Music is so powerful, Rachael's creative process doesn't talent!" it always has been," she says. "I also just necessarily have a specific flow or Rachael recently moved from Los feel joy and freedom when I am creating methodology. "I'll get inspired by some - Angeles, where The Sing-Off tapes, back music. It's just fun. I feel blessed to be thing—mostly it's spontaneous—and to Nashville. "I love the sweet, small com - able to enjoy what I do." write it on the closest thing I can write it munity feel of Nashville. It is easy to feel To learn more, follow Rachael on on and usually I'll call a friend, co-writer, at home in Nashville," she says. "But I twitter @rachaellampa and on Facebook. or even my husband and form a song love the beach and the fast-paced alive- Don’t forget to see her a cappella group from it," says the singer, who is married ness of LA. I like to be able to take them The Collective-@thecollectivetn and on to singer/songwriter Brendan McCarthy. both in doses. For now, I am able to travel Facebook as well. "I've written on every thing from napkins, back and forth which is great for me. Who airline magazines, and even my own knows, maybe there's some kind of secret www.rachaellampa.com

A Distinctive style . com 57 ee video click to s Wounded vets cheer

By Rachel Sokol for their her o j.r. m artinez

In an exclusive interview with A Distinctive Style, war veteran, actor, dancer and motivational speaker J.R. Martinez, and his best friend Daniel Vargas, discuss success, being a role model, and ways to support the troops.

s J.R. Martinez is walking from his a better word to use. Not only is he making moting his cover issue, hundreds fans from home to a car—e nroute to The the talk show rounds, he spends hours of all over the nation confessed their love for aTonight Show With Jay Leno— time practicing his two-step. J.R. is cur - J.R. on the site’s posting board. (We have a where he'll be Jay’s featured guest, you rently a contestant on Season 13 of ABC’s feeling his girlfriend, also featured in Peo - can hear Los Angeles residents cheering hit reality show Dancing With the Stars . ple, isn’t jealous! “People fall in love with for him, calling his name. He stops to greet (DWTS) [Editor’s Note: At press time, J.R. him,” she has said.) “Not only can J.R. them kindly before climbing into the wait - remains in the competition]. His profes - dance, but he is a total cutie with a great ing car. Apologizing for his weak mobile sional dance partner is Karina Smirnoff, personality,” writes one fan. phone service, he says, "Sorry, my signal who has become a dear friend to J.R. and J.R. was raised in Louisiana and Georgia, isn't that great here in the valley." After we vice-versa. “Karina and I pray right before the latter is where he played high school briefly discuss the pros and cons of various the show starts,” he says. “Right before I football and made the decision to go by cell phone providers, I ask if he’s ready for go on stage to perform, I kiss a necklace of J.R. instead of his given name of Jose Rene. his Jay Leno interview. a saint that I always wear and I always do “What I love about the south is that every - "To be honest, I was hoping I could grab the sign of the cross.” one's so willing to help one another and a bag of Doritos on the way or something, J.R. has become so beloved here in the support one another. I really enjoy the cul - but I didn't have time!" he laughs as he set - United States that he was recently fea - ture. The biggest thing I took away from tles into the car ride to Jay's studio. It's tured on the cover of People magazine. the south was everyone’s willingness to been a busy week for J.R. Actually, busy is Just five minutes after People.com posted give a helping hand to someone else,” he an understatement, and perhaps insane is a picture of J.R. on its official Web site pro - says. He never knew his father and grew up bilingual; his mother is from El Salvador. at military bases around the country. them down, saying ‘This is who I am.’ And I It’s J.R.’s intriguing and inspiring per - “I met J.R. in 2004, when he was already respect and love that about him.” sonal story of survival that immediately out of the hospital and undergoing outpa - In 2008, Daniel received an email from draws people to him—that and his infec - tient care,” says his close friend Daniel Var - the ABC soap opera All My Children . The tious personality, of course. Inspired by the gas of San Antonio, Texas. Daniel is the show was seeking real-life veterans to audi - commercials on TV, J.R. joined the U.S. Executive Director of Operation FINALLY tion for the recurring role of an injured war Army in 2003, at age 19. Tragedy struck HOME , a program that provides custom- veteran returning home. “I sent the email when, stationed in Iraq for just a few made homes to wounded and disabled to J.R. and then called him. I told him he weeks, his Humvee hit a landmine. veterans as well as to widows of the fallen had to go to New York and interview for Trapped inside the vehicle as his fellow to help them get their lives back on track. this role. I knew in my heart he would get it. soldiers escaped, the Humvee became en - He operates the organization out of New Anything he puts his mind to he gets done.” gulfed in flames. Although J.R. was rescued Braunfels, Texas, and J.R. has supported His friend’s intuition was rock solid—J.R. and survived, more than 40 percent of his him ever since he joined the organization landed the role of veteran Brot Monroe, body was seriously burned. Transported to two years ago. and his fan base started to grow. Little did a hospital in San Antonio, Texas, he under - Daniel says he “teared up” when he saw he know how much it would skyrocket. went more than 30 surgeries, leaving him his friend on the cover of People . “The cover Unfortunately, ABC recently cancelled All depressed, scared, and unmotivated. “I saw photo was just so J.R.—smiling and confi - My Children . But lots of good came from Freddy Krueger,” he said, when he first dent. He used to joke that he was a guinea the show’s cancellation. For one thing, J.R. looked in a mirror after five weeks in the pig for the doctors who performed so many met his girlfriend, Diana, the assistant to an hospital. Encouraged by his mother and surgeries on him. In fact, since he started on executive producer, on the soap opera. the hospital staff, J.R. gradually began talking Dancing With the Stars this season, many And then, of course, ABC offered him the to other burn victims and realized he had a doctors have approached J.R. and said, ‘Oh, DWTS opportunity…a journey that J.R. says, knack for motivational speaking. He contin - I can help you, I can do this for you or per - actually began on Facebook. ued visiting burn victims and injured soldiers form a special surgery, and J.R, has turned Continued Next Page “Fans on Facebook started asking me if hasn’t had it easy, as there are many psy - I’d consider doing DWTS. They said, ‘Oh, chological affects of war,” says Daniel. WhY do Wounded vets you’d be great.’ I entertained the question Both J.R. and Daniel encourage others to and kind of laughed it off and moved on. support troops who are returning home go Back When they announced All My Children from war by visiting veterans at local hos - to seRve again? would be cancelled, I received text mes - pitals. Martinez says many people ask why sages from people who said, ‘What about J.R. has finally come to terms with the some wounded veterans say they would DWTS?’ I asked my close friends who word, “hero.” “go back” and serve if they could. “We thought it would be a great idea. A call was “As service members, wounded or not, kind of feed off of the importance of made to ABC and a week later, DWTS we don’t necessarily use the word hero, called me and I met with them and they we don’t classify ourselves as heroes. We what we do in the military. The things we said they’d let me know—and then made just think we're doing our jobs, and we’re do individually and collectively together me an offer,” he recalls. “I decided to do it blessed with an opportunity to do so much helps us defend this thing called freedom, because I believe that we should challenge for other people. I’ve come to terms with which we enjoy every day. When guys ourselves. That’s how we grow as individ - people calling me a hero. It’s an honor for are wounded, they feel like they can’t go uals. I knew it would be a great way to me to be a role model, to be a voice for back, and thus, that element is gone,” he push myself.” people individually who don’t feel like they explains. “I can’t serve again in the phys - Despite his Latin roots, J.R. swears he’s have anyone to look up to...if I can be a ical capacity, but I can serve in a different never danced before. “No, not at all,” he snippet of all of the above to them, and capacity by being a spokesman. I can be says. He could have fooled the DWTS help them get through a tough phase in a voice for all these men and women. judges and the viewing audience, who their lives, that's what it's all about,” he ex - And it’s been working so far.” praise his technique on a weekly basis. plains. Martinez advises those who wish to “No! He’s never danced before,” agrees Daniel says J.R. visits wounded troops help returning vets to, “Rally behind that Daniel. “On the show, you get to see the when he’s in San Antonio. “He’s been very person, whether they’re injured or not.” real J.R.” Of his competitors—who include generous in not forgetting the troops. He actor David Arquette, singer Chynna Phillips emcees fundraisers, talks to military fami - up to the studio, ‘Come with me. Let’s go and actress Ricki Lake, to name just a few, lies, and tells those injured overseas that thank those people.’ He grabbed a Sharpie J.R. says, “There is a lot of goofing around life doesn’t end because you were injured.” marker and started at the front of the line, behind-the-scenes, but we are always Recently, J.R. was in attendance when a signing autographs and thanking everyone pulling for each other. We all hang out and home in Nashville was presented to an in - for coming out to see the show. He made when we perform, the pros (professional jured war veteran, his wife, and young son. sure he spoke to every single person on dancers) will help someone who may be Operation FINALLY HOME teams up with a that line. They were so excited. That just struggling with a step. We all enjoy each builder to find land, contractors and a says it all about him.” other’s company.” team to build the veteran a mortgage-free For more information on J.R. Martinez, Daniel believes that God and faith “had home. Operation FINALLY HOME pays the visit: www.knowJR.com . a plan for J.R. and that plan was to share first two years of taxes and insurance. “In his story with others. He has not only been the past year, Operation FINALLY HOME Operation FINALLY HOME is an award- an inspiration to the troops, but to the mil - has grown tremendously. Last year we winning program created by the Bay Area itary families as well. He’s created a plat - presented 4 homes to returning veterans, Builders Association Support Our Troops. It form for so many people, especially those and now we’re up to 32 homes,” says J.R. was established in 2005 as a non-parti - shunned by society for their looks. They’ll J.R. helps raise awareness about the organ - san/non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and see J.R. on television and think, if he can ization. “I don’t do the actual building with partners with corporate sponsors, builder do it, I can too; I can go back to school or the nails and hammer. I want the house to associations, builders, developers, individ - pursue my dream…When you look at J.R., stay up strong, I don’t want it to fall down ual contributors, and volunteers to help you don’t see his scars. You see his spirit.” and it would be all my fault,” he jokes. severely wounded heroes and their fami - According to Daniel, his friend also rep - Daniel recently attended a live perform - lies’ transition from the battlefront to the resents a “new generation of veterans and ance of DWTS to cheer on his friend. home front and help them succeed in their burn victims. They love him. He’s been a “There’s open seating for the audience and challenging new world so they may ulti - tremendous inspiration.” sometimes people will stand in line for mately enjoy a productive and rewarding However, although he’s been called “re - hours in the hot Los Angeles sun hoping to life. For more information, visit www. markable,” “hero” and “role model,” “J.R. see the show. J.R. said to me as we pulled babasupport.org .

