The Current Hub

y! od rB ou 9 eY e2 eng ag all e P Ch Se

Se eO On ur S Pa ect ge ion 15

WWW.THECURRENTHUB.COM October 2015

Conversations start here.

PAGE 27

HEALTH p15 presented by North Fulton Hospital • pages 15–18

BREAST CARE PROFILE OF COURAGE Q & A WITH DR. MIKE JURGENS ENTERTAINMENT p 6

TRICKS & TREATS OF THE HARVEST MOON LIFE p 19

SHADES OF GREY FOR EMPTY NESTERS COMMUNITY p 12

INTERFAITH RELATIONS FOOD p 24

THE MAKING OF A TV STAR ALSO...

GARDEN, FINANCE, AND KIDS

“Going Angelina Jolie” Navigating The Complex World Of Breast Cancer Awareness page 28

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EDITORIAL & CREATIVE

Carrie Kutney Art Director & Key Grip carrie@thecurrentplus.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Frank Mack Di Chapman Michael Finch Matt Quinn Jessica Diamond Nancy Wallace Rochelle Mucha Send submissions & questions: events@thecurrentplus.com Main Phone Number 770-810-5943

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The Month in Preview October 2015

Currentchoices

>>TIMELESS CLASSIC

The Nutcracker

November The Roswell Dance Theatre and Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance is proud to present the holiday tradition The Nutcracker Ballet at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forest Street. This is the 27th production of RDT’s rendition of this wonderful classic. Each season, Roswell Dance Theatre sells out 12 shows, enchanting over 7,000 audience members. As the largest performance of The Nutcracker in the North Fulton area, RDT has over 250 performers ranging in age from 1 year to 80 years old. This popular ballet is sure to be enjoyed by all ages, from the youngest to the most seasoned ballet patrons.

Roswell Dance Theatre will put on 12 shows over a period of two weeks. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, November 3 at 10am at tututix.com. The cost is $10–$65. Roswell Dance Theatre is a non-profit division of the Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance, celebrating 35 years. For more info visit their site at www.tysod.com.

>>THESE KIDS TODAY

Youth Day Celebration

October 10 Come celebrate Roswell’s youngest residents at the 65th Annual Frances McGahee Youth Day Celebration on Saturday, October 10. Youth Day festivities start at 10:00 a.m. with the annual parade, which will begin at First Baptist Church on Mimosa Boulevard and end in Roswell Area Park on Woodstock Road. This year’s theme

is “Roswell Unplugged,” and the parade’s Grand Marshals are members of the Lacrosse State Championship teams from Roswell and Centennial High Schools.

Youth Day has been a long-standing tradition in Roswell that began in 1950 when a group of parents decided to sponsor a parade and a day of activities to honor the youth of the city. In 1951, Mayor Ford Rucker proclaimed the second Saturday in October as “Roswell Youth Day,” and each year the tradition grows stronger within the community.

4 October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

Currentchoicescontinued >>A SPECIAL EVENT

Stepping Up and Out For Israel

October 27

>>WALK IN GROUPS

Halloween Hikes

Oct, 24, 25, 30

To help address the growing trend of anti-Semitic sentiment stoking the growing BDS (boycotts, divestment, and sanctions) movement, local synagogues, schools and other organizations have joined together and invited Shoshana Palatnik, director of the ground-breaking documentary Crossing the Line 2: The New Face of AntiSemitism on Campus to present and discuss the film. This event will take place on Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m. for the community and Oct. 28 at p.m. for teens at Congregation Etz Chaim, 1190 Indian Hills Pkwy NE, in East Cobb. It is free and open to the public. For more information or to attend, contact bernice@etzchaim.net

If you are searching for a unique Halloween adventure, then the Chattahoochee Nature Center has a program for you. Take your child on a welllit hike through the forest to meet woodland creatures and hear about their lives. It’s the perfect non-scary alternative >>SCARY GOOD ART to traditional Halloween events and a VERY important fundraiser for CNC! Groups of 20– 25 people will have a guide lead them on a lighted trail. Meet costumed characters including the Box Turtle and Dragonfly during your 45minute hike. 770-992-2055 ext. 236. or programs@chattnaturecenter.org.

Harvest Square Arts & Crafts Festival, Halloween Happenings

October 17

Visit Marietta Square for the 37th annual Harvest Square festival on Sat. Oct. 17 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The arts and crafts festival features a wide variety of >>ACTING! unique handmade items from local artists and craftsmen, plus fall fun for the entire family.

Exhibits include painting, pottery, The Alpharetta High School Theatre woodwork, metal, jewelry, glass, fabric and Department, under the new direction of Sarah Stoffle, will present “A Night of One floral designs. The festival also includes Halloween Happenings and Scarecrows Acts” this fall with the family friendly on the Square. Visit the Marietta Square comedies, Over the River and Through the Farmers Market from 9 a.m. to noon.

Woods by Joe Dipietro, and student directed show The Audition by Don Zolidis. Halloween Happenings is for children ages 12 and younger. The event includes games, Performances of Over the River and The Audition will run Oct. 8th at 7:00 p.m., Oct. candy, prizes, and a costume contest for 9th at 7:00 p.m., and Oct. 10th at 7:00 p.m. children 12 and under, plus a costume at the Alpharetta High School Performing contest for pets. No registration required.

The Marietta Parks and Recreation Arts Center. Tickets are $8 students and Department sponsors this event each fall, $10 for adults. For ticket information contact Nan Bodeep at nan@bodeep.com and free parking will be available in the Cobb County Parking Garage on or visit the ticket website at Cherokee Street. www.seatyourself.biz/alphaproductions.

Student Theatre

October 8-10

lyrics that blend wounded heart sentiment with finely crafted wisecracks.

Nikki Lane grew up in South Carolina.

“My songs always paint a pretty clear picture of what’s been going on in my life, so this is one moody As a child she listened to her mom’s record,” Lane says. “There’s lots of talk of Motown records and her dad’s country misbehaving and moving on.” music favorites. On her own though she In October you will have an excellent chance to see Lane for yourself. She is performing at the Roswell would listen to alternative rock. Put all Cultural Arts Center on Friday Oct. 23 as part of the of those influences into a blender and LIVE! In Roswell performance series. Tickets are you get her latest album, All or Nothin’, general admission at $35 for orchestra seats and $30 which was produced by Dan Auerbach for balcony seats. Mac McGee’s in Roswell will have food and drinks available for purchase before the of the Black Keys. show. Special discounts for youth, senior citizens, Finding a definition for Lanes’ music is not easy. and military are available by purchasing in-person Most folks put her under the ever-expanding country summed up when she sings, “You can call me or by calling 770-594-6232. Doors open to the lobby anything you want, just don’t call me after tonight.” label. Country music has never been more diverse at 7:00 p.m.

If country radio wants a buttoned up act… she isn’t than it is today but even as the genre has changed If you have not been to a performance at the you get the feeling that Lane is perhaps beyond what going to conform.

RCAC then you are truly missing out. It is an Her sound offers swaggering rock riffs with a loose most country stations will play. I doubt, however, intimate venue that always delivers a great time. In and even danceable sway. The aforementioned first that Lane particularly cares about labels… she just addition to Lane, the LIVE! Series includes a song on the new album, “Right Time” should be a does her own thing. That independent spirit comes performance by M-PACT in December, The Blind major country hit.

If the likes of Sam Hunt can chanthrough in her lyrics—the new album offers playful Boys of Alabama in February, Second City comedy in nel Drake or if rock-leaning bands like Zac Brown jams like “Right Time” and “Sleep With A Stranger,” May, and Edwin McCain in June. For more info and Band can find a home in country music, then why with references to “motorcycle bandits” and “men tickets visit www.roswellcac.com. ❍ not Lane? She has a stellar voice, pop appeal, and full of anger.” Perhaps her personality can be

By Tripp Liles

5 October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

NIKKI LANE IS BLOWING UP COUNTRY MUSIC TRADITIONS

ENTERTAINMENT (

6 October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

TRICKS & TREATS of the Harvest Moon

The Owl-O-Ween Hot Air Balloon Festival is hot!

By Jessica Diamond

Fall has come upon us in a literal breath of fresh air. All at once, the heat has dissipated and we are enjoying some of the best weather of the year. Finally, we can get away with wearing boots again without sweating or shivering.

Somehow, long sleeves and shorts become a sensible combination. Warm sunny days are accompanied by a cool, crisp breeze that stirs up the changing leaves. All of this loveliness has arrived just in time… for everyone to have the pants scared right off of them.

It’s a bit strange, perhaps, that we should equate this time of nice weather, bountiful harvest and abundance with all things dark and macabre on Halloween. Of course, it’s all in good fun. We enjoy giving our adrenal glands a bit of a workout. We get a thrill out of exploring the dark, the mysterious and the abnormal. There is definitely an added electricity to the air at this time of year that gets us excited to explore and experiment. Luckily, there are ample opportunities to spend this newfound energy around town.

When it comes to scary stories, few are more fearfully beloved than that of Sleepy Hollow. The tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman has inspired chills and thrills for generations in a variety of mediums. For the last several years, the Serenbe Playhouse, located in Chattahoochee Hills, has performed the The Sleepy Hollow Experience to sold-out crowds in the spooky recesses of the stables. This year, the show is taking the immersive experience a huge step further… into the woods where the Headless Horseman roams!

American Theatre magazine has named this performance one of the “Top 5 Halloween Experiences in the Nation.” It is absolutely not to be missed. The show will run the entire month of October, Wednesday through Sunday with late night shows on Friday and Saturday nights. Get your tickets at www.serenbeplayhouse.com. Wear your warm clothes, your walking shoes and your nerves of steel. This might be a good night to get a sitter for the little ones as well. Yes, it’s a drive to get there but should be worth it!

