I lost a friend yesterday. Well, at least in the physical sense. Her name was Vivian Hines and she was larger than life.

Miss Vivvy, as I always called her, was a breast cancer survivor and the very first person I met when I became more deeply entrenched with Susan G. Komen for the Cure as a survivor. I was nervous, it was my first team captains' meeting for the National Race for the Cure as a survivor. And there was Miss Vivvy, ever present, this time checking everyone in for the meeting. She sensed my hesitation and apprehension and announced to me with that big, wonderous smile of hers, that she too was a survivor. She was a vision of loveliness with perfectly put together hair and makeup – and let's not forget those perfectly manicured nails! Her warm welcome was the start of a beautiful relationship.

Miss Vivvy was the backbone of the National Race for the Cure for several years. She volunteered at the office so much that she was eventually hired as the receptionist. And true to form, she did that job with the same passion – and compassion - she did everything else in her life. At her funeral service today, the story was told of how she comforted a woman who called in because her dog was diagnosed with breast cancer. During the course of their 15 minute conversation, Miss Vivvy gave this anxious dog owner the same consideration she would have if I had called in. She was famous in her church and cancer communities for her intricate cake designs. She also ran the BMW Drive for the Cure here locally for years and was a past recipient of their Local Survivor Hero award, among her many other accolades. I had the honor of being introduced by her when I was graced with the Local Survivor Hero award in 2003.

As much as I enjoyed celebrating her life yesterday in a very animated and fitting ceremony, I couldn't stop thinking about how we didn't have to there, in this church today, saying good bye to Miss Vivvy. You see, she had a recurrence, the thing we breast cancer survivors worry about the most. And her recurrence was misdiagnosed several times and information about her test results wasn't forthcoming because of the "system", so she wasn't able to get treatment in time to save her life. She belonged to one of the country's largest HMOs and they, frankly, failed her.

Listen, I can accept that the "system" isn't perfect and I can accept that as human beings, we sometimes make mistakes. But I can't accept that the "system" doesn't get some front and center priority attention right here and now, especially as we enter an election year. There is a lot we can all do to make our voices heard. We'll talk more about that during the coming weeks and months.

In the meantime, Miss Vivvy, please know that you have left a void, a hole in my heart – and many others. But that as the Reverend said yesterday, you also were a person who lived every waking minute to positively affect the lives of everyone around you. You've touched more people than you can ever imagine and their lives are that much better for it – for you.

God bless you, Our Darling Ms. Vivvy.

I'm a breast cancer survivor. Not a celebrity survivor, the kind everyone knows and immediately empathizes with, nor one who has a foundation in their own name (although it's on my list someday). Just someone living their dreams who, one day, heard those four life changing words, "you have breast cancer".

Those words were pronounced the afternoon of my 33^rd birthday on the phone by my surgeon. I was working from home, healing from the biopsy done the day before, "just to be safe". I answered the phone at about 4:50PM. From that moment on, my life has stopped resembling the life I knew up until that moment. At that moment, I met my New Normal.

I have many passions in life. Two phenomenal boys – the ones I wasn't supposed to be able to give birth to after chemotherapy treatments – a wonderful husband, a great career and some amazing people whom I am blessed to call friends. A favorite among these many passions is the cancer advocacy role I now wear. I didn't go looking for it and I didn't wear the mantel the first time I tried it on. But it's now become the "go to" piece in my closet, the one I come back to time and time again.

In my cancer advocacy, I'm passionate about young survivors. I'm passionate about quality care, informed decisions and the state of our health care system. I'm passionate about quality of life and the dissemination of accurate information. I'm passionate about early detection, regular check ups and health care advocates. I'm passionate about finding a cure.

We have a lot to talk about and explore. We have the energy, spirit and intellect to share and debate.

I can't wait!