60 A Distinctive style . com n a m K n a h s

r e T e P

a skY-diving, cat-loving, BoRn-and-BRed neW YoRkeR A CEO. Angel Investor. Entrepreneur. Adventurist.

if You google PeteR shankman , the hyperlink at the top of morning, A Distinctive Style had the privilege of being the ﬁrst the list reads: Peter Shankman CEO. Angel Investor. Entrepre - stop on this social media guru's list of new people to connect neur. Adventurist. And those four descriptors are just the very with. I highly suggest you do the same. basics. This sky-diving, cat-loving, born-and-bred New Yorker is In the following interview, Peter Shankman, a self-proclaimed best known for founding Help A Reporter Out (HARO), the "connector," shares with us the importance of connectivity in a world's largest free source repository. Shankman, a man who social media world where "speed is life." has a Where's Peter Today ? page on his website, encourages Visit Peter Shankman’s website for information about his anyone who happens to be in the same city to contact him just latest books, blog, news, tips, consulting, speaking engagements to have a chat and grab a cup of coﬀee. On a recent Friday and more: www.shankman.com

A Distinctive style . com 61 ASKramer A sAfe spAce for your questions And concerns About conflict in your life

Kramer is a professional mediator, author and freelance photographer who traveled the world studying and sharing human cultures around the globe. A professional mediator since 1993, he helps people resolve conflicts in a number of arenas including: family issues, workplace and business conflicts, divorce, parent/child conflict and educational institutions.

ellen asks: How does one resolve conflicts with people who optimist, serial monogamy implies that you will not stay in a relation- believe they are 'always right about everything' and never budge? I ship that reveals no hope of providing the love and nurturance both ask this both on a personal level and because Congress could use of you need. Instead you are willing to try any number of differing this answer as well!! personalities until you find the "one" relationship for you. If you're deaR ellen: There are important considerations to be made in a pessimist, it may imply that you are not capable of or interested addressing any conflict. One is to determine whether or not the in long term, stable relationships. A combination of the two points other party is willing or capable of engaging in a sincere conflict of view may also be valid. resolution process. We each have our own conflict resolution tool A conservative approach would be that whatever happens, no kit. A child who throws a tantrum as soon as he is denied some thing matter how unhappy you are in marriage, that is your life's destiny he desires displays a limited tool kit or capacity for resolving conflict. and you make it work. However, given the strength of patriarchy The unrelenting stance of an adult who always has to be right may throughout most human cultures, those terms often benefit men be a revelation of an equally limited conflict manage ment toolkit. If more than women. Democracy is a fairly recent invention and the you are engaging in some sort of com munication or relationship liberation of women from the older confines of the societal norms with a person who never admits to being wrong, that person may be is even more recent and, along with the rest of the human race, still suffering from some degree of personality disorder such as narcissism evolving. or anti-social personality disorder. If you share a workplace with this From that foundation, my brief response to your question is that person and she/he is above you in the corporate hierarchy, you are guilty of not being willing to stay in relationships in which you attempting to resolve the conflict could jeopardize your job. In regard feel marginalized, manipulated, controlled and unacknowle dged. The to your referenceto Congress, there are numerous articles commen - early stages of all relationships are artificial in many ways; after a few ting on the narcissistic behaviors of many politicians. In an article in months or years, they evolve into the rhythms and patterns that NationalReview online, historian Victor Davis Hanson recounts several reflect the true natures of the participants. One day you wake up legislators who recently made headlines with narcissistic behavior. and say, "I'm no longer feeling the affection that enticed me into Hanson asks the question, “Do narcissists gravitate to political office, this relationship; instead I'm feeling unsatisfied and while it seems or does the insular, Versailles-like nature of a Washington, an Albany, to work for him, it leaves me completely un-nurtured and unhappy. or a Sac ar mento turn normal men into narcissists?” If reasonable At that point, "until death do us part" really means, "until the death attempts to resolve conflict are rebuffed, contact a local mediator of our love do us part." for advice or intervention. If the person is truly immovable from their I have a longer theory about the quest to find the perfect position, I sincerely hope the conflict doesn’t involve children and relationship. Since as humans we have our frailties and since we are custody issues. In such cases, litigation may be your only recourse. continually evolving, there is no ultimate state of perfection, only the perfection of being in process. If the process facilitates one or maRY asks: I have been accused of being a "serial monoga mist." both of you changing in ways that no longer fit within the relation- What is wrong with that?? Exactly WHAT is it? ship as it was established, either you reinvent the relation ship deaR maRY: The question triggers a huge topic with multiple aspects. (hopefully together, in collaboration) or you move on with your The ongoing debates, challenges, religious and secular edicts and newly evolved self into a relationship that in some way reflects the growth you have experienced. judgments on the nature of relationships indicates that there is no one answer for everyone and the nature of relation ships is not static If you have a question for Kramer you can email him at: ASKramer and cemented in form but ever evolving and changing. If you're an @adistinctivestyle.net

62 A Distinctive style . com Live Your Light you are here to make your unique contribution to the world through your gifts and loving energy.

By Mikaela Jones hello and Welcome . I am honored that a more peaceful and sustainable planet. from our inner light, we raise the vibra - Denise Marie has asked me to share my The focus of this Fall Issue of A Distinc - tion of humanity. These can be powerfully experience and wisdom with you via this tive Style Magazine touches every one. positive times for the planet if we use our column. My intention for “ Live Your Light ” My father passed away from pancreatic energy wisely and with intention. I hope is to offer you new ways of perceiving, cancer almost twenty years ago and I you will join me in this Delight Frequency® being and acting in your world. I hope spent the last year of his life with him. Revolution . these ways will inspire and uplift you to Going through that challenging and ulti - pursue your purpose and your passion, no mately heart-breaking, yet transforma - Bright Blessings! matter what chal lenges life may bring tive experience changed my life’s course. you. It inspired me to want to help people tra - My worldview is that we are each spir - verse life’s challenges with more ease and Mikaela Jones has a fifteen year back - itual beings having a physical journey. This grace. This set me on a path of studying ground in hypnotherapy, as well as various journey is complex and some t imes hypnotherapy, as well as many spiritual spiritual traditions, meditation and energy chaotic, but always full of magical beauty techniques and healing modalities. Years healing techniques, including New and potential. Most importantly, always re - later, when I had a severe neck injury and Thought, affirmative prayer, the universal member no matter who you know, where was told I’d lose the ability to walk and laws of attraction and perception and you live, or what traumas and burdens could possibly die, I used what I had Theta healing. you may carry… you are here to shine. learned, enabling me to heal my neck holis - For more information and tools to help You are here to make your unique contri - tically . I’m delighted to say I walk and you face life’s challenges, please visit bution to the world through your gifts and dance quite well (in my humble opinion) www.MikaelaJones.com . Feel free to loving energy. again! download her free 10-minute audio The way I see it is when we are born, In this issue’s Delight Frequency® Video , entitled ‘ Light Meditation ’ which will help we come in as shining spirits ready for ad - I share three techniques to help you re - you become more grounded, centered venture, but sometimes the chal lenges lease stress and return to a place of cen - and uplifted in your powerful, loving and perceived tragedies of life veil our tered well-being, which is so important light…so you can shine. true identity, our voice and gifts and can when you are facing any challenge, make it easy to lose sight of our purpose whether it is physical, mental or emo - The author of The Little Book of Light: 111 or even to give up on our dreams alto - tional. I recommend using these techniques Ways to Bring Light Into Your Life as well gether. It is my mission to help you live as often as you can. as the Weekly Beam of Light . Mikaela is from the expanded consciousness of your Quantum physics tells us we are all en - the creator of the Delight Frequency ® spiritual self, your inner light, so that you ergy and at the deepest level our energy Manifestation Practice and is an inspira - may not only create an enriching and ful - is all connected. So as we raise our indi - tional workshop leader and speaker. filling life for yourself but also help create vidual vibration by living more and more

