Sister Spotlight | The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans LLC

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Happy 4th of July Sisterhood! Hope everyone is having a safe and healthy weekend. Today we bring you Brooke’s Sister Spotlight. If I’d had to choose, I probably would have chosen this very special firecracker myself. I love her with all my heart!

Take it away, Brooke!

First off let me say a big “thank you” all around.  Mendie not only for spotlighting me this past week, but also for helping me get back on track.  She even tweeted the link to my motivational board from the Monday Project days back in January.  Also for the Sisterhood contributors and readers that have helped me.  This past month or so hasn’t been easy on me, but I know I have a wonderful group of ladies just waiting to help pick me up.

One of these ladies has made a particular impact on my life.  As some of you know, I’ve been dealing with a pretty hearty case of anemia, which has turned my world upside down.    Not only did I have to temporarily hang up my triathlon goals, but I also had scary words thrown my direction.  I was warned to not train or else risk congestive heart failure (possible, but not likely – none the less scary).

When my doctor referred me to a hematologist I pushed the panic button.  Not only did it sound scary, it also meant visiting the cancer ward. Hematologists are most often Oncologists as well.  Because of this my doctor practices out of “Thompson Cancer Survival Center.”  Scary stuff.

Enter this phenomenal lady – as an oncology nurse, she visited my blog after hearing about my news to leave me comforting words.  She assured me that her office saw people like me all the time and that I would soon be on my way to good health.

Any person who would say it was their life’s calling to work daily with cancer patients has to be something special right?

Try working in pediatric oncology.

For that (and many other reasons) I’ve picked  Tiffany Zook for this week’s spotlight.  Her twitter handle says it all – @KidCancerNurse.  To face what she faces every day must take an incredibly amount of inner strength.

Tiffany is in the process of losing weight, as most of us are at the Sisterhood.  She’s recently shared with us as she kissed the 200s goodbye forever!

She can tell you why she totally rocks even better than I can! (http://releasingtiff.blogspot.com/2010/01/monday-project-3.html)

Anyone who’s been on the disabled list knows how difficult it is to be benched.  Obeying doctor’s orders takes an incredible test of will – more so sometimes than getting motivated.    She understood the importance of letting her body rest and heal – come on people she does heal for a living after all.

She was back at it by the time the Shrinking Jeans Team in Training hit the mean streets of San Diego. A couple of her teammates offered the following insight into Tiffany’s heart & soul.

I love Tiffany, I truly do.  We joke around that we are sisters from different mothers, that’s how much I love her.  She has the warmest heart and soul and she cares so much about her patients- she’s a pediatric oncology nurse.  At the inspiration dinner for Team in Training (the night before the big race), I was sitting across from her.  She was flipping through some pictures on our table when she ran across one of HER patients, a young man who passed away from cancer.  Her eyes filled with tears and so did mine.  I already knew I loved her by then, but at that moment, I wanted to run around the table and envelope her in a huge hug.  I did not do it then, but I will do it when she comes to visit me in October- woot, woot!
Lisa

Tiffany is just the warmest person and has a beautiful soul. I feel so privileged to have been on Team Shrinking Jeans with her – it takes a very special person to work in pediatric oncology – she just radiates strength.  Oh, and her sons? The cuteness. Seriously.  Love you, Tiffany!
Heather

She’s amazing. Seriously. Such a shining light on our team!
Christy

I love, love, LOVE Tiffany Z!!
Melissa A

I don’t usually add my opinion to things like this, cuz, well I’m awkward and I’m much better with numbers than words!

However, I would like to say that besides being a wonderful person, I think Tiffany is an amazing role model for her kids. Our children see us when we train or exercise, but Tiffany exposed her children to the TNT spirit by bringing her entire family not only to San Diego, but especially by bringing them to the Inspiration Dinner the night before the run. Her kids were able to ‘see’ the importance of what their mom was doing by being part of this dinner event, listening to speakers, and seeing pictures of cancer patients, survivors and lost loved ones on our table (including one of her patients). I can only imagine what compassionate children she is raising just by being their mom.
Jessica D.

She’s just that good.

Thanks Tiffany for all your help!  You’ll never know what a difference that one comment has made in my life.

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