THE POWER OF COMMUNITY: How Connections and Support Improve Your Health and Wellbeing

By Tamara L. Hunter

Have you ever been alone? I mean alone, so alone that it is painful. The painful that is associated with feeling as though you are the only person alive on this planet.

Ever heard of the TV show “The Twilight Zone”? There was an episode that left a lasting impression on me. I originally watched it in re-runs. The name of it is “Time Enough at Last.” It shares the story of an anti-social bookworm Henry Bemis, played himself alone after a major worldchanging event. The story goes about how he was so depressed until he found his “community” in the form of books. He seeks out his favorites. They are authors who speak to his heart. Their timeless words give him hope. Do these books qualify as a community to Henry? You tell me. After planning out his book reading schedule, he has an accident and can no longer communicate within his community. You see, he wore reading glasses and could not see without them. When his glasses shattered, he found himself once again utterly alone. During the show, you witness his complete despair. You see it in his face, feel it from his soul, and know he is now alone and completely hopeless.

Loneliness can steal from us. If we allow ourselves to continue to be isolated, it can result in more than sadness. It can make us sick!

IN SERVING OTHERS, WE FIND OURSELVES AND POSSIBLY OUR PURPOSE.

“One of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn’t as individuals. When we pool our strength and share the work and responsibility, we can welcome many people, even those in deep distress, and perhaps help healing.” ~ Jean Vanier many people were excited to hear about cancer stories all the time, yet they were about how people are helping each other. I found people were looking for and craving HOPE!

HOW DO YOU CREATE A GLOBAL COMMUNITY?

“inspiring story of those inspiring others.” I was with “Service Hero #1,” Kris Miller. I have now recognized nearly a thousand “Service Heroes or Service Hero Concepts.” I believe that we all have a “Service Hero” inside.

I started sharing these stories with the world because of my that had started the year before,

I am the Co-Founder and President of an online global support community for those facing cancer and other life-changing health events, both the patient and those that love and support them. Not

“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” ~ Coretta Scott King

Humor, hope, heart, hugs, and a whole lot of love are how we do it! Miracles happen when you allow the “law of attraction” to occur. My background was in recruiting. I am a second-generation headhunter, so I went to my roots and started recruiting “buddies.” When they out who they were. What are their dreams? How do they want to serve? This was surprising to many. Why? Because most were coming to be served.

When I would visit with a new them. They knew we were just starting, yet loved the concept of what we were building. So many were in treatment when they showed up and were looking for something. By the time we were done visiting, they felt heard and valued and could serve another. They felt empowered to live! What a concept. Give them a reason to continue.

Let me give you an example. One of the new buddies got on the phone with me. She started to tell me this was the second time she was facing cancer. She had stage four vaginal cancer. It was painful, and her doctors were not giving her much more time. I asked her what she wanted, given the fact she was in so much pain. Without hesitation, she told me she wanted to live. I said great. I need your help. She engaged immediately to help others. Over the next two years, she was there with me, building and compassionately serving our growing “buddies’ network.” Her doctors kept re-testing her and asking what she was doing to stay alive. Finally, she would say, “I am a Service Hero and the Senior Ambassador for Chemo Buddies for Life. I have to live.” Her name Senior Ambassador.

The day her mother called me to tell me Sharon had gained her wings, her mother continued to thank me. I was in tears with the news, yet I could hear her mother’s loving smile through her words. She told me that she witnessed Sharon’s time with our community as the happiest two years of her daughter’s life. She felt valued and loved and that her life had a purpose. She was on a mission to serve others every day, and she did throughout the world.

To answer the above question, you create a global community one “buddy” at a time.

EVERYDAY COUNTS!

“I am in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing.” ~ Louise L. Hay

Are you a planner? You know what I mean, right? You plan out your month towards the end of the previous month. You plan out your week the Sunday night before. You plan out your day the night before. How do I know these patterns? Because that was me! Yes, I was a major type A+ personality. Total disclosure, I still plan, yet now I have a balanced approach to my planning.

I haven’t shared that I started the belief system where I listen for guidance daily. Turning on a dime is a trait that I have gotten extremely good at. Why? Because I now know that there are answers to our questions if we ask for them. In asking, we must be willing to do the work, and when we need a course correction, make it.

Another case in point.

had a near-death allergic reaction I was saved, and that experience changed the direction of my life.