A Distinctive style . com 63 64 A Distinctive style . com A Distinctive style . com 65 Regina Taylor Regina Taylor is an award bREAKING THE winning actress, playwright and director whose awards and accomplishments on stage SILENCE ON and screen are momentous. Her most magnificent work reaches outside of the OVARIAN performing world to help victims of ovarian cancer and to promote awareness of the CANCER early signs of cancer. 66 A Distinctive style . com Photo BY JosePh isaacs A Distinctive style . com 67 performing world to help victims of ovarian cancer and to promote awareness of the early signs of cancer. Taylor attended college with the inten - tion to work on her writing and to even - tually become a journalist. In an inter - view for Kentucky Education Television she described how writing was a way that she could express what was inside of her. While in college she took an acting class and realized that acting was another medium that would allow her to reveal and explore many aspects of herself. In the interview she described how while acting she could be transported to 7th century England or Italy or Africa and could be having conversations with the celebrated minds of those times. While still in college in 1980, hanging around a film set, Taylor learned that casting was open for Crisis at Central High , a television movie about the nine students who broke the color barrier in the Arkansas school system. She audi - tioned and scored the role of Minniejean Brown, one of the Little Rock Nine black students who, against great resistance and harsh treatment by white students, integrated Little Rock Central High School. The experience, which included working with Joanne Woodward, was so positive that after she graduated, Taylor moved Photo BY gRegoRY costanZo to New York and “starved for a while.” In New York, Taylor honed her acting craft performing and eventually working By Briana L Packen her way into leading stage roles. She was first met Regina Taylor at the tention on me in a room abuzz with tech - invited to audition for the role of Lilly final dress rehearsal for her nicians, legendary actresses, and the Harper in the television series, I’ll Fly new play, Post Black, at the ticking time element of only an hour in Away and through the run of the series Ensemble Studio Theater, in the space to nail down lights, cues, and earned a Golden Globe for best actress, NYC. Dressed simply and acting, before the next play loaded in. an NAACP Image Award, and two Emmy beautifully in all black, she “Thank you for so much joining us today.” nominations. From there, Taylor’s career pIossessed a quiet, peaceful intensity Regina Taylor is an award winning actress, took off as she began to perform in about her—both as a woman and an playwright and director whose awards numerous films and television shows artist. and accomplishments on stage and including Spike Lee’s Clockers , Courage “I’m Regina,” this confident director screen are momentous. Her most mag - Under Fire, A Family Thing, The Negotia - said, extending her hand—all of her at - nificent work reaches outside of the tor , and television films Losing Isaiah and

68 A Distinctive style . com Strange Justice (in which she earned a Taylor recalled. “She revealed herself to “You have to find the Peabody award for her portrayal of Anita me in a way that went beyond a mother/ Hill). daughter relationship. I think that is what sweetness with the bitter. Taylor never stopped performing for brought me to Ovarian Cancer Symptom the stage; she was the first black woman Awareness Organization . We have to There is an opportunity to to play Juliet in Romeo and Juliet on share these stories, these experiences to learn from anything that Broadway. Additional Broadway credits raise the awareness. We have to talk include Macbeth and As You Like It , and about it.” life hands us.” her off-Broadway productions include Jar Taylor revealed the need to listen to The Floor , Machinal, The Illusion and A one’s intuition, “A lot of times, women Map of the World . She received a Drama - are used to taking care of others. They even now. I can still feel her presence in logue Award for her role of Ariel in The are taking care of business, taking care of my life. I have conversations with her as Tempest . family, taking care of friends,” she said, part of a larger dialogue with myself.” It was inevitable that Taylor’s love of “and I think they have to take care of She went on, “I think it is in gaining that writing and theatre would eventually themselves. The last person on the list is continuum that did help me to under - merge; she has become a prolific play - self and I think that has to turn around to stand myself – that keeps me moving wright whose works have been per - put self ﬁrst. If you don’t take care of your - forward in a positive way – to touch formed all over the country. The brilliance self, you can’t take care of anyone else.” other people’s lives as part of that con - that shines in her acting is equally evident “We have to be very active,” she con - tinuum.” in her playwriting. Her plays touch upon tinued, “of the importance for women An eager student of life, Taylor told deep roots, societal conflict and finding to take charge when they see possible us, “You have to find the sweetness with oneself in ways that are accessible and signs or symptoms in their own bodies. the bitter. There is an opportunity to enlightening to her audiences. Know you have to be an advocate for learn from anything that life hands us. I Taylor’s life changed the day her mother, self. Sometimes we come to profession - always come in not assuming that I know Leannell called from Dallas and asked her als and leave it to professionals to tell us everything. I come in with everything I do to come home. She flew in from New how we feel. But to become educated, to as a student. I think this keeps you fresh York the very next day. She joined Lean - read about, to talk to other people and to and open to the experiences at hand.” nell on a doctor’s visit and was told that ask questions—TO ASK QUESTIONS, is “A breath is sweet, the beating of a her mother had cervical cancer and had very important.” heart is amazing, reaching out and touch - six months to live. A second opinion Ovarian Cancer is the number one re - ing someone is AWESOME,” Taylor tells corrected the diagnosis to ovarian cancer productive cancer killer in women. This is us. “And it’s that wonderment – amaze - but that doctor did not put a time limit often because for one reason or another, ment of the openness of a child that I on her life. Taylor moved back to Dallas women brush off or ignore the symp - enter into – into new places, into new and spent the next four years with her toms in its early stages. adventures, into new journeys.” mother. She learned that Leannell had Taylor spoke very candidly of the im - It appears this childlike wisdom Taylor ignored her symptoms, thinking she pact her mother’s death had on her. She brings to her life and her art is what would power through, the same way she talked from a place of discovery, a place allows her to go so gracefully with life’s powered through many earlier challenges of newfound understanding, how her ebb and flow. in her life . mother’s cancer was a conversation—an During our interview, I was inspired by opportunity for both of them to grow. Ovarian Cancer Symptom Awareness the strength and open ness that Taylor “It is just as in the raising of a garden – ovariancancersymptomawareness.org shared about her mother’s battle with the cycles of the garden – the beginning Regina Taylor’s website: ovarian cancer, and how it transformed and its waning – is our cycle. There is a www.reginataylor.com them both for the better. continuum. What I have found after my

“I feel like I grew up taking that journey mother passed is that I didn’t lose her, I A Distinctive Style staffer Matt Kramer also with my mother. I saw things in a differ - gained a greater sense of self and I con - contributed to this article. ent way, I saw her in a different way,” tinue to have conversations with her

A Distinctive style . com 69 INTERIOR DESIGN

Tips on how to turn your bedroom into a sanctuary

Blanche Garcia leed aP, asid, ceRtified inteRioR designeR Your bedroom should be a place to recover, renew and regenerate...

he word sanctuary originated in 1340 control of you environment without ever smell is volatile toxins that are being re - to describe a “building set apart for having to leave the comfort of bed. Look leased into your home. It’s much safer to Tholy worship.” 1568 is when the word through www.smarthome.com for an easy- reuse, repurpose, or buy items with a became a “place of refuge or protection.” to-use version. While in bed, window treat - GREEN seal such as the Forest Stewardship You will hear people describe how they ments will ensure that a more restful sleep Council (FSC) or the Sustainable Furniture would like their home to be their sanctu - is achieved, which is optimal for recovery Council (SFC). ary; this is never truer for those with can - and good health. Keep the furniture and décor simple but cer. With all of the difficulties that cancer Carpeting is a great sound absorber and cozy. Create different zones for sleeping, read - patients face, space shouldn’t be one of great for your health. A study found that ing, eating, and even meditating. Make sure them. It should be their cocoon to emerge certain pathogens don’t survive as well on there’s ample space away from the bed to into a butterfly. carpet as on vinyl, wood or rubber flooring. regenerate and reconnect. You want to We want to reduce pain, stress, and de - It’s also a great way to add warmth and tex - make this area just as comfortable as your pression while improving sleep and health. ture to a room and to avoid slips and falls. bed. A small table to eat, converse with Scientific studies have shown that exposing Help the environment and your self by friends, or work on a hobby is a welcome patients to nature and high levels of daylight choosing a natural fiber like bamboo or wool. addition. Also have a cabinet or drawer can produce significant alleviation of pain. Wool is durable, stylish, and a rapidly re - space to stow away any medications or de - If your space doesn’t afford you the luxury, newable material. The higher the wool con - vises when not in use. Having them visible then use artwork of nature with well-known tent the better, which makes Wools of New is unfavorable to relaxation. artists, such as Ross Hoddinott and Jurgen Zealand carpets a great choice. After chemotherapy sessions, it is advised Fround. Research published in Science com - Choose fabrics that are soft and hypo al - that separate bathrooms are used. If not pared post-surgical patients who had a lergic (or should that be hypo allergenic?). possible, have antiseptic cloths to wipe view of trees with those who had a view of Don’t be afraid to include all different tex - down all fixtures before and after use. a brick wall. Those with a view of nature tures; touch is very important to comfort. Again, cotton or bamboo is the best choice needed fewer pain meds, suffered fewer 100% cotton, especially organic, is great. This for towels, and buy white so they can be minor complications (like fever, constipa - is especially true for bedding since most bleached. Most cut flowers are full of tion, and nausea), and stayed an average time is spent there, especially in recovery. chemicals and pesticides so you should pot of .74 fewer days at the hospital. Keep enough sets to have clean sheets any flowers outside the window. Depending on The best way to improve mood and re - time of the day. A nice 300-800 thread your sensitivity, you can use an air mister duce depression is through receiving natu - count feels the best. Keep the colors in your with your choice of scent. The Sweet ral light from windows. When possible, fabrics, carpeting, and walls soft and relax - Dreams Lavender Aromatherapy from indirect light is the best option to increase ing. I tend to defer to Feng Shui teachings www.basqnyc.com is one of my favorite overall mood. Adding a few wall sconces when choosing colors; for instance, green and calms the mind. can decrease dark shadows within the is the color known for healing and life force, The most important thing to remember room, which are easy to install. Layers of but not for cancer patients because green is this isn’t just a sanctuary. It’s your sanc - light are important and should include task is the color for growth. Peach on the other tuary, so when pulling it together make it lighting for reading, overall lighting for hand is one of the healthiest colors in color personal and make it meaningful. moving around the room, and mood light - therapy, representing general health, heal - ing because some times you’ll want relax ing and well-being. Try mixing it with blue Blanche Garcia is a Certified Interior amongst a soft glow. (great for peace and helps with insomnia). Designer and Owner of B. garcia designs A smart system which allows you to con - The popularity of low or non-voc paints in Montclair, NJ. She will be writing a column trol the lighting, window treatments, air (Sherwin-Williams Harmony collection or for A Distinctive Style in every issue, and systems, music and TV from a remote con - Aura from Benjamin Moore) has made it we are so excited to have her on board! trol, will not only save tons of money on en - easy to color your world without having to We look forward to her tips and advice on ergy bills but will empower you to have breathe in toxic fumes. The new furniture interior design. A Distinctive style . com 71 d n a l