Watching an artist perform live in a big stadium can certainly be a wonderful experience. However, it does lack a certain level of intimacy. It’s pretty cool to know you’re in the same building with your favorite singer, but if you can only see them on the jumbotron, it doesn’t quite have the same effect. When it comes to creating a fully immersive and unforgettable experience, music festivals have taken up the gauntlet.

Weekend-long festivals bring together a collection of impressive talent on multiple stages, all within a designated campus that provides multiple levels of entertainment, sets the tone, and brings the audience a little closer to the artists. It’s almost like a tiny temporary city with its own rules and its own citizens. This Oct. 15-17, Avalon and the streets of downtown Alpharetta will serve as home for the Wire & Wood Alpharetta Songwriters Festival. Nationally renowned singer-songwriters from across the country will gather to give music lovers a behind-the-scenes look at the stories behind some of their favorite songs. They will also get the chance to hear some new local talent. Tickets are available at www.wireandwoodalpharetta.com.

Come for a night or stay for the weekend! It’s sure to be a great time.

Falling Through April performs at Boxerstock.

7 October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

Sleepy Hollow Experience at Serenbe Playhouse runs throughout October.

Looking for the ultimate fall festival? The truth is, you’re spoiled for choice in this area. Atlanta is busting at the seams with fall festivals and Halloween parties. However, one of the best has to be Owl-O-Ween Hot Air Balloon Festival in Kennesaw. This event has it all: live entertainment, Oktoberfest, a costume showdown, mountains of food, shopping, and of course, gorgeous hot air balloons floating and bobbing around all over the place. Nothing says fall like sipping an Oktoberfest craft beer and looking down on the mountain foliage and extreme pumpkin carvers from the basket of a glowing hot air balloon.

Make your way to the KSU Sports & Entertainment Park the weekend of Oct. 23-24 and show off your costume. Check the details at www.owl-o-ween.com and join the high flying fun!

There are plenty of avenues for us to show off our carefully selected Halloween costumes, as well as those of our tiny, two-legged offspring. But what of our other children? The fourlegged fur children? They deserve the right to strut their stuff and be super heroes, wizards, witches and pirates for a day. At Boxerstock Music Festival in Marietta, our fur babies will have their time to shine. This Oct. 11 from noon –6 p.m. at Jim Miller Park, the Paces Ferry Veterinary Clinic and Unleashed by Petco will present Boxerstock, a dog friendly event complete with live music, a dog costume contest, an agility contest, kid’s art, vendors, and food trucks. Proceeds will benefit the Atlanta Boxer Rescue. Trainers from K-9 Boach/Bed & Bark will be available for training tips and tricks and microchipping will be available for a small fee. This year will also include a silent auction as well as a full range of activities for kids. For more event details and ticket info, check www.boxerstock.org.

Whomever or whatever you decide to be this October, make it a memorable one. The Metro-Atlanta community is alive with opportunity.

Close your eyes, point at the calendar, pick a party, hop on your broom and get out there! ❍

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LIFE

October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MONEY

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WHAT DO YOU VALUE MOST?

fitting in a workout, or reading a book, or calling a good friend from years ago to reengage a personal Pop quiz. What does the number 168 represent? relationship). If you aggregate your spending into Any idea? This is how many hours there are in a categories (grocery shopping, entertainment [eatweek. Now think of another number—the ing out, movies, etc.] car maintenance, etc.) you’ll amount of money you earn each week. Got it? begin to realize where your money goes.

Time and money. These are the primary (and We challenge you to try this once a week for a limited) resources we have to live the life we month. What does it tell you about how you spent choose. Some of our time is pre-determined week your time and money? What does it say about by week; it is already “spent.” This may include what you value most? If a stranger only had these sleeping, working, going to school, commuting, two items to learn about you—what would they kid’s activities, etc. We also know that some conclude about your value system? May there be room for improvement? portion of our money is already “spent”—on a mortgage (or lease), car If you do this weekly for a month and realize how you actually spend your payment, clothing, food, utilities, child care, etc. In the short term, we can’t resources it will create awareness. With this information you can then choose make significant changes to the time and money we are already committed to, to change if you see better opportunities for yourself (and/or your family). As so the conversation we’d like to encourage you to have this month is about the with most experiences, making wiser choices can make for a happier life. ❍ uncommitted portion of your time and money. How do you spend it?

The choices we make regarding how we spend our time and money say a Robert Fezza, CFP® and Steve Siders, CFP® are owners of Odyssey lot about what we value most, so if we’re really honest with ourselves, it is Personal Financial Advisors, 500 Sun Valley Drive, Suite A-6, Roswell, GA. probably worth taking a moment to look at how consistent and diligent we Their firm specializes in working with are about how we consume (spend) our precious, limited resources. Would people who are serious about making you agree? progress towards their financial goals.

How much time do you spend killing time—watching “unhealthy” TV, scanOdyssey manages portfolios greater than ning your smartphone apps, etc.? Where do you spend your uncommitted $500,000. 770-992-4444, money each week, each month? Would you like to know? Here’s an idea to www.odysseypfa.com. Securities offered consider. Take a look at the calendar and banking apps on your smartphone through Cetera Financial Specialists LLC, (or your checkbook if you use that). If you record your important activities on member FINRA/SIPC. your calendar, you’ll quickly see how much time is not scheduled (what about

By Robert Fezza and Steve Siders

AUTUMN MUSIC FESTIVALS ON TAP

Edwin McCain will perform at the Wire and Wood Songwriters Festival

By Tripp Liles

The leaves are changing and the cool blast of autumn air is a great relief. There are two great music festivals on offer in October, which will allow you the opportunity to enjoy the cool temps and catch some even cooler bands.

In what is becoming a larger event each year, the Wire and Wood Songwriters Festival is now a 3-day in downtown Alpharetta. More than 30 singer-songwriters will perform original music over three days. This festival will allow you the opportunity to hear up close, the stories that inspired artists—representing a wide array of genres from country to rock.

Some of the featured acts scheduled to perform are; Edwin McCain, Parker Milsap, The Whiskey Gentry, Jim Lauderdale and many more.

“Wire and Wood is set to take an entirely new and better direction this year,” said Alpharetta Mayor, David Belle Isle. “We have tapped the managing talent behind the 30A Songwriters Festival in Florida, perhaps the nation’s best songwriters festival. We believe this year will be our very best year as we attract an incredible lineup of songwriters and artists to the city of Alpharetta, which is quickly becoming a music city.”

One change this year is that it is no longer a free event. The event, which is $30, will take place in downtown Alpharetta on Friday, Oct. 16 from 6–10 p.m. and Saturday from 3–10 p.m. A free kickoff event for Wire and Wood will take place at Avalon on Thursday, Oct. 15. The purchase of a

$30 wristband will give you entry to both Friday and Saturday concerts.

Visit wireandwoodalpharetta.com.

The eighth annual Boxerstock Music Festival, which benefits the Atlanta Boxer Rescue, takes place on Sunday, Oct. 11 from noon to 6 p.m. at Jim Miller Park in Marietta.

Boxerstock 2015 will feature live music from both national and local acts representing a variety of musical genres and styles. This year’s musical lineup covers multiple genres and includes local performers as well as nationally known acts. The music starts at noon and continues until 6 p.m. Performers such as Laughlin, Falling Through April, Justin Dukes and award-winning Matt Rogers will be appearing. Comedienne Shelly Olson returns to Boxerstock for her seventh year as emcee.

Being a family event, Boxerstock features a Kids’ Village with fun activities for children, including human hamster balls from Water Walkers, bouncy houses and a second stage for kid-friendly entertainment and music from some of Georgia’s finest up and coming young artists. For more info on the event visit www.boxerstock.org. For additional info on Atlanta Boxer Rescue visit www.atlantaboxerrescue.com. ❍

9 October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

ENTERTAINMENT (

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GRANDMA AND GRANDPA ARE UP TO SOMETHING NEW

Annegret Raunigk.

The 65-year-old German grandmother recently gave birth to quadruplets, making her the oldest woman ever to do so.

By Di Chapman

Oh, boy. I know we’ve heard and seen it all.

By the time you reach boomerdom, your BS detector is pretty sharp.

But, I’ve got a story that is mostly kept under wraps by its protagonists.

You’re gonna love it, and either scratch your heads, or run right down to get in line. It’s one of those things.

Most of us are thrilled to go into grandparenthood with open hearts and arms, even as we leave to explore North America in our motor homes, with nothing to tie us down at the house. We take cruises, go bungie jumping over the tallest gorge on earth, or do a zip line over a forest.

It’s the life we’ve worked for, saved for, and dreamed of: the freedom to be young and adventurous again. The grandchildren are in good hands with our children who bore them, the neighbors will collect the mail while we’re galavanting, and doggone it, we’re ready.

But something is a-brewing for boomers and beyond, and although I think it’s crazy, I have to admit I understand that for some, it’s a miraculous dream come true. But, for me?

Hmmm.

Got it figured out?

Kids, grandma and grandpa are

having twins! Yes, you heard me.

They’re giving birth!

I don’t mean one baby at a time. I mean twins. I’m looking at news reports of a 67 year-old woman (Granted, she doesn’t look it, she’s slender and had some good work done) with three grown children who gave birth to twins, with a 70- yearold husband.

Another features a 62-year-old woman who bore twins at 57. She emphasizes how she has plenty of energy to be a mother of kindergartners.

Okay, then.

What’s going on?

