NEW - Letter from the editor-New Focus Daily

Welcome to New Focus Daily (NFD) new readers, AND welcome back to our regular readers.   Our theme this month is “’tis the Season of Thanks,” and the start of a season full of celebrations and festivities.   I try to be mindful and thankful year-round, though sometimes I fall short.  With the busy-ness of life, it just happens, and I get caught up “what’s next” and what must be done and sometimes don’t spend enough time thinking about all that I truly am grateful for. But it doesn’t mean I’m not thankful or grateful for the many blessings in my life.   This time of the year, though? It comes a little easier for me as I tend to go overboard during the holiday season and the holiday “attitude” is always in the background of my mind no matter what I am doing.  Just ask my kids, this time of the year I go ALL out and am in full holiday mode, including being much more awareness and reflection of all that I am grateful for.

This time of the year is a time of celebration and gratitude for many, including our awesome cancer survivor friends who have at times fought for their lives.  There is nothing like a cancer diagnosis to learn how to find gratitude for ALL of the good in our lives.   November marks a variety of observances for specific cancers:  pancreatic, lung, stomach, and carcinoid.   It also is a month for recognizing caregivers.    You’ll see some great articles this month that reflect the spirit of survivorship and of gratitude.    November is also a month where a lot of activities are going on surrounding tobacco control and prevention, so look for more on tobacco and resources for those who want to try to quit using tobacco.

What would this time of the year be without food?  We’ll have a great recipe from Chef Mary and start the season with something delicious. We’ll hear from Miss Jessica Meyer on what she is grateful for, and we’ll hear from Rhonda Hicks, creator of the awesome SheTreat about RECLAIMING –and how to reclaim yourself, life, and future.  Cindy Small, one of our feature writers for our inaugural print edition and a hurricane survivor, has an article that really has the “wow” factor given her experiences as both a cancer AND hurricane survivor.   Lots more surprises in store AND we will look forward to hearing from YOU, our readers, about the content YOU would like to see in this magazine as we move along towards the end of 2017 and into a new year.

In this season of gratitude, I am grateful for the opportunity to wrapped up my second year with the magazine, and for ALL of our readers who give us a reason FOR New Focus Daily.  I am grateful for so, so many things and so happy the “season of gratitude” is upon us so I am reminded of it daily.

Be educated, empowered, INSPIRED, and stay SURVIVOR strong!

 

Cindy Chafin, M.Ed., MCHES® serves as project director for the Women Survivors Alliance and New Focus Daily magazine. Cindy is masters-level certified in health education by the National Commission on Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC) and was part of the first cohort to receive master's level designation. NCHEC certifies health education specialists, promotes professional development, and strengthens professional preparation and practice. She is proud to be a CHES® and has been a public health professional for many years after receiving her degree in health promotion and education from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Cindy has been involved in multiple cancer activities and projects since 2000, including serving as the state coalition coordinator for Tennessee for 13 years, and currently is involved with several cancer organizations. She has served since October 2015 as interim director for the Center for Health and Human Services at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, located just outside of Nashville, where she has been a project director of multiple grants since 2002. She has been touched by cancer personally after seeing both family and friends alike suffer from the disease.

Cindy offers her consulting services and volunteer hours under the umbrella of Community Health Collaboratives, LLC which she founded in 2002 for organizations such as the Women Survivors Alliance and other non-profit and charity organizations. She is pleased to partner with New Focus Daily and WSA.