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72 A Distinctive style . com “It is important to be ninetY PeRcent aware of carcinogens and reduce our of canceRs exposure to them, aRe caused BY We need to be aware enviRonmental of what we are putting on our skin, in our factoRs stomachs, and in our homes.” Fran Takes Action ~ Fran Drescher

By Surinder Moore

“I got famous, then I got cancer, and now I live to talk about it,” she begins with. “To really focus on our preventative efforts, we says Fran Dresher, actress, model, writer, and President of the have just launched our new program called Trash Cancer .” Cancer Schmancer Movement . “Sometimes the best gifts come According to Drescher, Trash Cancer is about educating others in the ugliest packages.” about the harmful chemicals found in common household and Dresher, a New York native best known for her role as personal care products, “and how to be smart consumers in “Nanny” Fran Fine on the hit 90’s sitcom The Nanny, (which still order to live healthy lives.” airs in syndication) is a uterine cancer survivor. “It took me two “Ninety percent of cancers are caused by environmental years and eight doctors before finally being told I had a gynecologic factors, so it is important to be aware of carcinogens and reduce cancer,” she says, admitting she felt “betrayed” by her body and our exposure to them,” she says. “We need to be aware of what the medical community. we are putting on our skin, in our stomachs, and in our homes.” In 2002, Drescher wrote the book Cancer Schmancer , to share Dresher says that “there is formaldehyde in some baby her story of survival. “The book was not the end, but rather the shampoos and lead in some lipsticks. We live in a toxic world beginning, of a life mission to improve women's healthcare in and it is our responsibility to protect ourselves from these America,” she has said. And, with that, Drescher launched the poisons.” Cancer Schmancer Movemen t and Cancer Schmancer Foundation Right now there is an important bill in Congress called the Safe to transform women from patients into medical consumers, and Cosmetics Act of 2011 . If passed, the bill would “require gaps in “to shift this nation's priority from searching for a cancer cure the current federal law to be closed. These ‘gaps’ allow dangerous towards prevention and early detection of cancer.” chemicals in cosmetics and personal care products,” explains In another exclusive interview with A Distinctive Style, Drescher. “This is an issue that affects men and women, Dresher updates readers on her global health mission. Democrats and Republicans, old and young. We need to be an “This summer, Cancer Schmancer turned four and I celebrated active voice in this initiative and tell our elected officials to my 11th year of wellness from uterine cancer. I feel very blessed support this bill because our health matters.” to continue with our message of prevention and early detection,” Continued Next Page

A Distinctive style . com 73 According to Drescher, shampoos, lipsticks, deodorants, currently on hiatus. “The show is inspired by my personal shaving cream, lotions, mascara “and every other product we experience. The storyline revolves around a woman who, after put on our faces, in our hair, even on our teeth, can contain toxic 18 years of marriage, finds out her husband is gay,” explains chemicals linked to cancer, infertility, neurological problems and Drescher. “Because of the economy, the two are forced to other health problems. And it’s perfectly legal!” continue to live life together even after their divorce. The Drescher explains, “this bill will eliminate the most harmful underlining message throughout the journey of the two trying to chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm from reinvent life on their own is that love is love.” personal care products; require cosmetics companies to tell us As we move in 2012, Drescher the message Drescher wants to everything that’s in their products; and set up a system to review relay to others is simple, effective and to-the-point. “By empowering the safety of cosmetic ingredients. Additionally, ‘cosmetics’ Americans to be educated medical consumers, to ask questions refers to products that men, women and children use every day. of their doctors and the screening tests available and to learn This bill affects every single American. Men use an average of how to live a less toxic life, we can save lives today,” she says. six personal care products every day. Women use 12!” “Did you know that when cancer is detected early, there is a 90 Drescher continues: “We need to advocate that more attention percent survival rate? We are working toward a day where no be paid to diagnostic screenings and biomarker testing. We also person loses his or her life to late-stage diagnosis of cancer.” need to start figuring out what’s causing cancer and the effect To learn more, visit www.TrashCancer.org , and use the of environmental factors.” She also wants today’s younger GoodGuide search bar to evaluate the health ratings of home generation to learn more about Cancer Schmancer’s WE THE products. Visit CancerSchmancer.org to learn more about the FUTURE campaign, which is “all about empowering the next early signs of cancer and the tests available. generation to learn how to live healthier lives and help their For more information on WE THE FUTURE visit www.facebook families and communities do the same. The earlier our children .com/wethefuture , which features weekly discussions, contests learn how to ask questions and choose healthier lifestyles, the and more. better off they will be.” When she’s not working as a healthcare advocate, Drescher stars in the in the TV Land sitcom Happily Divorced —which is A Distinctive Style staffer Rachel Sokol also contributed to this article.

74 A Distinctive style . com A Distinctive style . com 75 There are national shortages of the very Pink drugs RiBBons needed to treat cancer aRe n’t patients enough urge leaders to support state medicaid programs... contact your life legislators t u

o the drug saving B a shortages tReatment is in JeoPaRdY 76 A Distinctive style . com CANCER AWARENESS MONTH is around the corner. Pastel pink ribbons will be emblazoned on products, build - ings, and lapels. It is the month when “ta-tas,” “boobies,” and breasts become common dinner table conversation. The frenzy of awareness activities sends women (and even men) scurrying to imaging centers and doctors for evaluation. While all of this is beneficial and we use the month to simultaneously validate the struggles of breast cancer as well as prevent its progression, it overshadows an even bigger problem. Many states are making severe cuts to Medicaid programs, the unemployment rate is at 9% and employers are dropping group insurance plans, which leave many people without health insurance. This means that individuals with serious illnesses like cancer are faced with trying to find insurance for their pre-existing condition, which can be extremely expensive. Not even the government’s new pre-existing insurance plan will cover them until they have been without insurance for six months. This time period can literally mean the difference between life and death. Healthcare reform can be debated and argued about for months, but the bottom line is that the problem is now. There are currently people that have no way to pay for their healthcare and are receiving the news that they have cancer today. As a result, hospitals, treatment centers, and practices are struggling to bear the cost to treat their patients. Cancer care often requires costly drugs, specialized nursing care, sophisticated imaging and linear accelerators that cost practitioners millions of dollars to maintain. Offices are frantically reducing costs and providing free care to patients where they can but unfortunately, there are too many patients in need. Patients are obligated to reach out to the few foundations and charitable organizations that directly pay for treatment. Unfortunately, because of the economic crisis and in - creased demand for services, these organizations have been literally running out of funds in a matter of hours each month. To compound the situation, there are also national shortages of the very drugs needed to treat the patients. And not unknown ones, either. The very popular, effective, and low cost medications that are the gold stan - dard for treating lymphoma, breast, ovarian, and testicular cancer are now not available to treat ment centers when they are needed. It is unconscionable as a society to encourage others to get screened for cancer if we refuse to help with the treatment of it. “So before we encourage each other to buy something to show that we ‘support cancer’ or wear a shirt encouraging others to check their ‘ta-tas,’ we need to urge leaders to sup - port state Medicaid programs, send an email or phone call to leg - islators about the drug shortages, or send a donation to an organi za tion that directly helps pay for treatment,” says Melissa Veselovsky, Director of Patient Advocacy for Ironwood Cancer & Research Centers. “We may even have to reconsider encouraging others to get screened for cancer if there aren’t enough resources to treat it.” Go to www.ironwoodcrc.com for a list of national charitable organizations that directly help adult patients pay for treat - ment and www.fda.org for information on drug shortages. Ironwood Cancer and Research Centers is one of the largest providers of outpatient oncology & hematology services in Arizona, is a pioneer in the treatment of breast cancer with brachytherapy and is a leader in the treatment of prostate cancer. Ironwood CRC offers medical and radiation oncology, surgical urology, diagnostic radiology, research, brachytherapy, immunotherapy, and numerous support services such as a Patient Navigator program, American Cancer Society Resource Centers, tai chi and oncology massage therapy. Visit the website at www.ironwoodcrc.com or call 480-821-2838 for more information.