AARP reports that there are 677 women over the age of 50 who gave birth in the U.S. in 2013. Most were accomplished with the help of InVitro Fertilization (IVF). An average of 13 babies a week now are born to women over 50. They’re paying doctors approximately 8 thousand dollars per egg-donor retrieval cycle, with the average cost in the U.S. for a single successful IVF with donor eggs is 30 thousand dollars. I met one couple who welcomed their newborn via a second mortgage because they had multiple tries.

Heretofore, a pregnancy over 50 was a fluke of nature, a “post-bonus” child, because for our mothers a “bonus-child” came at, say, 39.

Pregnancies were always a stunning surprise.

I remember my mom’s stories Continues on page 20

11 October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

LIFE

12

What’s So Funny About

October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

PEACE, LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING? COMMUNITY

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By Jessica Diamond

Editors note: As anyone who reads this publication knows, we do not do politics. Rather, we prefer to write about the issues that bring us together not pull us apart. When Jessica brought this idea to me I thought it was a wonderful story about people working together and learning from each other. Our intent in this article is to highlight and emphasize the fact that right here, in our own backyard, people of all faiths are working together and doing so in a positive way.

If I asked you to describe the state of interfaith relations in the United States, what would you say? How about interfaith relations in the south? In Georgia? In your neighborhood? These are conversations we don’t have very often. Generally, people belong to one faith, or no faith at all. A person of faith, or non-faith, is most likely going to spend the majority of his or her time with other people of that belief system. They will seek support from like-minded individuals who share their customs, traditions and convictions.

This is pretty normal social behavior and there is nothing right or wrong about it. As a result, we often know very little about, well, everyone else.

Religion is a powerful force in a person’s life, and in the culture of a community. It encompasses all aspects of life down to the very core values a person holds most dear. These aren’t just issues of politics or logistics, they are issues of morality. When a person’s core values are stacked against those of another, and the two don’t match, things can get a bit tense.

I recently returned from a ten-day trip to Israel, arguably one of the most hotly debated regions on the planet in terms of interfaith relations. I stood in the very heart of Jerusalem and took stock of the people around me, waiting for the literal and figurative bombs to fall. My companions included 40 American Jews and 10 Israeli Jews, seven of whom were active members of the Israeli Defense Forces. It was the last day of Ramadan and on our way to the Kotel, one of the holiest sites in Judaism, we passed a large congression of Muslims leaving the mosque after prayer. The path we shared was a very narrow covered passage, almost like a tunnel. No one said a word. We watched them, they watched us, eyes wide, lips tight. I nearly thought to offer a “Happy Ramadan” but I couldn’t remember the phrase. For the record, it’s “Ramadan Mubarak.” The whole encounter seemed all at once completely be-

13 October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

inclusion. What’s more, my life circumstances have allowed me to connect with a diverse range of people and when I saw that wall, I imagined the faces of my own Muslim friends on the other side.

Upon seeing active, modern segregation for the first time in my young, westernized life, I had some questions when I got home.

Thankfully, I have a number of resources available to me through which to seek answers. One such opportunity presented itself in the form of an interfaith open house at the Roswell Community Masjid.

The masjid in Roswell serves a number of important functions for the local Muslim community. On any given day, it serves as a mosque, a school, and a community center.

While adults and families may attend weekly, or even daily prayer services, children come to study Quran and engage with the community.

The masjid holds two open houses per year and everyone is welcome to come, learn, engage, and ask questions. Participation and “Despite everything attendance by the non-Muslim comhave not been stellar thus far. you hear about in the munity However, the congregants are news, things seem to be motivated and pull out all of the stops far as representing their various more open here. You as service organizations and educational may not end up in the programs. Immediately upon I’m greeted by a smiling religious community entering, woman in a hijab. Her name is you were born into. The Lubne Merchant and she leads the Relay for Life team. She is a American experience, masjid’s cancer survivor. because it’s so diverse, “This is such a wonderful community,” said. “When I was seems to create more sick, and the she entire time I was receivpositive boundaries. ing treatment, these people made And to be honest, many sure my kitchen was always full. I didn’t have to cook for months.” of these religions are so Lubne then directed me to the PR similar to each other. Director, Shaheen Bharde. Shaheen gave me a quick but thorough Judaism, Christianity, rundown of each organization repreIslam, they all started in sented and saw to it that I shook nearly every hand in the room. Each the same place.” person was more eager than the last to provide information and make a connection. The parents and children This kind of segregation would likely make most Americans uncom- alike bragged about each other’s fortable, particularly southerners. It accomplishments. This child had memorized the entire Quran while reminds us of a time in our history we are not proud of and do not wish another had become an Eagle Scout and so on. The focus was clearly on to repeat. As a nation, we are still youth development, community servhealing and learning from the mistakes of our past, and we have cer- ice and interfaith communication.

Of course, this event was tainly not yet mastered the practice of Interfaith… continued on page 14

nign and still unnecessarily tense. It was also notable that this was one of the only times I encountered a Muslim Arab during my stay.

Though my visit was a very positive experience in which I connected with a very beautiful part of the world and the fascinating, openhearted people within it, there were a few aspects of the culture that clashed with my own ingrained value system as an American. Granted, there are a wide host of highly complicated issues that factor into the current state of interfaith relations in the Middle East and I cannot begin to grasp the complexity of the politics that drive it. With this in mind, it still grated on me that one of the first things I saw from the bus window was a concrete wall with barbed wire lining the top. This wall separated an “Arab town” from a “Jewish town.” Due to the violence that preceded it, this wall had been constructed to keep these people separated. They did not interact with one another. They did not cross the wall.

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Interfaith… continued from page 13

October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

Community members listen to a presentation.

specifically geared toward nonMuslims. That in and of itself represents a unique circumstance of religion in the United States as opposed to other parts of the world, but it didn’t give me a full picture.

I approached the table marked “Q&A.” Two men from the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta smiled and shook my hand. Of the two, one was a convert. His name was Alan Howard. Alan had spent time in most of the world’s major religions before finding Islam. I asked him if he thought there was something unique about interfaith relations in the US that wasn’t prevalent in the rest of the world.

“It’s more fluid,” he said. “Despite everything you hear about in the news, things seem to be more open here. You may not end up in the religious community you were born into. The American experience, because it’s so diverse, seems to create more positive boundaries. And to be honest, many of these religions are so similar to each other. Judaism, Christianity, Islam, they all started in the same place.”

The more we talked, the more Alan and I seemed to agree that exposure seemed to be a major key. I, in my community, am more likely to be exposed to a person of a different faith group than someone in Israel, Syria or Iran. I’m more likely to build relationships with people of other faith groups. I can drive down the street and visit a masjid if I want.

This familiarity guards against fear of the unknown, which is often a major contributor to violence. Furthermore, we have more global connectivity than any previous generation. The opportunity to understand and connect with other cultures is more accessible than ever before. Where our grandparents may have gone their en-

tire lives without ever even seeing a person of a different faith, we cannot turn on our devices without seeing them.

The masjid continues to provide opportunities for the surrounding community to engage and learn more about one of Roswell’s less common, and therefore less understood, religions. This November, RCM will feature an Islamic Art Exhibit in an effort to engage visitors on a multisensory level. The exhibit will feature religious artifacts from all over the Muslim world, as well as music, Quran recitation, food tastings and more.

Events like these, particularly those that focus on equating new knowledge with positive experiences, help to ensure the peaceful progression of interfaith relations within local communities such as Roswell. Small shifts and connections that result from these encounters go a long way towards quelling the major tensions we see, hear and feel while watching the news. When we pit country against country or faith against faith, it seems reasonable and even necessary to erect walls.

However, when we break it down to the individual people such as Maria, the Muslim convert who saw peace and beauty in the religion she chose for her growing family and Ido, the Jewish IDF soldier who wants to study the arts and be a dancer, those walls start to look pretty extreme. Yes, there is extremism in the world, and yes, that is a dangerous and fearful thing. But, at the end of the day, what can we do that really makes a difference? We can make that twominute drive down the road to visit that church, that synagogue, that masjid and we can simply start with “Hello, there. Can I ask you a question?” ❍

health&wellness presented by North Fulton Hospital

BREAST CARE ISN’T JUST AN OCTOBER THING

By Debbie Keel

Many women get really worked up in October. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Breast cancer survivors, victims and those of us who count one among family and friends, talk a lot about breast cancer, remind each other to perform regular breast self-exams and Debbie Keel, CEO, regular North Fulton Hospital mammography screenings to keep breast cancer from taking away the women we love.

North Fulton Hospital, and others across the country will experience crowded mammography schedules.

Many of us will extend our screening hours to fit the demand, including early and late hours.

We in the healthcare field do this frequently to call attention to diseases with a high cure rate when detected early and treated. Other examples include colon cancer month, skin cancer month and Heart Healthy Month.

And it works.

But you wouldn’t remind your kids to be on their best behavior or to pick up their socks and make their beds only one month a year. If you did, they likely wouldn’t remember to keep those good habits year around.

If you reminded your spouse to never leave dirty dishes in the sink only in December, what would the sink look like in January? Yikes!

The mistake we make is just encouraging our friends and family, in a strong way, to perform the necessary health screenings during the particular month promoted by those in the healthcare industry. I would like you to make us look bad. Talk about breast cancer and the importance of its detection in October, certainly. But also, talk about it in November and December… and so on. You get the idea.