Making each day count is my mantra. I have a deeply spiritual community, we have a large group of dedicated volunteers, buddies, ambassadors, and supporters. Simply put, they are incredible! One evening in what we call our “Chat,” we talked about meeting face-to-face. This was pre-COVID. During that time together, we came up with the full vision. The name “The Tour of Love.” We would come together in the middle of the United States in a retreat-type setting. There would be plenty of humor, hope, heart, hugs, and a whole lot of love. were submitted, places we visited, and we were serious. Then a pandemic. Everything changed. Many in our community were facing cancer. There were few answers to what was happening, yet we sought the answers. We didn’t even miss a beat. We were up and going that evening and wave. The results were incredible. We did not lose one buddy. In fact, many came out of it even better than when they started.

The Tour of Love was not forgotten. It went onto the back burner. When we came to a place where we could breathe, we did. The Tour of Love became even bigger than it had event, then became a show. Now we will be announcing soon that it is going even bigger again. It is about being in the right place, at the right time, and doing the right thing; together!

Be watching for more about the “Tour of Love.”

TODAY, TOMORROW, AND BEYOND!

“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” ~ Melody Beattie

Within any community, the attitude of gratitude must be a staple! We practice it throughout ours. We are grateful for all our buddies who join us, our volunteers, those who donate their time and funds, and so much more. But mostly, we are grateful for LIFE! We understand how precious it is, and we recognize it!

I am grateful that we have created a space where someone can come today and be honest with themselves and others. Let’s be real. If you are facing cancer, it can be tough. Many may even say it can be the scariest diagnosis someone may ever receive. I have witnessed buddies who have come into our community nearly paralyzed by fear and stress—the kind of fear that can change a life. But I have also seen how replacing fear and stress with hope can heal. When these types of miracles happen repeatedly, it becomes an environment where those who experience them want to share them with others. By abolishing fear and stress, you allow for life.

Let me share a story of how allowing for healing changes the outcome of someone’s life story. After calling a local cancer in my local area. I was looking a make-up artist how to create eyebrows during chemotherapy. I was thrilled when I received the call that someone was open to said you might want to meet this woman soon because she is a stage IV breast cancer patient. My heart sank. Can we take care of this fast enough, and was this a good decision? We were still newer, and I thought, ok, let’s do this.

Denise McBride came to my home to meet me within a week of the call. She had never had this type of experience before and was excited to in the time she had left. Denise was open about her situation. Her doctors told her that she only had a she had been seeking her whole adult life. Once she did, she was ready. We all will someday gain our wings. That is a fact. Yet, if being a part of a community can help disease, that is where the power of Denise’s case, her life was forever changed, and her healing took place deep within her heart and soul. She was not ready to move beyond this life until she received the answers she sought. Once she did, she felt surrounded by love and could go in peace. day. She felt beautiful after. She said she had never felt so beautiful in her lifetime. We became fast “buddies.”

Denise and I started spending a lot of time together. Her family loved it. They noticed she started having more energy and a will to show up daily. I would drive over and pick her up for adventures. We would take local trips or drive out of the area to meet with other buddies. She loved all the interaction with our buddies.

One day she told me the story of her life. Without going into personal details, I will say I was taken aback. After hearing her story, I decided I would help her help her life feel complete. She had been searching for these answers her whole adult life. That night I found them. I called her the next day, which put into motion a series of events that took place over many months. Denise’s life changed. She became the person she always wanted to be.

In the end, Denise gained her wings, yet she lived longer and better in the last of her life than she had to most of her life. The last time I saw her, she told me she fearless, and hopeful for what would come. Sometimes the best we can do for each other is to help to overcome fear and stress and

That is exactly what happened with Denise. Her family told me that she had gained her wings peacefully.

You may say she gained her wings. Yes, she did. She found the answers

I am grateful I have been there for those who were preparing to gain their wings. I have also been there with many buddies who have become survivors and now serve those going through diagnosis. It is a circle of love we have created, and I am grateful every day that we are witnessing the power of healing through connections.

What are you grateful for? Do you have a gratitude practice? If not, I suggest you start one. I do. Every day, I write down at least grateful for. Then I create a daily intention and check in with myself in the morning and evening. I do all of this to stay on track. I have a huge life purpose. That purpose is the reason I believe I was saved.

There is power of community. I understand the importance of “Healing Through Connections.” I know we are stronger together. And together, we are the ones who will change the world with our hearts. JOIN

Tamara L. Hunter is a cancer survivor on a mission to change the community, CB4L.org. The “First Global Next Impactor.” CEO of Impactor Press and creator of “My Big Dream Life Workbook and Journal Series.” Producer and Host of multiple TV Shows airing on the e360tv network, including her newest, “Let’s Talk Fab…ulous with Tamara.” Three-time best-selling author. Keynote speaker, Emcee, and Red-Carpet Interviewer. Please learn more about Tamara at www.tamara360.com or her websites at www.TamaraLHunter.com www.CB4L.org.