A Distinctive style . com 77 dancing “Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning how to Kaitlan dance in the rain .” ~ Vivien Greene

My journey began in February when I felt a times in the hospital and hang out with me Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to have lump in my throat. Several doctors later, when I am at home. I have been fortunate hair back! back pain that would not go away, multi - in that chemotherapy has not been taxing I wanted to have portraits done and am ple biopsies, and finally an MRI, I was diag - on my body. I have kept my appetite, lost soooo happy I did. The power of social nosed with Stage 4 Diffuse Large B Cell little weight, and have not been nauseous. networking is truly amazing. There is an Lymphoma/Leukemia (Leukemia because I did have one serious blood infection that inspirational 6-year-old boy in Colorado there was substantial cancer present in my really made me appreciate what nurses do (fighting cancer also) — my mom connected bone marrow) on April 20, 2011. At the that much more. The nurses are amazing!!! with his mom while she was researching time of diagnosis, I had cancer in my kid - As for my hair, not a big deal, great not photographers. She then sent out a message neys, liver and spleen. I had a large tumor having to shave and hoping it comes back to her social network that landed in the at the base of my throat deep into my the way it was. Must say, I loved my hair! inbox of Marielle Hayes of Oakland, CA. chest. And I had a fracture in my neck from When I was first diagnosed, my hairdresser Marielle took my portraits last month and the cancer eating away at the bone. All in came to hospital and cut it into a short bob made it an amazing experience for myself, all, I was very sick. with enough in a ponytail to be donated to Cody and my friend Alexis. Marielle is one I was diagnosed and am being treated at Locks of Love. Then when it began falling of my favorite all time people and such an UCSF. As of October 1, 2011 I have com - out, it was like having a dog on steroids, inspiration! pleted 8 of 9 rounds of chemotherapy. On there was hair everywhere. On one of my I will be completing treatment in October this protocol I will not need surgery or visits home, my uncle shaved it all off. and then will be going back to school in radiation. Since then I have lost my eye lashes, which December or January. Although it's been I can remember wanting to tell my best I also loved, and my eye brows. For bigger almost 1 year since I have officially gone to friends (Alexis, Jamie, Madelynn, and events, I pencil in the eye brows and apply school, I have been able to keep up with Alyssa) and boyfriend (Cody) in person, so fake lashes, which I was accustomed to I made my parents swear to not tell any - using before getting ill. one but my grandparents until I could tell I have had 3 them in person. The 4 girls came a couple wigs, 2 of days after diagnosis and Cody came the which are next day. In addition, there are several too dark (I others that are really special to me and had always have been part of this journey. wanted darker From the beginning, my friends have hair and what been the best and are all very supportive. better time to At the time of diagnosis, one of my nurses try it) and one helped me explain to them that I had that was given cancer and what that meant. I remember to me from a them being sad and scared, they all asked cancer survivor a lot of questions. They proceeded to (and is my favorite!). decorate my room, have held numerous I love my scarfs fundraisers, have come to visit me many and beanies also. 78 A Distinctive style . com in th e Rain my studies and have been on campus for always thought that it took the entire length different events, which I believe will make of the treatment to rid a body of the cancer, going back much easier. but that is not the case. The cancer is killed The biggest aha moment has definitely quickly and the remainder of the treatment been the science behind the treatment. It is intended to keep it away. has been a great learning experience and I I understand that I am one of the lucky am amazed how far it has all come. From and blessed. There are many that do not the combination of chemotherapy drugs have it as easy and others that do not make (protocol) to the timing and doses, it all it. But for those that have a high prognosis comes together in a very concise laid-out of success, a cancer diagnosis does not have plan. Four days after beginning treatment, viewed as an impossible battle. the chronic back pain that I had, and was on strong painkillers for, was gone and within 6 Follow Kaitlan’s journey on her blog: weeks all my scans came back clean. I had www.kaitlinsluckymia.blogspot.com

Photos BY maRielle haYes WWW.maRiellehaYes.com

A Distinctive style . com 79 leslie haYWood I was a stay-at-home mom to two beautiful daughters ages one forget, but because of my "radical" treatment choice, I fell like and three when a dinner party changed the trajectory of my life. my personal fight is done and I can sleep at night. Both my My husband served me the wrong piece of chicken off the grill mother and I won our battles, but the war is far from over. and that night I started sketching prototypes for my gift idea and I have two younger sisters and two beautiful daughters, so my grilling innovation known as Grill Charms .™ A few months after mind still can not truly leave the disease behind. that very spicy light bulb moment and right in the middle of all that is involved with starting a company, raising two children UpdATE and building a grilling gadget empire, my life would change again Just last month my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer with a simple yet also very complicated call. “It’s cancer” my AGAIN. It is in her other breast (back in the day, 1989, they did doctor said. My first introduction to Breast Cancer happened at not do bilateral mastectomies). All the more reason why I am the tender age of 16, when my then thirty-something mother so thanksful I chose to get both of mine taken care of at once!! sat the family down to talk about the terrible disease. My mother Her surgery is September 15th. She will have a mastectomy and had found a lump and after a lumpectomy, biopsies and further natural breast reconstruction on BOTH breasts so she's even. testing it was determined that she did indeed have breast cancer We will know after the sentinel node biopsy what "stage" she is, and it had progressed to stage IV. After being told by the doctors but based upon the size of the lump and because we are ON that my mom had six months to live, my mother and father TOP of boobie cancer round these parts, the doctors think it's sought treatment from one of the most aggressive oncologists early so please cross your fingers and toes for "stage I”. Also, in the area who bombarded the advanced cancer with high my sister had a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy May 6th doses of chemotherapy for a prolonged period of time. My two 2009, because she didn't want to wait around for the cancer to younger sisters and I watched as the treatment to this horren - get her. Here is a powerful photo taken of both of us by a friend. dous disease drained the mind and spirit of the most happy, Yes, that is a real tattoo on my sister's arm and those are my healthy, positive person we had ever known. After the fight was perky new tatas! over and the battle won, YES, my mom is now 21 years cancer Ten percent of the proceeds from The Pink Collection go to free and my biggest fan, I knew that I had to be ever vigilant. help fund breast cancer research and find a cure. Maybe some - Having a mother who was stage IV in her thirties, I knew the day, we can let this disease live only in the past. I also give back genes were not on my side. to the cause through the " Pink Collection " of my product Grill At the age of 30 I went for my first baseline mammogram. All Charms: www.grillcharms.com/the-pink-collection was well, but I knew I could never become complacent. At the age of 34 I went in to have my digital mammogram and this time something was “different”. My doctor said, “I really don’t think it’s anything, but with YOU, I don’t want to mess around.” A week later they did the needle biopsy and we waited for the re - sults, wondering if this time was going to be THE time. Unfortunatley, it was. I thought about my own two precious daughters who were one and three years old and felt so sorry for the genetic legacy that I had potentially left for them. The "something" they found was extremely small and was thought at the time to only be stage 1. A lumpectomy and a little radiation would have done the trick, but I didn't want to live the rest of my life waiting for the other shoe (or in this case... the other "boob") to drop. I wanted those B sized ticking time bombs GONE! Now with my bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction complete, the scars won’t let me

80 A Distinctive style . com Photo BY: teResa RogeRs of Pluff mud PhotogRaPhY

A Distinctive style . com 81 I AM FREE TO

FMy dreamL in life isY to inspire others to live out their dreams and pursue their passion