North Fulton Hospital is going to put our money where our mouth is about this—literally. Between now and December 31, every mammogram performed at the hospital will result in a donation to Susan G. Komen of Greater Atlanta in your name. Call to schedule anytime: 770-751-2720. ❍

North Fulton Hospital Community Calendar October – December 2015 SUPPORT GROUPS WomenHeart Support Group Second Tuesday of every month, 7:00-8:30 p.m., Classroom C. The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease brings support and education to women who are at risk or who already have heart disease. For more information call Rebecca at 770 658-4796 or send an email to WH-FultonCo@womenheart.org.

Joint Replacement Lunch & Learn

Thursday 10/6; 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Geared to the safety needs of the older driver.

Insurance companies offer a 15% discount for 3 years to those who have completed this course. Registration required; $20 ($15 w/AARP membership)

11/11—Please note change of date.

Join us for lunch and an informative talk concerning Joint Replacement surgeries with Dr Matthew Levine, Resurgens Orthopaedics.

Lupus Support Group

Third Saturday of every month, 11 a.m. –1 p.m.

Classroom C. Informal meetings to share experiences and learn from others. Guest speakers occasionally present and we also participate in Ostomy Support Group some Lupus Foundation of America events.

Third Tuesday of every month, 6:30 p.m., Classroom C Contact Julie for more info 404-626-2394 or This group is open to anyone who has or will have an email: lupusgroup4roswell@gmail.com. ostomy and any friends, family or supporters. The meeting structure is informal with group discussion COMMUNITY EDUCATION and guest speakers to be scheduled at various Babysitting Workshop times throughout the year. Call John Dorso at Saturday 10/17and 11/7.

678-694-8726 to register or to obtain more 9 –2 p.m.Teaches children ages 11 –14 how to information. be prepared and responsible babysitters.

Look Good, Feel Better Bring a doll or stuffed animal and a sack Wednesday 11/11. 10 a.m. to noon lunch and drink. $30.

A cosmetologist will discuss how to care for American Heart Association skin and hair to combat the appearance-related Heartsaver CPR* side effects of cancer treatment. Free make-up and Saturday 10/3, 11/14, and 12/5. skin care products are provided. Call 1-800-227CPR course for the community.

2345 to register.

Adult and child CPR, 9 a.m. to noon; $35 Adult, Epilepsy Support Group child and infant CPR, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. $45 The third Wednesday of every month, 7-9 p.m.

Healthcare Provider CPR* Classroom A/B Saturday 10/31, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

People with epilepsy as well as their family and CPR course for healthcare professionals. $55 care-providers are invited to attend this support group. The meetings will provide time for attendees Diabetes Self-Management Workshop to share helpful information and resources from Saturday 10/24, 11/21, and 12/12. their own experiences. Educational presentations The Diabetes Association of Atlanta (DAA) offers by professionals will sometimes be offered. Please classes at NFH to teach diabetes self-management contact Tim for more information at skills. Call Katie at 404-527-7180 for more 770-667-9363. information and to register.

Stroke Support Group Fourth Wednesday of month 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

North Fulton Hospital; Classrooms A/B Please join Stroke survivors, caregivers, and families to share and support one another. The group is facilitated by the Stoke Program Coordinator, Director of Rehab and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. RSVP to Keisha C. Brown at 770-751-2631 or Keisha.Carter@tenethealth.com

Gamblers Anonymous

AARP Smart Driver Course

First meeting will be held September 3, 2015 Cope and connect with others who are facing the same struggles. Please call Sarah Bentley, RN, Oncology Services Manager, at 770-751-2556 for location and to register.

Every Thursday, 6:30 - 8:30 pm Classroom C Anyone interested in stopping gambling is invited to attend this 12- step program. Anonymity is the foundation of fellowship in this group. For more information please call David at 770-862-2564.

Breast Cancer Support Group First Thursday of every month 10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.

Water Birth Thursdays 10/8, 10/22, 11/5, 11/19, 12/3, and 12/17. At 7:00 p.m. For couples desiring to learn about the option of a water birth delivery. Completion of the class is required to be considered for water birth at NFH. $30.00 per couple; registration required.

Maternity Tours Please join one of our Women’s Health nurses in the hospital atrium on alternating Tuesdays at 4 p.m. and Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. for a guided tour of the Labor and Delivery suites, Mother/Baby Unit and the Neonatal ICU. The tour lasts about one hour. *AHA Disclaimer: The American Heart Association strongly promotes kn----owledge and proficiency in BLS, ACLS, and PALS and has developed instructional materials for this purpose. Use of these materials in an educational course does not represent course sponsorship by the AHA, and any fees charged for such a course do not represent income to the Association.

Please call 770-751-2660 or visit www.nfultonhospital.com for more information, to register for classes, or to find a physician.

16 October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

PROFILE OF COURAGE

HEALTH

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BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

understand the look and feel of the Rhonda Williams was an active, healthy professional woman living lumps that people always talk about associated with breast cancer. her life, working for North Fulton When Rhonda’s chemotherapy Hospital in the Patient Access inflammatory if you can, such as an It cannot be understated that huge Department. She enjoyed running, was complete, she went back to Dr. advancements have been made in the ibuprofen, before hand. The other trick being with her family, including her Pearson to discuss her surgical treatment and prevention of breast can- is to try to schedule your mammogram a treatment options. “Throughout newlywed husband, and her son, cer over the last several decades. Women week or two after your menstrual cycle.” my many office visits, we had talked have more treatment options, their Isaiah.

If a breast exam or mammogram does In February of 2014, Rhonda dili- about my options and she actually turn up some unexpected results, it’s imchances of recovery are high and went through all of the options gently had her annual portant for women to know their perhaps most importantly, families are with me. Some people get mammogram performed and all armed with more information than ever treatment options moving forward. lumpectomies. Some people get a was well—until August of 2014 “Breast cancer is one of those diseases before. These positive statistics are mastectomy, they might just get the largely linked to the most effective when Rhonda felt a lump in her that requires a customized combination mastectomy in the breast that’s breast and became concerned. weapon in the fight against breast cancer of treatments depending on the patient,” affected. Some people get a double After a visit to the doctor, it was Dr. Rivers Pearson said. “The main treat—early detection. confirmed. Rhonda was diagnosed mastectomy. So Dr. Pearson made ment options would be some form of As we welcome October, it is sure I knew all the op- important to remember with breast cancer. surgery, possibly tions and understood that it represents more As she searched chemotherapy, possibly the impact they may for answers and hormone therapy and possibly than candy corn, scary or may not have. She tried to figure out radiation. It really just movies, pumpkin asked a lot of what she would do depends.” spiced everything and pertinent questions: next—would she Women may opt to engage cooler temperatures. It’s Are you going to have also Breast Cancer have surgery? in one, several or all of these more children? How Chemo? Radiation? treatment options based on Awareness Month. long have you been There were so many their specific case and Though this particular married? Have you thoughts and quesrecommendations from their cause has seen huge suctalked about it with tions swirling in her care team. However, many cesses in its marketing your family? Things head. She got in don’t know what these campaigns to raise that you might not touch with North different treatments actually awareness, this disease think about because I can often still take Fulton Hospital’s accomplish. It is important to guess I was thinking: breast cancer navigaask as many questions as poswomen and their famiRhonda Williams Laura Rivers Pearson, M.D. these are my breasts tor who assured her sible to get a full lies completely by so whatever I’m going to do—but that they would answer her surprise. That is why it’s so important to understanding of the purpose of each no, it affects the family too, just questions for her and find a participate in regular screenings as well treatment as well as its compatibility how everything has affected them solution and a way to fight. This with different types of cancers. as gather information. all along”. conversation lead Rhonda to Dr. “Chemotherapy is a full body It is commonly accepted among physiRhonda chose to have the double cians that women between the ages of Laura Pearson, North Fulton’s treatment administered through an IV breast surgeon. Says Williams,“My mastectomy. Now, a year after her and spaced over a long period of time,” 20-39 should participate in regular experience with Dr. Pearson, was a initial diagnosis, Rhonda is a breast exams conducted by their primary Dr. Rivers Pearson explained. “Radiation match, I felt my health was going to survivor. She is working her way physicians, as well as performing regular is a more localized treatment. It can be back into her running. She’s back at self-checks. Once women reach 40, they administered from within the body be okay and my personal life was work, continuing to educate everygoing to be okay. I had major through a device or externally through a are highly encouraged to participate in one around her and remind them decisions to make. Rhonda, you beam.” annual mammograms. have a lump, what are you going to to do their checks, get their Even if a cancer is operable, a care Those who have never experienced a mammograms. To help give back, do? Are you going to have a mammogram may not be clear on what team may recommend the use of other donate time, money to lumpectomy? Are you going to treatments such as these to ensure that the procedure does or involves. have a mastectomy? What are you organizations like Susan G. Komen “A mammogram is a radiologic proce- the cancer does not reoccur. going to do? Dr. Pearson discussed and American Cancer Society who For more information on breast dure that uses compression at different all those options with me. She was help women and men access lifecancer and its risk factors, contact your angles to look at the breast tissue and saving services like mammograms. on my side from the very search for any abnormalities,” Dr. Laura primary care physician or check “Any little thing that people think beginning.” reputable sources such as the American Rivers Pearson, Medical Director of Rhonda had chemotherapy every doesn’t make a difference, it does.

North Fulton Hospital’s Breast Program, Cancer Society, The Susan G. Komen other week for four months. During Everything that you give. Any time, explained.

Foundation, the CDC and North Fulton’s this time, she began to educate fam- money, anything that you can give own Check Up for Chicks. Information is For those who have experienced any to help the fight, please do. Please ily, friends and co-workers about key and early detection is the best discomfort during a mammogram, Dr. do, I encourage everyone. Me, as a what they should be looking for weapon against breast cancer. This Rivers Pearson gives this advice: while performing their breast self- cancer survivor, I’m so happy to say October, remind your loved ones to get “If you are someone who experiences cancer survivor, I love it, I love it, I exams using her own body as a checked regularly! ❍ sensitivity during the mammogram, it love it, it helped me”. ❍ reference point for them to may be a good idea to take an anti-

&

17 October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

Q A with Dr. Mike Jurgens Dr. Mike Jurgens is a radiologist who found a way to combine his passion for engineering and medicine in one fast-paced career. When he’s not coaching his three kids’ sports teams, he’s behind the controls of the most cutting edge technology in medicine, solving puzzles and saving lives.

Q

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

ANSWER: My family is from The Netherlands which is where I was born. I grew up in Maryland in the suburbs of Washington, DC. I have now lived in Atlanta for the past 11 years.

Q

WHERE DID YOU ATTEND SCHOOL AND DO YOUR RESIDENCY?

I went to college at Duke University. I completed medical school at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, GA. I completed my radiology residency at University of Florida in Gainesville, GA.

Q

WHEN DID YOU FIRST DECIDE TO PURSUE A CAREER IN MEDICINE AND WHY?

ANSWER: Since I was a little kid, I always enjoyed math and science classes the most. Going into college, I had settled on either engineering or medical school and was able to combine those interests by majoring in Biomedical Engineering. One semester, I had the opportunity to shadow a pediatric heart surgeon. Seeing the amazing things he was doing for kids sold me on a career in medicine.

essentially complex problem solving.

So, I get to do what I enjoy which is solving a long list of problems everyday.

Radiologists are somewhat the behind the scenes people in medicine.

When it is not readily apparent what is wrong with a patient, imaging studies HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO are ordered to help solve the problem.

SPECIALIZE IN RADIOLOGY? Many times, we can find the answer ANSWER: It was really a natural fit for without the patient ever seeing us, or me with my background in knowing we were even involved. This engineering. We get to work with seems to fit my personality... in sports I cutting edge technology. A large part of was always more of the set-up man engineering is problem solving. leading the team in assists.

Interpreting x rays, CTs, and MRIs is

Q

Q

CAN YOU SHARE WITH US ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE SUCCESS STORIES YOU’VE HAD?

ANSWER: There is not one story that stands out. In the emergency room setting, the patients are scanned as quickly as possible to get a diagnosis made in time to save lives. For example, with breast cancer, we are able to successfully detect, remove and treat small cancers every month with the use of mammograms.

Q

WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR JOB?

ANSWER: There are two main parts of being a radiologist that are rewarding every day. The first is solving the ANSWER: My wife and her family are complex cases. There are many from Atlanta. My parents also lived in patients with confusing presentations Atlanta. So when it was time to look for of their problem. Often, it is up to the a job, we knew we would be moving imaging studies and the radiologist to here. I had always wanted to work in a solve the problem. Second, we have the hospital that was small enough so I opportunity to interact with nearly all would know most of the physicians on of the other physicians on staff. staff, but I was not sure I would find OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER that in a city as big as Atlanta. North AWARENESS MONTH. WHAT, IN Fulton ended up being the perfect YOUR OPINION, IS THE BEST WAY FOR match for me. The radiologists of ALL OF US TO RAISE OUR AWARENESS Roswell Radiology Associates were also AND HELP IN THE FIGHT AGAINST a big selling point for my wife and me.

BREAST CANCER? Our radiology group works hard, but ANSWER: I think the awareness is puts a high priority on family time. already very high. Women should continue to follow the guidelines from the

Q

WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO NORTH FULTON?

Q

Continues on page 18

ONCOLOGY NAVIGATOR SHARES HER OWN SURVIVOR STORY WITH PATIENTS

18 Dr. Mike Jurgens, continiued October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com American Cancer Society... starting at age 40, women should obtain an annual mammogram and annual breast exam by a health professional.

Q

WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED OR IS AT HIGH RISK FOR BREAST CANCER?

ANSWER: If you are at high risk, be sure to get your screening mammogram annually. Catching breast cancer early can save your life.

If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, don’t get discouraged.

There are many successful treatment options available, and new treatments are being discovered every year. The success rates for treatment of breast cancer are very high and continue to improve.

Q

WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TRAIT A RADIOLOGIST SHOULD HAVE?

ANSWER: Ability to work with others.

Although radiologists have less direct contact with patients compared to other physicians, we do interact with physicians from all specialties daily. To truly be successful as a radiologist, you must be able to communicate well with all of these differing physicians.

Q

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST RECENT ADVANCEMENTS IN THE FIELD OF RADIOLOGY THAT HAVE IMPACTED TREATMENTS?

ANSWER: The speed of the CT scanner has significantly changed the management of patients in the

emergency room. One part of the body can be scanned in seconds, or the entire body in minutes. This is providing life-saving information for critical patients, especially in the setting of trauma or acute strokes.

Q

WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF RADIOLOGY / WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL OF THIS FIELD GIVEN THE CURRENT PACE OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT?

ANSWER: It does not seem that we could acquire scans any faster than we currently do, but I’m sure future generations of scanners will operate even faster. The amount of information gained from imaging studies is immense. However, the cost and radiation exposure does limit its utility. I think the future will focus more on limiting radiation exposure and cost while maintaining the current high quality of the images.

Q

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR FREE TIME?

ANSWER: We have 3 kids, so most of the free time involves them. There always seems to be a need for volunteer coaches, so I have coached all of them in soccer, helped out with basketball, lacrosse, and baseball. In the summer, free time is carved out around family vacations, usually to the beach or out west to Wyoming or Arizona. When I do have some of my own free time, it is usually spent outside, running or biking. ❍

Mary “Paige” Watt is not a “typical” candidate for breast cancer. She is healthy, fit, and extremely active. She eats right, runs, practices yoga, takes spin classes, and generally leads a balanced life. For this reason, it came as a bit of a shock when her annual mammogram turned up some troubling results. In early 2013, Watt was diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) breast cancer.

Interestingly, Watt does have a family history of breast cancer. Her father was part of the 1% of males diagnosed with the disease.

Watt completed genetic testing and found she was not a carrier of the gene. Her cancer was independent of her father’s.

Watt’s knowledge of the industry served as a huge boon to her journey. She had worked for years as a nationally certified litigation paralegal on large medical malpractice and insurance defense cases. She obtained her BSN eight years ago and garnered nursing experience in oncology, renal, trauma, and hospice. Additionally, her cancer was detected at an extremely early stage, which broadened her treatment options. Watt took her professional expertise, as well as a fair amount of research, into account and made her decision. She consulted experts in medical oncology, surgical oncology and plastic surgery. She then elected to have a radical bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. Watt is now two years cancer free, though she will remain on medication for ten years to prevent a recurrence.

“I have had numerous good and bad experiences throughout my journey,” Watt said. “I’ve chosen to be an advocate for breast cancer and survivorship in my community. In my personal time, I advocate for male breast cancer awareness, participate in numerous charity functions, run almost all the Komen races and blog about my unique experiences with breast cancer. I focus on ‘real’ matters such as self image, intimacy, dating fol-

lowing surgery, financial resources and providing an overall layman’s understanding of what a cancer diagnosis means.”

Watt does not only contribute support in her free time. She has accepted a fairly new position at North Fulton Hospital as an Oncology Nurse Navigator. She believes this role is the culmination of her various talents and experiences, placing her in the perfect position to guide and advocate for others dealing with cancer diagnosis and treatment.

“The role of a navigator is a fairly new one that is being lauded as a necessary piece of the cancer experience,” Watt explained.

“My goal at North Fulton Hospital is to help further develop the growth of our oncology program and to provide comfort, care and reassurance to the newly diagnosed or recurrent cancer patient.

As a smaller hospital in our clinical community, we aim to provide more of a personal touch when working with these patients. I want to be able to visit with the patient in person, hear their story and understand how the cancer is affecting their lives. I truly believe that this is where my own experience enhances what we can offer to these patients.”

Watt is not only a nationally certified paralegal and a BSN, she also holds graduate and undergraduate degrees in behavioral health with a specialty in counseling. Her unique academic, professional and personal history render her uniquely qualified for the multifaceted and somewhat unchartered territory of Nurse Navigating.

“I am honored to have many people in my community reach out to me for support for themselves, and for friends and family members,” Watt said. “I truly believe this is part of my personal destiny and know that I gain strength in knowing God has placed me in this position, to help others navigate their own journey.” ❍

SHE CONSULTED EXPERTS IN MEDICAL ONCOLOGY, SURGICAL ONCOLOGY & PLASTIC SURGERY.

MISCELLANEOUS RAMBLINGS

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19

SHADES OF GREY FOR EMPTY NESTERS I thought about doing a few more bench presses or at least an additional A few Fridays ago I reset of “abs” in preparation, but that ceived a message from would have required me actually Sweetie that simply going to the gym and read, “I’m thinkprobably would have ing about shades just left me with a of grey— I’ll strained muscle or show you later.” Now, before I wrenched back. So, I go any further so as not impugn just rested as much as Sweetie’s reputation, please unpossible while at work derstand that neither I, nor she and took in plenty of has seen the movie or read the fluids. I’m not really book, and don’t have it on our sure why, but its what bucket list. This is not coming Sweetie tells me to do from a place of judgment —but when I’m sick and need it just doesn’t fall into our to reserve my energy! normal genre or ratings of movies.

Needless to say, my hour commute With that being said, however, we’ve home that afternoon seemed to take both heard enough about it in the even longer, even though it didn’t media and workplace to make me wonseem to bother me. Magically I knew der if my weekend had potentially just the words—or most of them—to every taken a turn toward the exotic! After song on the radio, and with the wind all we are empty nesters! in my hair, water bottle in hand, and

By Mike Finch

cool tunes cranked; a Friday commute just doesn’t get any better.