By Stowe Dailey Shockey

it was fear of actually succeeding beyond was fortunate to have, not one, but two i Rolled oveR and looked at my wildest dreams and having to face all teachers—the cancer itself and a man the clock, 4:20 a.m. Leaning back into my that goes with it. named Calvin LeHew. Rising above in - pillow, I breathed deeply and stared at Broken-hearted, I laid my guitar down, credible challenges, Calvin has fulfilled the ceiling. I had the feeling that something left the music business and became a every dream he’s set his mind to. He is a big had happened the previous day. For mother and eventually an author. Along pilot, a self-made millionaire, an entre - just a moment, I felt excited. Were we the way I boosted my chances of avoiding preneur and a student of the school of pos - going on a trip? cancer by becoming a vegetarian and an itive thought. He’s also a cancer survivor. Then it hit me like a Mack Truck, advocate of alternative medicine. Yet, Intrigued with Calvin, my husband, Ohhh...I have cancer! despite these measures, I still ended up Peter (a filmmaker and author) and I Sitting up in bed, I felt the tears welling. with cancer—a very unglamorous one at decided to share his wisdom through a Oh, God . . . was this really happening? My that—rectal cancer. film and book called Flying High . With chest ached as I thought about my Anyone who has faced a life-threatening Calvin as my mentor I began chronicling mother’s untimely death from breast illness knows that along with the difficult his life, while also keeping a journal of my cancer when I was three; my father’s death decisions, the physical strains and pains st ory and what I was learning. I challenged from lung cancer; and my grand parents, and the days and nights where your heart myself to change my negative thought who’d also died from cancer. Three of my beats hard, come new discoveries, times patterns and soon felt a positive shift in cousins fought the battle, too. Now, it was for reflection, a chance to cry, and lessons my attitude. Empowered, I set new goals my turn. My heart raced as I thought about in learning how to love and live. I’ve come for my healing and myself. Maybe I could those dreaded words— chemo, radiation to the place where I feel grateful for what overcome this disease and even my long surgery—and the doctor’s order, “You’ll I choose to call “the gift of cancer.” But I held fears. But months into the project, have to make a decision soon.” didn’t always see it that way. as the book’s chapters grew, so did my April 16, 2008 marked the beginning of Three weeks of intensive, near-fatal tumor. Pain meds dulled the hurt but I a journey that would eventually take me chemo and radiation treatments left me was quickly losing energy, weight and hope. to the edge of death. At forty-seven I’d hospitalized and discouraged. I closed my All along, I’d wanted to be healed super- seen a lot of life. Now I wondered had I mind to allopathic medicine, including the naturally—without medical intervention. really lived it? My lifelong dream of being recommended ostomy surgery. Instead, I That was my mantra. But Calvin taught a hit songwriter and singer in Nashville put my faith in prayer and alternative me that while we can ask God for what had brought me some success though not methods. But it would take more than we want, we can’t dictate how it comes exactly what I’d imagined. I see now that raw food and herbs for my healing. about. “That,” Calvin says, “is for a higher my life was full of fear—fear of failing, There’s an old saying, “When the stu - power than you or me to determine.” With fear of not being good enough or maybe dent is ready, the teacher will come.” I this new shift in my consciousness, I made

82 A Distinctive style . com choices where I trusted God with the out come. Maybe surgery wasn’t a promise of a long life, but I could still make a difference with the time I had left. That was more than worth living for. At a hundred pounds, I was only months away from dying when I finally chose to have, what I call, a rectal amputation. It was a difficult operation but I came out singing, “Ain’t no drag...Mama’s got a brand new bag!” Calvin always says, “With every adversity there is within it a seed of greatness.” For me, the treasure was a chance to see the value of my life, to appreciate—maybe for the first time—who I am and why I’m here. Sometimes it takes a great trial to release us from the gravity of fear. I am finally free to fly and to sing songs that bring hope in the face of adversity. Earlier this year I lost a fellow songwriter to melanoma. Before he died, I stood at his bed - side and sang to him with some friends. That beautiful moment inspired me to become a musical therapist for Nashville’s Alive Hospice . It’s an honor to play and sing for those who are ready to pass over. I feel humbled that, for the moment, I am on this side of the bed, pursuing my passion and sharing my story. I’ve been given a second chance to live, love and serve. It’s a gift I don’t take for granted. www.flyinghighbook.com PhotogRaPheR keoni k WWW.kloudmachinePhoto.com

A Distinctive style . com 83 shameless JeWelRY We want to extend ourselves to this cause since . suPPoRts it is among the leading issues we face today as women. We all have friends, family and co-workers whose lives BReast ha“ve been affected by this disease and we wanted to do our part in finding a way to bring an end to the suffering caused by breast cancer. canceR ~ Shea Curry aWaReness ” The popular jewelry line, shameless , joins the struggle against breast cancer by promoting awareness and encouraging research to finding a cure. Available 'all year round,' 20% of all sales of the "Go pink" ID Bracelet, with it's pink hearts and adjustable chain and retails for $40.00 on the website, will be donated to the Breast Cancer Charities of America, one of the world’s leading breast cancer organizations.

shameless jewelry is giving away "go pink" Id bracelets to a few lucky readers . enter for a chance to win by clicking below.

Shea Curry, a jewelry designer and actress who started making jewelry in her movie trailer on the set of Princess Diaries 2 , The Royal Engagement with Anne Hathaway, Chris pine and julie Andrews. It was on this set that her career as a jewelry designer took shape. During the film’s three month production, she had many hours to sit in her trailer. So to pass the time she made jewelry for the entire female cast and crew. It wasn’t until she designed her pink wedding dress and made her own jewelry, which was featured in INStyle Weddings Magazine , did she think she might have something unique. After receiving rave responses, she decided to push forward with her own line. She called it shameless because she considers herself to be unabashedly bold, bodacious, spunky, and saucy. Shea believes that all women are both naughty and nice and that we should embrace not only our inner beauty but also our inner bitch. Shea’s unique spirit can be seen in her naughty/nice collection. www.shamelessjewelry.com

84 A Distinctive style . com A Distinctive style . com 85 Putting Ca ncer Where it Belongs—in the Trash!

By Sharyn Wynters

Cancer awareness groups are springing up stiffen your hair, make your skin feel trash. Perhaps I love the concept because everywhere and it’s about time. People smooth, stop you from perspiring, change it’s exactly what I did years ago to cure are finally beginning to realize that cancer your hair color, lengthen your eyelashes myself of cancer. I’m a survivor too and is a disease brought on by our modern and make you smell good. In the clothing like Fran, surviving cancer changed my living environment, and that cancer is industry (you probably didn’t know life. It put me on a well-defined path to preventable—absolutely preventable. clothes could make you sick, did you?) make a difference. Once I got better, I For years, a number of individuals and chemicals are used to soften fabric, to add became a Naturopath and dedicated my small groups have been trying to make color to it, to keep it from wrinkling, to time to helping others discover better the public aware that toxins in our envi - make it fire retardant, to create resistance habits and better health. ronment (air, water, food, personal care to stains, to keep it from collecting static But beyond changing our personal products, building materials, cleaning sup - and to make it water resistant. Unfortu - habits, we eventually have to correct the plies, etc) are causing cancer, allergies and nately, the chemicals that do these things problem at its roots. We have to demand a whole gamut of new diseases. For years, also cause birth defects, allergies, hyper - changes that will provide a clean living advertising dollars have had the upper activity, learning disabilities, attention environment for us all and for our children. hand, sweeping the truth under the rug deficit, early onset of puberty, neurologi - It’s similar to those oxygen mask demon - and lulling the public into believing that a cal disorders . . . and cancer. It is no longer strations in an airplane. If you are a parent, certain amount of toxins are “safe.” But a theory, these are well-known facts. you’re told to put your own mask on first with the increasing incidence of cancer In 2010 Burton Goldberg and I pub - then to take care of your children. When and disease everywhere, it is becoming lished a book entitled, SURVIVE! A Family it comes to toxins, the immediate concern more difficult to keep the entire world Guide to Thriving in a Toxic World. It was is to protect yourself, to become aware of from seeing the truth. We have reached a our way of contributing to the rising the problems and to learn how to avoid point where there is just too much evidence awareness of the toxins we have come to them. But eventually we have to look to be covered up any longer. The “jig is accept all around us and to provide alter - around and ask, “How can I help someone up” as they say. The truth is spilling out natives. We have been told that the book else? How can I make a difference?” everywhere and just like those nuclear re - is scary and empowering, a good combi - It is our birthright to breathe fresh air, actors that we have also been told are nation. It gives people a reason to change to drink clean water and to eat vibrant safe, the ugly truth comes oozing out their consumer habits and it provides sug - food produced by loving hands that are from a million tiny places, as it can no gestions for how to do it. Awareness is the connected with Mother Earth. It’s time to longer be held back. key and knowledge is power. With knowl - claim our birthright—to demand products The first step to preventing cancer is edge we can step out of victimhood and without toxins and to demand change on awareness. We need to come to grips into the victor’s circle. a global scale. I’m honored to be a part of with the fact that just about everything One organization that is doing a lot to the movement. Will you join me? sold in conventional stores these days has bring cancer prevention into the open is chemicals and toxins in it. It’s not just Fran Drescher’s new movement called Sharyn Wynters is an author, naturopath about eating organic food which a lot of Cancer Schmancer and her campaign and health advocate. She is an ambassador people believe. It’s about everything we called “Trash Cancer.” I love the name of for Cancer Schmancer and the Campaign surround ourselves with. For example, in the campaign, it tells the story in two to Trash Cancer. the personal care industry, chemicals are words. It’s time to gather all those cancer- www.wyntersway.com used to create suds; they remove grease, causing products and get them in the www.cancerschmancer.org