I wheeled through the neighborhood a little faster than I should have, with the radio a little louder than necessary, and received an appropriate glare from a neighborhood walker. Obviously, their weekend wasn’t turning out quite like mine, but I acquiesced and slowed my pace and quieted my tunes to a normal level. One more turn into my cul-de-sac, down the driveway, around to the garage, and I was home.

At this point on a “normal” day I would have raised my convertible top and retrieved my computer bag from the trunk before entering through the garage, but this was not a normal day!

There would be time for that later and maybe even a romantic drive to get some evening air.

Sweetie heard my arrival and in what sounded to me like a sultry voice

from the entry hall or adjacent piano room said, “I’m in here!” Okay, that should have struck me as odd, but I wasn’t necessarily thinking straight as I removed my tie and shoes (Sweetie doesn’t like me to walk on the floor with shoes that have been in a public restroom), and found her in the entryway.

I was a little taken aback when instead of lingerie or a sexy little outfit—she was wearing jeans and had a paintbrush in her hand. The wall was littered with multiple samples of— yep, shades of grey! It was time to repaint the foyer! Suddenly, my weekend went south and I was thinking about “Eleanor” and me being “Gone in 60 Seconds!” ❍ Mike Finch can be reached at miscellaneousramblings @yahoo.com

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about. It could be gathering for a meal, going to a concert, or even volunteering for an organization in memory of a person. We hear all the time about how doing something simple on their own was so much more satisfying than the long, drawn out, and expensive traditions of the past. The need to gather has not changed, just how people want to do it.”

Many local families have shared with Fagan that the process of coming up with a simple idea, creating it themselves, and most importantly enjoying it with the people who mattered most is very healing.

Virtually nothing is the same as it was a “It is very different than just letting a funeral home couple of decades ago. Technology has take over and paying the bill afterwards. Many families are feeling a way forward through their grief impacted all of our lives with a tremendous derived from the sense of accomplishment by doing When it comes to funeral homes many people amount of information. For example, in the today have the same feelings. Most people would pre- something simple and positive,” Fagan stated. past when we purchased a car we would rely fer to just have the cremation service and eliminate Cremation used to be considered an “alternative” to burial. In the 1950s only about one in 28 on the expertise of the salesperson to explain the complicated sales model of a funeral home.

Americans were cremated upon death. Today, the Services can become needlessly overcomplicated the various models and available options. percentage of Americans who are cremated is more with visitations, memorial services, catered Fast forward to today and most buyers have a receptions and even printed goods and associated than 40 percent. Many factors have contributed to world of information at their fingertips and merchandise. this shift, and cremation will soon be the choice most Americans make. That is why the Cremation Society Why does it have to be so complicated?

Well, it know as much if not more than the of Georgia was established in 1982 as Georgia’s first doesn’t. salesperson. It is not simple cremation provider. With over 3 decades of “Cremation Society of Georgia has been keeping CREMATION uncommon to feel as though cremation simple since 1982,” said Sean Fagan, experience, their staff oversees every aspect of each SOCIETY OF service at their onsite crematory and no one works Director of Community Outreach.

“Many people the salesperson is just an on a commission. If you would like to learn more or have different ideas about what recognizing the end GEORGIA annoying obstacle to buying of a loved one’s life looks like than they did a genera- have an interest in making cremation plans call 770-231-7219 a car you have already sold 770-231-7219 or visit their website at www.csog.com tion ago. We see a lot of people who want to create for more information. ❍ CSOG.COM yourself on buying. their own event reflecting what a person’s life was

PEOPLE ARE DISCOVERING THAT SIMPLER IS BETTER

October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

LIFE

20 October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

after the birth of his second child, “I Grandma… continued from page 11 about how she became pregnant on her drive to work as an exhausted zombie.” wedding night with my oldest brother, His commute was 60 miles! who was born exactly to the day nine • Making faces in the mirror. This is months later. Then, shocked again, her me without walking the floor with two next pregnancy came three months babies all night. Dang, bad enough. later. My third brother, she says, “was a What would I see in the mirror after failure of birth control.” Chuckling, she multiple trips to the babies’ rooms said, “Don’t ever tell between 2 and 4 a.m.? Kill him.” I arrived two years IT USED TO BE me now. later.

• How the film The THAT HAVING Mom discovered she Village of the Damned BABIES AS A was pregnant with her really freaked me out. All fifth, my sister, when we SENIOR WAS of these identical twin-like ALLOTTED ONLY grade schoolers could mawere making the move from North Dakota to neuver around me, TO WEALTHY Seattle in 1957. furiously trying to read my MEN SPORTING Mercifully, Susan was Am I strong enough YOUNG WIVES. mind. her final surprise to keep up that brick wall? childbirth. Oh, how life has changed.

Their eyes are glowing. Where could I We now wholeheartedly sign up for hide? Oh, well. They’ll want lunch later. another tour of duty with engineered It used to be that having babies as a children, while our grandchildren senior was allotted only to wealthy men watch. sporting young wives. They’d have I’ll admit that if a child was dropped plenty of children totally confused by on my doorstep with no parents in all the generations of progeny who ran sight, I would embrace the little tyke in and out. Now, the cat is out of the and assuredly fall in love. In the mean- bag for seniors who want kids. The time, though, when I think about playing field is leveled for all 70 yearbirthing twins, I think of: old couples to experience.

• The nonstop stereophonic Even if my own answer to the meowing of my cats for attention as I’m question of “Would I?” is that birthing dozing off into heavenly sleep. I herd babies is not something I want to do at them out and close the door. Mind you, my age, I know we all find our own joy that doesn’t mean they’ll stop. I can’t in different experiences. take two crying babies and set them Mom told me a story about one outside the bedroom door. I’m pretty morning before I was born when my sure that’s illegal and I’d wind up on three brothers ages one to four were sitsome viral social media story. ting at the breakfast table while Dad • Dogs whining at the door with tried to read the paper and she dealt their hind paws crossed. Open door. with their bellyaching and feeding. He Done. Two babies would be slightly stood up and bellowed, “I’m going out more complicated. There’s snow on the for breakfast!” ground and wet diapers can freeze.

My mother stood up and said, “Wait!

• Hot flashes alternating with I’ll go with you!” He stayed. backaches after picking up and Imagine that conversation going on carrying around two children in the ter- at grandparents’ tables all over rible twos.

America.

• All-nighters. My brother told me Folks, it’s a new era indeed. ❍

22 October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

HOME

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Plan ahead to CREATE SOME KILLER-COLOR IN YOUR GARDEN

The long-lasting cockscomb celosia has an unusual form and a particularly vibrant color.

By Nancy Wallace

Like you, I love this time of year. The autumn light broadcasts a seasonal radiance to everything around us.

Perennials in the garden seem to glow more, and their waning performance isn’t as noticeable as it was in August.

Leaves on the trees turn vibrant colors and the scent of apple cider tempts us to linger longer outdoors.

With cooler temperatures, October is also the perfect time to get outside and clean up the garden, plant spring bulbs, and prepare for winter.

For me, fall planting always includes the installation of hundreds of bulbs. Have you ordered your spring-blooming bulbs yet? Most bulb companies ship to Georgia in October and November, because that is the best time of year to plant them in the ground or in containers. When I assemble container gardens, there’s always a bit of organizing involved. I choose tulips and daffodils that bloom early,

so my clients will enjoy a symphony of color through March and April before the weather turns warm. Be sure to “layer” bulbs according to their growth habit when planting them in containers or flower beds.

Here’s a general guideline for layering bulbs: bury daffodils 6-8'' below the soil surface, followed by tulips about 6'' deep, and hyacinths 5'' deep. Crocus and muscari (grape hyacinths) should be about 3'' below the soil surface. Proper installation and good drainage through the winter allows bulbs to develop deep roots and strong stalks for spring bloom.

Fountain grasses are attractive winter interest plants once they've gone dormant.

A few fall clean-up notes about shrubs and perennials are in order this month. Cut hosta leaves to the ground and mulch them for the winter. Do the same with herbaceous peonies, black-eyed susans, daisies, and any other summer- or fallblooming perennials. Decaying foliage can become a breeding ground for many pathogens. With regard to roses and hydrangeas: I tend to leave them alone until late February. Cutting them back now may make them more susceptible to further die-back in severe weather.

Fountain grasses can also be left alone until late February. They provide good winter interest in the landscape, and look particularly pretty when covered with ice and snow. If you have the fall-blooming Camellia sasanqua in your garden, wait until the bloom cycle is complete before light shaping or pruning. (Don’t prune the springblooming Camellia japonica this time of year, or you will remove next year’s blooms.) Preparing the garden for a proper sleep through winter will ensure a healthier environment next spring.

Now that you’ve organized the garden, think about decorating for fall. Aside from grocery store garden mums, there are many interesting plants to choose from this time of year. One of my favorite plants includes celosia because the plumes last for weeks, often through Thanksgiving and beyond, depending on the first frost. Celosia cristata, however, is probably my favorite autumn annual because of its “cockscomb” bloom and vibrant color. The crested growth habit on this celosia is actually a mutation

The tea viburnum provides great color in the autumn garden, and fruit for birds in early winter.

for a while, you’ll remember that one of my favorite fall plants is Callicarpa (beautyberry), highly regarded for its profusion of purple fruit clusters along the branches.

Another berry-bearing shrub that pairs wonderfully with the beautyberry is Viburnum setigerum var. aurantiacum (tea viburnum), which is a mouthful of Latin. The bright green fruit appears in summer, turns mustard-gold in August, and then to red by October.

The tea viburnum enjoys the same horticultural conditions as the beautyberry (a woodland garden setting), and they are both “bearing berries” in September and October. These two shrubs also provide fruit for birds in early winter.

Enjoy the harvest season, and create some color in your garden today! ❍ Photography by Nancy Wallace.

Nancy provides garden design & renovation services. Follow her at wallacegardens.tumblr.com.

23 October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

that has become a favorable adaptation in the species to the point where it is now cultivated in the industry. This horticultural abnormality (known as “fasciation” or “cresting”) results when plant tissue fuses together in ripples and folds, like the crest on Celosia cristata. (Some varieties of succulents also have notable fasciation.) When you experiment with new plants, it not only makes gardening more interesting, but you often make beautiful discoveries.

If you’ve been reading my column

24 October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

FOOD

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THE MAKING OF A TV STAR

Will one of these chefs be the next Master Chef?

By Frank Mack, Photos by Brook Hewitt

What a meal. What a night, what a great place. Lucky’s Burgers and Brew in Historic Roswell hosted a big time Culinary Fight Club event called Bougie Burger that is a talent audition for the TV show Master Chef, which aims to launch local talent onto the national stage.

What kind of burger place invites in stone cold serious pro chefs to grill in their parking lot? A smart, involved, fearless man like Ted Lescher, the GM of Lucky’s Burger’s, that’s who. And thank you very much for it!

I was invited to the event as a judge… they didn’t have to ask twice! I sat next to Ted and two others as we ate and ate and pompously presented our opinions on the various burger creations. Allow me to set the stage. The event featured chefs Paul Crum, Linwood Kennedy, Andrea Cagle, and Dao Lee. Each chef had unlimited ingredients money wise, equal cook surfaces and one hour to cook something that would blow us away.

These chefs worked with Kobe Beef, truffles, foie gras, and the best local produce money could buy. It’s a heck of a contest. Eating food like these chefs plated up, like some kind of emperor of old, while being asked

to critique, is frankly, guilt inducing but also remarkable.

The evening’s contest went to chef Dao Lee, who is executive chef at Champions Golf and Country Club in Chattanooga. A remarkably talented man who earned his second golden ticket to the national event.

He cooked us a sinful plate of succulent sizzling beef and kimchi on a bun. Wow, wow, and another wow.

I’m still thinking about it. Truly, any of the four could have won. The margins we decide these things on are razor thin. The event was like the Thanksgiving of hamburgers.

We ate, we noted, we chatted and even argued over the slightest things. But truth be told, there’s not much critics can add to or detract from these chef ’s efforts. They produced truly remarkable dining.

So what’s the point?

Just this. I eat pretty well.

The side benefits of this food writing are nice, don’t get me wrong. But

Ted Lescher of Lucky’s Burgers & Brew.

25

Burgers just off the square in Marietta. It’s new from the Taqueria Tsunami folks and frankly, they are killing it. The kitchen and menu are evolving. I’m drooling over the first two meals. It’s all good, even if they’re still experimenting a little. Just a few doors down from the incredible so I will always mention them, The Butcher, The Baker on the Square in Marietta.

We’ve got more beer coming! Two local breweries are opening. On the one hand, Gate City Brewing, featuring local guys, opening at the end of Canton Street in Roswell. This is like the local garage band everyone wants Hangin’ loose...Dao Lee moves on to the national stage. to make good. Right now they’re servearning a living in a place remarkable, these choices matter. I’m just here to ing as contractors. As soon as they get point out a few of the great ones. not for décor, but for how it is past the build out we’ll let you know. connected to its community on every Here’s a new one for you. Holy News & Notes: level. First and foremost through the Goat Brewers, in Alpharetta near the I’m most excited about the new heart and efforts of its owner, Ted Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. This Carlisle’s Pizzeria on Canton Street who has selflessly given of himself business is the first and only ladies’ taking over the old Slate location. and his business to an extraordinary led, built, and operated brewery I list of important charities, efforts and They are local and bringing a totally know of anywhere. Their head new concept to Canton Street. A place the community at large, year after brewmaster is a classically trained we can afford! Stay tuned. These are year after year. professional chef who, about a decade local guys, featuring local brews and So who really won the burger ago, wandered into brewing and the thinking is a restaurant on budget contest on that rainy evening in today has a well-funded serious operafor the non-Amex platinum crowd.

Roswell? In my opinion. Everyone, tion, which is close to opening. This is Had my second meal at Stockyard maybe most of all, me. Eat local folks, going to be great… more to come. ❍

October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

given a choice of eating like that every night for the rest of my life, or, just having a place to sit at Lucky’s, with Ted in the kitchen and one of my neighbors’ kids earning school money serving? I’m taking the regular Lucky’s, every day and twice on Sunday. It’s football season, don’t cha know!

And what’s my reasoning?

No one is ever going to write poetic stories about Ted’s food. It isn’t meant to be written about. It’s meant to be real good, hot, everyday, this is what we eat food. Served by regular folk

26 October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

YOUR CHANCE TO SEE GRAMMY WINNERS UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

Ever thought about what it would be like to have a jazz concert in your own living room? Well the next best thing is right here in the form of the Velvet Note.

The Velvet Note is quickly gaining a reputation as the best jazz club in metro Atlanta and how cool is it that it’s out here OTP with us! This month you’ll have an excellent opportunity to see up close and personal some wonderful performers, all while you relax in an intimate setting.

October starts off on the 2nd with Taylor Eigsti, featuring Grammy winners Rodney Jordan on bass and Terreon Gulley on the skins. Grammy nominated trumpeter and composer Melvin Jones will be performing on Oct. 3rd and 4th. In 2011, Melvin released his solo debut entitled “Pivot” under the Turnaround Record label to international critical acclaim, earning the title as one of the best jazz albums of 2011 on multiple charts and polls.

On the following weekend Montana Skies hits the stage on the 9th followed by Ashleigh Smith on the 10th and Morgan Guerin on the 11th. Smith is having a great career year. She is a recent winner of the Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition, she’s just been signed to a worldwide recording agreement with Concord Music Group and she’s just released her debut album. Jump on the

bandwagon now!

In mid month, Whitney James will perform on the 16th. In 2012, Whitney was featured on Piano Jazz Rising Stars, a nationally syndicated radio show on National Public Radio as one of the top 12 rising stars jazz artists worldwide. On Saturday the 17th Ulysses “Bim” Owens Jr hits the stage, literally. He’s an award winning percussionist and is active on both the New York and international jazz scene as a sideman and band leader. He has also been named a “rising star” in the Downbeat Critic’s Poll.

October winds down with Mercy Myra and the Rhythm Jets on the 30th and a Halloween special on the 31st featuring Andrew Black’s Haunted Halloween Blues Party. Definitely born to sing, Mercy Myra is lauded as Kenya’s leading female R&B artist, often viewed as a female pioneer in the Kenyan music scene. She made her mark in the industry with a string of hits from two successful CD releases. Want to Halloween right? Then put on your scary best costume for an after party on the 31st. The night starts

SEVEN SEAS DELIVERS NUMEROUS FLAVORS

with Andrew Black, who earned instant recognition with his release of the Luther Allison blues song “Cherry Red Wine.” This Journeyman Blues Player has just returned from The UK and he’s ready to howl for you and your guests at The Velvet Note.

For more information and ticketing visit www.thevelvetnote.com.

And don’t forget every Thursday they have a really cool open mic night… never know who you will discover. ❍

Mediterranean Café. He is a graduate of the Hospitality and Tourism Management program at Florida International University in Miami.

His passion, skills, and commitment to cooking, along with the great mentoring of Chef Siavash Moradimehr, his uncle, has placed him among the best of Mediterranean chefs.

His 14 years of great experience in

By Mark Penstone Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, combined with 3 years of I love to experience different cultures and the foods they produce. wedding and corporate catering has made him a strong leader in the Recently I found a new favorite restaurant industry. Chef Ali believes featuring delicious Mediterranean foods. Nestled between Reds Package that great food; quality ingredients Store and the Bank Of America off of and warm hospitality go hand in hand to make a restaurant successful.

Alpharetta Hwy, in Alpharetta, is Beyond the gyros, Seven Seas is also Seven Seas Mediterranean Café, a cozy yet unassuming restaurant with well known for their homemade hummus, babaganoush, stuffed a great patio. grape leaves, falafel, and one of my If, like me, you get cravings for a personal favorites the sweet and decagreat gyro with homemade tzatziki dent Baklava. You just can’t go wrong then you need to check these guys out. The meat is slowly roasted lamb with a great Baklava! For those of that is spitted, sliced onto a pita with you who want a lighter fare you’re in luck because they serve up some fresh greens and a perfect touch of herbs and onions. It’s wrapped up for pretty delectable salads as well.

Choosing between the Greek, you to gobble up!

Tabouli, Caesar, or Shirazi salads can Ali Moradi is the Executive Chef be a difficult choice but you’ll be very and Owner of Seven Seas

Melvin Jones appears at the Velvet Note on Oct. 3rd and 4th.

The Velvet Note 855-583-5838 4075 Old Milton Pky Alpharetta thevelvetnote.com happy Seven Seas with Mediterranean Café whichever one you 124 Devore Rd. choose.

Alpharetta, GA 30009 Seven 678-624-9371 Seas can also cater sevenseascafe.net your home or office party as well. If you’re planning a big event, they also have a very impressive food truck, which has proven to be a big time favorite at many or our community’s local events.