86 A Distinctive style . com A Distinctive style . com 87 CArL o. HeLvIe Wants You to Be healthY haPPY and medicat ion

By Matt Kramer fRee

The difference between a bureaucratic York, not far from the St. Lawrence River. Helvie began the regimen and incorpo - administrator and a people oriented He graduated high school in 1950 and got rated his own program of prayer, medita - leader can be seen in the results. The bu - a job in the stock room of the hospital in tion and positive visualization. When reaucracy provides marginalized service the nearby town of Gouverneur (named asked about the controversy surrounding erring towards sustaining dysfunctional after one of the less well known signers of the use of laetrile, Helvie described how systems at the expense of the people that the Declaration of Independence). Curious the body uses certain enzymes involved are supposed to be served. The top ad - and gregarious, he became friendly with in protein digestion to work with the ministrators will be well paid in spite of the nurses and the hospital dietician and laetrile. In his experience, part of his pro - the fact that (1) the work environment is was informally trained to help prep gram’s success was due to following nu - stressful and inefficient; and (2) the patients for surgery. The experience was trition guidelines. Eating meat or fish clients receive compromised or useless so positive, he enrolled in nursing school prevented those enzymes from being goods and services. and began a life of service eventually available for the laetrile. In due course The people oriented leader will con - earning a doctorate in public health and Helvie was pronounced cancer free and stantly challenge bureaucracy, cutting fat, wellness and becoming an educator, has been cancer free ever since. eliminating redundancy and fostering a author and activist for the public health In the 1990’s, Helvie was asked to sit on culture of community and compassion by sector. Helvie holds the title of Professor the board of an agency serving homeless putting the needs of people above rigid Emeritus of Nursing at Old Dominion women. After two years of reviewing and guidelines, self serving agendas and grand - University in Norfolk, Virginia and received making policy, he decided he wanted to f athered parasitic systems. the Distinguished Career in Public Health be more active and began visiting the As a solution oriented thinker, Carl O. Award from the American Public Health homeless shelter checking blood pressure Helvie is a bureaucrat’s nightmare; when Association in 1999. and discussing health issues with the res - necessary, he does not hesitate to bypass A dream sparked a significant turning idents. He brought his students to help red tape and get things done. If his ideas point in Helvie’s life in 1974. In the dream, with the volume of people needing atten - about how to live free of prescription he received the message that he needed tion and eventually obtained a grant to drugs throughout your life become to get an X-ray. He had no symptoms but open a clinic and provide more consistent popular, the pharmaceutical industry may the X-rays revealed a spot on his lungs service. Until that time, most homeless also lose sleep (and profits) as a result. that was diagnosed as lung cancer. people were not able to afford early treat - The good news is that overall; more Reviewing his experience as a nurse, he ment for their health issues and would people will be living healthy lives that are surprised the doctor by refusing the wind up in the emergency wards when less stressful and more productive in prescription for surgery. The doctor their condition became life threatening satisfying ways. Helvie lives what he responded by pronouncing, “You’ll be and required more time and more re - preaches; at the age of 78, he is one of the dead in six months.” sources to treat. 11% of Americans above age 65 who live A friend of friend at the National Can - Developing an effective clinic became a medication free. cer Institute had success with a program community project. To extend the life of Helvie grew up in the small country that included laetrile, a raw fruit and veg - the grant, Helvie was able to get doctors hamlet of Natural Dam in upstate New etable diet and an exercise program. to donate their services; the local hospital

88 A Distinctive style . com “I was saved from lung cancer 36 years ago for a reason; I am a resource for people.” – Carl o. Helvie

provided free lab services and pharmacies ﬁlled prescriptions for cost plus $4. Chronic diseases such as diabetes were caught earlier and supplies were available to keep the homeless healthier. Ironically future funding was denied because of a national need for more nurses; the funds went towards education and scholarships and the clinic had to close. Helvie later assessed that the cost of running the clinic was much less than the ﬁnancial burdens endured by emergency rooms and other services that had to be employed when people waited until they were very sick to seek help. You can read more in Helvie’s book, Home - lessness in the United States, Europe 1999. In his book, Healthy Holistic Aging , Helvie outlines the importance of living a holistic life; “lifestyle is very important in staying healthy; incorporate spirituality and enjoy what you’re doing in life. If you’re not staying positive, you’re not attracting positive back to you.” Helvie wants you to live a healthy and medication free life. When he was interviewed for this article, he stated, “I was saved from lung cancer 36 years ago for a reason; I am a resource for people.” He is looking forward to being a healthy, happy and active centenarian – you are invited to join him there.

You can listen to Carl O. Helvie and his guests discuss the cutting edge in health issues every other Saturday on the Holistic Health Show : www.bbsradio.com/theholistichealthshow

Photo BY shiRleY m. Whitenack A Distinctive style . com 89 A Happy 24-MonTH oLD CHILD IS Diagnosed with Leukemia

mY name is ketRen Waites . I'm a happy 24-month old boy leukemia." And so it began, my mother went hysterical for that loves airplanes, cars, motorcycles and playing ball. On the first, of many times thus far. April 28, 2011, I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic The doctor said she would have the hematologist look at Leukemia and I’d like to share my story with you. the blood the next morning and call us with an update, boy, Around mid April of 2011 I started to have a limp in my that was a long night! But sure enough, the doctor called the right leg, my mommy took me to the doctor right away and next morning and said "good news, the hematologist looked they did all the standard exams and x-rays. Nothing was ever at the blood and didn't see any osteoblasts which are found during any of the routine visits or on any of the x-rays characteristic in leukemia patients. Ketren’s white blood so the doctor’s advice was to just "wait it out" because it counts are good so we can probably rule out leukemia!" could just be a stone bruise, growing pain or hairline fracture. HALLELUJAH! I think we danced for an hour, however, the Well, if you know my mommy, she doesn't "wait" very doctor still wanted us to follow up with the hematologist the well...she persisted with the doctors...at least 1-2 visits a next week. And we did, uh-oh.... week with "why, why, why" because my limp not only became worse, but I had finally resorted to crawling instead of walking due to the pain. My mom was finally able to get a referral to a Scottish Rite Orthopedic Doctor and we were on our way to finding answers! Once we arrived at the doctor’s office he ordered a CAT scan. Thank goodness my mom, dad, and 2 other nurses were there to hold me down while they IV’d me because I'm a strong boy and the grown ups were sweating by the time they got my drip going! I was sedated and had the CAT scan performed, we were not even out of the Scottish Rite parking lot when the Ortho doctor called and wanted us to see a hematologist because there was some dark bone marrow showing on my scan. My mom, not knowing what this meant, asked, why, why, why? That's when the doctor said; "Well, we just want to rule some things out, I don't want to scare you, but we need to rule out

90 A Distinctive style . com When we showed up at the Scottish Rite Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorder office the next week, they immediately did blood work on me. Shortly thereafter the doctor came back into the office and said they were sending my blood off for a "flow" test which tests for leukemia since he saw some "suspicious" cells in my blood. Can you imagine the confusion in the room? Hysterical cry #2 for mom by the way. The doctor then said, regardless of the tests’ outcome they would need to admit me to the hospital because I had an infection in the bone/blood of some type that needed to be treated with antibiotics, so onto "Hotel Aflac." We started the admission process while worrying about the call with results of the "flow" test. Me, mommy and daddy were in room 194 around 9:30 that evening, when the doctor called with the test results. Daddy answered the phone and mommy immediately knew by the look on his face that the news wasn’t good. She saw the tears in daddy's eyes and knew I had leukemia. Daddy hung up the phone, hysterical cry #3 for both parents. The doctor came over right away in spite of the late hour and spent time explaining to my parents what I would be going through during the next few days. The type of leukemia that I had was the "good" kind, if there was such a thing, because it has a very high survival rate. The doctor explained about the port-a-cath that would be inserted into my chest, the spinal tap that I would be getting, and about my chemo. So my 3-year fight began....

Ketren currently has a Caring Bridge page at www.caringbridge.org/visit/ketrenwaites that is constantly being updated throughout his treatment.

A Distinctive style . com 91 insPiRation . suRviva l. miRacle . How one woman turned a less than one percent chance of survival into a beautiful new beginning.