If you’re a gyro fan then you’ll get this place instantly… if not then it’s time to become a convert and explore a little. As you can tell I’m a fan of Seven Seas Mediterranean restaurant and if you haven’t tried them then head on over for a very satisfying dining experience. ❍

KIDS/EDUC.

“COME IN… IT’S TIME FOR DINNER” >> KIDS & KAY

By Kay Paschal

How many of us remember, as children, hearing the above headline almost daily from our mom? This is not a typical phrase yelled out the back door very often in today’s neighborhoods. This may be because of such a structured, activity-intensive culture for today’s child or a parent’s concern for the safety or well-being of letting their child roam around the neighborhood unsupervised.

Whatever the reason, children’s exposure to free, unstrucKay Paschal, Owner tured, unorganized, and spontaneous outdoor play and Peachtree Park Prep exploration has become limited and can affect today’s child in ways from creativity, physical fitness, and the ability to develop respect and a caring attitude for the environment. The statistics are staggering from published reports comparing the number of hours children spend indoors versus outdoors just as recently as 2004 until now—never mind the disparity from when we were children.

If given the opportunity, a child will interact with nature in such a caring and creative way it will delight you. A walk through the forest, planting or digging in dirt, climbing a tree, picking wildflowers, running through tall grass (remember the “jungle” play of our childhood), getting all itchy from rolling down a grassy hill... is this bringing back some great childhood memories?

The extravagant playgrounds of today are great but children don’t always need a play structure extravaganza to enjoy the outdoors. With the wealth of stimuli that children have available, having time for total free play is not only a time for physical fitness but also a real stress reliever for children—they don’t have to accomplish anything or make something work—they just play. A time to just be…

So remember all the simple and expense-free activities for children.

Encourage them to splash right through that rain puddle, jump in those fall leaves, look for that greenway or forest that you can walk through and pick up sticks and blow willows in the wind, or maybe crunch a fresh fall apple while you take a rest under a tree! The holidays are right around the corner and you know all of us will be in the market for the latest and greatest gadgets to occupy their hands and minds.

So let’s take this great fall weather opportunity and give our kids the greatest gift of all… nature! ❍ Kay Paschal is owner of Peachtree Park Prep.

27 October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

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28 October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

Going Angelina Jolie

By Tripp Liles

T

his story has a really bad beginning. In June of this year, my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, and for a moment life seemed to stop.

In the script I had written for my life many years ago, this scene was not included.

Cancer wasn’t supposed to happen to us, but it did. And while others were enjoying summer vacations, my wife and I spent our time going from one doctor’s office to another. I used to mock the “ribbon” crowd… now I find myself in it.

October is breast cancer awareness month, and I’m here to tell you that the ribbons work.

Throughout the month, football players will be adorned in pink and magazines will feature celebrity survivors such as Sheryl Crow and Sandra Lee, with snappy headlines calling out upbeat survival messages. These articles and overall messages will display examples of personal fortitude and a shift to a healthier lifestyle.

You have to admire the willingness of survivors to raise awareness of the disease. Seeing what my wife is going through, I fully recognize that these stories are empowering and serve as an ever-present reminder to women to be regularly screened. Over the past few months I’ve read more on the subject than I ever wanted to, and I also know that dispensing knowledge about breast cancer based on individual, anecdotal stories by itself is not enough.

Everyone is different and one celebrity’s breast cancer story does not necessarily reflect someone else’s experience.

Navigating The Complex World Of Breast Cancer Awareness

ances, the search to unlock the complexities of cancer etiologies (origins), and develop treatments that will target specific cancer types. Around the world scientists are investigating numerous approaches to outwitting each type. I’ve gained a new vocabulary over the summer. Learning things like “Triple-negative” disease is a different beast than tumors that test positive for estrogen, progesterone or Her-2, a protein that indicates a particularly aggressive form of the disease. The treatment course for inflammatory breast cancer isn’t the same as for ductal carcinoma in situ. There is even a new term “previvor,” used to describe women like Angelina Jolie who have tested positive for the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene and have taken steps to dramatically reduce their risk of developing the disease.

Finding Your Path My wife and I developed our own term “Going Too many women face a diagnosis that initially Angelina Jolie” as it refers to our aggressive presents them with the familiar, predominately opti- approach to our situation. (More on that later.) mistic and simplistic narrative of early detection, I remember the first women who talked openly then treatment, then recovery. In truth most will about breast cancer when I was a kid in the 1970s. face very complicated challenges, choices, and Those women, Betty Ford, Happy Rockefeller and outcomes. As a result they may feel overwhelmed Shirley Temple, should be noted today as pioneers in and perhaps even feel as though they have failed in the world of “breast cancer awareness.” responding to the disease. The problem is, in my Rose Kusher, a journalist, wrote a book in 1975 tiopinion, in the limited scope and narrowness of the tled Why Me? What Every Woman Should Know published narratives on breast cancer. Cancer today About Breast Cancer to Save Her Life. In the book is not the same as it was when I was a kid. I remem- Kushner combined her personal story and the basics ber when you found out someone had cancer—the of cell biology, telling women in everyday language next question was “How long do they have?” Today what experts knew about the causes of breast cancer the response is “What kind do they have?” And I’m and the details of the psychological aftermath of here to tell you the world of cancer treatment is treatment. Kushner’s research and personal immense. experiences led her to argue against the The narrative of breast cancer in 2015 is about nu- conventional one stage procedure after biopsy.

Rather, she insisted that women should have the option of a two-stage procedure, allowing more time for contemplation by the patient. Back then her ideas were rejected, but would later become standard practice.

Her message was inspirational not just to individual patients but also to the advocacy movement of women who demanded more knowledge, more choices and more control. Many may not know her name, but her actions are still felt today as women, even in the information age we live in, are still searching for answers.

Beyond The Target Demographic Another aspect to the awareness campaign is women who fall outside of the “normal” parameters of breast cancer. Many young women feel impervious to disease, but cancer knows no limits.

About 7% of all breast cancer cases occur in women under 40 years of age, so all women need to be aware that it can and does strike at anytime. It happened to one young woman, Maggie Davis of Roswell. At the age of 24, Davis was diagnosed with breast cancer. After a mastectomy in early 2014, Davis received the news that the test results showed that all of the cancer had been removed, but she still faced a long road filled with chemotherapy and hormone therapy. There are a multitude of issues that are different for women who are younger, particularly in the area of reproduction.

Chemotherapy can, in some cases, eliminate egg production.

“I went through an expensive procedure that will harvest my eggs until I am ready to use them, since chemo reduces your egg production or can even eliminate them altogether. You see, the thing I am up against is that there is very little data on the prognosis with or without chemo or the chances of having a family after chemo or when or if it is safe to try,” Maggie stated.

In light of this information, Maggie’s mom Mary started Team Maggie For A Cure. This organization is dedicated to increasing the awareness in young women that breast cancer can and does strike at any age. It also helps raise Maggie Davis of Roswell funds for the expensive treatments involved in helping preserve the possibility of having children at a later date.

“It was during chemo that she and I had plenty of time to talk and reflect, and I was so grateful that Maggie knew what her options were and had the means and support to raise enough continues on p. 30

to cover the cost to keep her 30 money dream of family alive,” Mary Davis

October 2015 | thecurrenthub.com

while waiting for test results, and hearing the Bob Dylan song “Knocking on Heavens Door” playing on the music Jones, CEO of Team Maggie said. system. I thought for sure it was a sign.

“Team Maggie was formed to bring awareness to young adults about their My wife grabbed my hand we looked at options. For those that choose to keep each other and just started to laugh. In the really tough times humor shines their dream of family alive, Team Maggie has grants to help them make through.

Ultimately, she was diagnosed with that happen.”

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)—see The message to younger women more terminology I learned! This is is even more important due to the most common type of non-inthe fact that cancer at a vasive breast cancer. The cancer younger age tends to be more was too large to be treated with aggressive. If you want more lumpectomy and radiation treatinformation on the subject and ments (the preferred choice in to find out how you can get treating many early stage involved visit breast cancers). In the end she teammaggieforacure.com. They went “full on Angelina have fundraisers throughout the Jolie”, and had a double year and are a growing mastectomy with reconorganization for what is struction. We’re nearly unfortunately a growing cause. On 3 months removed from Oct. 10 they will be participating in the the diagnosis and surgery. In that time Youth Day Parade in Roswell, and on the 24th there is a Pink My Pet contest I’ve gained a huge amount of respect for the women who face much worse at Lucky’s Burgers in Roswell. circumstances than we did. There were A Happy Ending some dark moments before we knew In June when my wife received the exactly what she had, and I’ll never fornews of cancer, life changed. I’ll never get the feeling that I had thinking that forget sitting in the doctor’s office, I could lose someone I love so much.

Organizations like Team Maggie sponsor events throughout the year.

Fortunately all of the post-operative tests have come back negative. And although rehab and reconstruction are a “bitch” (to quote my wife), she is in complete remission—with no further treatment.

So this October, remember that breast cancer awareness is more than a ribbon or unfortunately, in some cases, just a marketing ploy for corporations.

Throughout my family’s ordeal with cancer I’ve discovered that one person’s cancer story does not necessarily reflect another’s experience. The cancers that are clustered under the term “breast cancer” are unique in their characteristics, patterns of growth, and the interventions to which they respond.

The popular media and survivors need to offer accessible, clear information on the state of science coupled with specific testimonies.

All of the complexities of breast cancer cannot be covered in this article, or in any other of the cover stories that will be published this month, but they should offer more than one narrative. This has been mine. And my wife says—test early, test often!

She had no lump, no family history, and no risk factors! Do it. ❍