By Alyssa Phillips

I have to be honest, I really just didn’t see it coming. You never think it’s going to be you anyway, right? You never think that the impossible things of life, the ones that only happen to “other” people, can happen to you— that is, until suddenly it does. I’ve now had the “impossible” arrive on my doorstep—twice. The first time it arrived the day my younger sister Lauren died suddenly from bacterial meningitis while we were in college together. Healthy and vibrant one day, then gone the next, her absence rocked me to my very core, literally bringing me to my knees. The aftershocks of the void she left behind echoed through the years. But happiness and joy eventually returned, slowly seeping back into the hollow places and time marched on, as it tends to. I chose to move forward with it, taking her with me by stitching her sweet presence into the very fabric of my being so she would be with me wherever I went. I graduated from college, finished my Physician Assistant training, landed my first job and got married. Life was back on track. Things were good—really, really good and I chose to be better for what I’d been through. But then the unthinkable happened again. Just over a decade after my younger sister’s death, I was suddenly facing the “impossible” again as I was forced to confront my own mortality. In May of 2008, just weeks after running my best time in a half-marathon, I was told I was in Stage IV of one of the rarest and most aggressive types of cancer known and given a less than one percent chance of survival. I was 31 years old and had never felt better. What came next arrived in a blur of bad news, each test result and recommendation worse than the last, compounding the horribleness of it all. “Less than thirty docu - mented cases…” “metastatic disease…” “poor prognosis…” “few survivors, if any...” “emergency radical hysterectomy...” “never going to be able to have any children of your own…” “high dose chemo…” “two back-to-back bone marrow transplants…” “nine months of mandatory house isolation…” “then hope for the best...” “we just don’t know…” “we just don’t know…” “we just don’t know…” 92 A Distinctive style . com sliver was. Just the fact that I was still here meant I still had a shot and I was going to take it. I realized I couldn’t control a lot of things but I could control my heart and my mind. I would fight but I would not fight cancer—I would fight to live. With all my being, I summoned up all the courage I never knew I had, took a deep breath and jumped out into the unknown on faith and faith alone, trusting that all I needed—to navigate this vast ocean I’d been called to cross—would come. I won’t tell you that my journey was easy. It was not. But I will tell you that it was worth it. I wouldn’t wish what I went through on anyone but I am who I am today because of what I’ve been through. And you know what? I’m proud of who I am and what I’ve learned. I’m different in a lot of ways now because of this experience, in fact it actually feels as though I’m different in every way, with one small exception, I know that my essence, that is tested in times of trials and stress, is much the same, if not better. I know myself more now. I know what I’m about and what I’m really made of, I play more, I take more risks, I care less about what other people think and more about what feels right for me. I do things that make me happy because, well, that’s reason enough. My grasp is looser, not tighter, on the things I love because I now understand love in a completely If my sister’s death was soul shaking, my diagnosis was soul different way. I listen to myself and look inside when I need shattering. In the blink of an eye I’d been catapulted from the answers, using the outside only as my gauge as to how I’m prime of my life into the fight of my life. In an instant I was doing. I know now that miracles can and do happen, that how leaning out over the edge of life with the weight of such we choose to look at things can change everything and that all staggering odds threatening to push me over from behind as I true healing happens within. Most importantly, I know now that frantically tried to backpedal. A long-time runner and “health the challenges, and even the tragedies, of our lives are veiled nut,” a Physician Assistant with a nutrition degree, a dream life lessons and gifts that dare us to be more than we ever imagined finally unfolding again, and suddenly I was watching helplessly and inspire us to become the people we were always meant to as it all crumbled before me and began to slip away. They were be—if we let them. That’s why I know that, no matter what it going to strip me down to my elemental beginnings and press looks like, Something beautiful is happening™. the restart button—twice— and I felt a restart button deep Alyssa lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband. After beating within me being pressed as well. overwhelming odds, Alyssa has traveled extensively and reinvented Without warning, something quite profound happened, a herself with one mission in mind—to LIVE & GIVE . She is sudden clarity amidst the chaos and devastation swirling around currently writing her first book, a memoir about her inspiring me, I heard a voice from within calling me to do the unthink - cancer journey and the pivotal inner shift that occurred in its able—to leap out into the unknown and trust. Sizing up my wake. She regularly shares the story of how she turned a less options, I realized I couldn’t go back. There was nothing to go than one percent chance of survival into a beautiful new back to. I couldn’t run away. It had already caught up to me. As beginning to inspire others to view the challenges of their own I looked at the heavy shoulders and brokenness in the eyes of lives in bold new ways. my husband and parents fearful of possibly losing me, I decided To learn more about Alyssa, her upcoming book, photos of something. They will not know this. I didn’t have a crystal ball, I her journey & subsequent trips and more, please visit her at her didn’t know how everything would turn out but I did know one website, www.alyssaphillipsinc.com or connect with Alyssa on thing for certain, I still had a chance, no matter how small that her Facebook & Twitter pages. A Distinctive style . com 93 Amber was recently diagnosed with Leukemia. This incredibly strong, young lady is determined to fight, and win, the battle against cancer. The over - whelming love and support from family and friends has been amazing. We know everyone wants to continue to support and follow her progress, so we've created a website. Together with family, friends, and Amber's resilient personality... cancer doesn't stand a chance! Please continue to share your love and support for Amber, and keep her in your prayers. Let Amber's strength be an inspiration to all!

Phoenix Children's Hospital has provided hope, healing and the best healthcare for children and families since 1983. Today, Phoenix Children's is one of the ten largest children's hospitals in the country and provides specialty and sub-specialty inpatient, outpatient, trauma, emergency and urgent care to children and families in Arizona and throughout the Southwest. www.phoenixchildrens.com

94 A Distinctive style . com amBeR Was diagnosed With aml (Acute Myeloid Leukemia) We want to give a special thanks to melissa veselovskY , the on Friday, July 22, 2011. Amber was out visiting family in Director of Patient Advocacy at the Ironood Cancer & Research Virginia over summer break. She had an amazing time - Center in Phoenix, Arizona ( www.ironwoodcrc.com ) for putting helping on the farm, spending quality one-on-one time with this together for A Distinctive Style Magazine. Melissa her grandparents, and learning more about her Virginia worked very hard to make sure this story was told, and she roots. works tirelessly on a daily basis to help others as well. During her visit, she fell ill, and was diagnosed with Melissa wrote an article (see page 76) entitled “ Pink pneumonia. She rested and took the doctors medicine as Ribbons Aren’t Enough ,” about the National drug shortages prescribed, but her condition did not improve. In fact, it needed to treat cancer patients. She tells us about the worsened. The doctor's were concerned and ran some struggles that hospitals, treatment centers, and practices deal additional tests, determining that Amber had leukemia. with on a daily basis and how many states are making severe She is currently at the Phoenix Children's Hospital under cuts to Medicaid programs. the supervision and care of an excellent medical team. Melissa says; “With the unemployment rate at 9% and If you'd like to make a donation to the continued research employers dropping group insurance plans, it leaves many and treatment of leukemia (to benefit Amber and others people without health insurance. This means that individuals that are diagnosed patients), please visit the following site: with serious illnesses like cancer are faced with trying to find www.lls.org/waystohelp/donate/donateonline insurance for their pre-existing conditions, which can be extremely expensive. Not even the government’s new pre- kellY feRnandeZ , Amber’s mom, is currently staying at existing insurance plan will cover them until they have been Phoenix Children’s Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona with her without insurance for six months! This time period can daughter Amber. She graciously agreed to an interview, so literally mean the difference between life and death.” we could share with you what a mom goes through when her child is diagnosed with this horrific disease, and how she and READ MORE ON PAGE 76 her family are coping.

A Distinctive style . com 95 nine-YeaR old chRistoPheR insPiRes otheRs to live life

By Suzanne Andora Barron

our mission is to instill Christopher’s passion and zest for life by offering underserved children unique opportunities to live life and pursue interests about which Christopher was most passionate.

96 A Distinctive style . com If I were to describe Christopher, perhaps God to make one team win and his fourth grade friends said it best, another team lose because that Christopher is the type of friend everyone would not be fair. Instead I asked would want; smart, loyal, brave, funny God to give the players the courage and always a good sport. to believe in themselves so they Christopher was very brave and had to could hit a home run.” deal with far more than most adults in his Sadly, a month later, one of the lifetime. In 2001, at the age of 3, our life-saving chemo treatments caused sweet child was diagnosed with leukemia. a more aggressive cancer. This time, Thankfully, he went into remission quickly the doctors couldn’t get him into and his prognosis was excellent. Still the remission. This time they couldn’t whole experience encouraged us to live in save him. On July 23, 2007, our the moment and appreciate everything. sweet child passed away. Christopher was such a passionate kid It hurt to breathe, let alone live. and loved many things. He would get just But we had to find a way because as excited about a barbecue at Nanna’s & Christopher’s younger brother was Popop’s as going to see his beloved Mets only seven and needed functioning play. parents. I felt this intense need to “Christopher had a great range and you continue to parent Christopher and at the could tell that he really enjoyed his life, same time help other children – children enrichment programs, our workshops especially the little things,” one of his that may not have had the same hope were the only creative outlet the kids friend’s moms said. and opportunities that Christopher had. received all year. It’s inspiring to see how When Christopher was eight, after re - In 2009, with the help of my friends, we the development of plots, characters and occurring fevers, he was diagnosed with created a 501(c)(3) nonprofit called the sequencing helps the kids to develop relapse leukemia. This time the treatment Christopher Barron Live Life Foundation . stronger organizational skills as well as was a lot more strenuous, but once again Our mission is to instill Christopher’s greater confidence in themselves and the he went into remission quickly and did passion and zest for life by offering un - realization that they can create some - great on treatment. Losing his hair was derserved children unique opportunities thing extraordinary out of nothing. The especially hard at eight. Not wanting to be to live life and pursue interests about workshops have proven to be an emotional different and have the no-hat rule which Christopher was most passionate. outlet as well as a creative one. For ex - changed for him at school, he went off to At the same time, we seek to empower ample, Gary who loves everything soccer, third grade with no hat, no hair and a big children by encouraging them to earn wrote about gangs instead. However, un - smile on his face. such opportunities through perseverance like in his reality, all of the gang members Christopher loved to draw on every - and hard work. are caught in his comic. Kassandra created thing including his desk, his jeans and in Given Christopher’s love of comics, we a character that is half robot/half man his own comic books that he created, The created Christopher’s Comic Book Inspira - who has supersonic hearing to detect the Adventures of Ultimate Man . He sold the tions and partnered with School 21, an cries of homeless people and a heart to first issue, The Birth of A Hero for fifty elementary school, in Paterson, New Jer - make food for them. cents on the front lawn in front of our sey. Each January, we provide their fifth Our hope is to expand the program to house. graders a six-week comic book writing more inner city schools in the future. At the age of nine, Christopher had de - workshop series in which professional We still miss Christopher terribly, but it veloped a strong sense of fairness. One comic book writer, Alex Simmons, from helps to know that we are inspiring other night, while preparing for bed after a day Archie Comics teaches them how to children to dream big by sharing his at Shea Stadium, I said to Christopher, “I create four-panel comic strips just like the passions with them. saw you and Ryan, his younger brother, professionals. The series is followed by praying in the ninth inning when the Mets a culminating event to celebrate their were down by two. Did you pray to ask efforts. For more information about the Founda - God to help the Mets win?” He shook his This past year due to New Jersey state tion or to make a donation, please visit head and said, “Mom, I would never ask budget cuts and the loss of all of their www.ChristopherBarronLiveLife.org .

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