Meet Ann Bell Worley through her new family website focused on living with PANS

By DAVID CRUMM
Editor of ReadTheSpirit magazine

Our publishing house team had worked with writer and editor Ann Bell Worley on the production of George A. Mason’s new book, The Word Made Fresh, for months before we became aware of her activism on behalf of families living with PANS.

PANS is Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome and is distinct from a similar diagnosis of PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal Infections). The Stanford Medicine website makes a helpful distinction for lay people. Because research is continuing, many online resources have not been able to keep up to date. Wikipedia, for example, continues to lump PANS together with PANDAS.

That’s why the Vision statement on Ann’s new website, called Gray Colored Glasses, is: “‘to make PANS a household name, leading to decreased suffering and isolation & increased community understanding and support.”

She adds, in another part of her new website: “There are kids in nearly every school and place of worship who are living with it. And yet, PANS often goes undetected, because it is a relatively new diagnosis and not well known, even among doctors. Sadly, delayed treatment can result in years of unnecessary suffering and potentially permanent consequences.”

There’s a larger mission behind the new website, as well, Ann writes: “There is power and purpose in sharing our experience—to raise awareness about PANS and generate compassion and understanding for medically-complex children and their families.”

So far, the most compelling resources on Ann’s website are her blog posts, collecting columns she has written over a number of years.

Plus, she provides a Contact page for folks who want to connect with her and help share her message with others.

As professional colleagues who have come to respect Ann’s work on media projects, we are pleased to recommend her website to others.

Care to learn more?

Ann played a major role in the development and editing of George A. Mason’s new book, The Word Made Fresh. If you care to see her professional expertise and understand more about her spiritual values, you can order a copy of George’s new book from Amazon now.

Howard Brown’s Shining Brightly podcast welcomes the unique anti-bullying message of Kalyani Pardeshi

Click on this image to visit Kalyani’s own website.

By HOWARD BROWN
Author of Shining Brightly

I’m pleased to see that nearly 20,000 people have downloaded my podcasts—which is why I continue to look around the world for unique voices to bring to my listeners.

I admit in this podcast, which you can hear below, that I was not aware of the remarkable anti-bullying work that Kalyani Pardeshi is pioneering from her homebase in Canada. When I recently learned of her work, I knew that I needed to introduce her to my own global audience—after all, resiliency is the core theme in my own work as I travel to speak with audiences.

Born in Zambia and raised in South Africa with Indian family roots, as you might imagine, Kalyani grew up confronting some of the world’s worst forms of bullying. Through her unique approach to learning and training, she has developed a whole toolbox of tips and techniques to confront this global problem.

Her approach now starts with not bullying yourself. Research shows that bullies often have been bullied themselves, of course, and Kalyani zeroes in on the many ways we contribute to this problem with what her book Unbullying calls “inner” bullying.

“The only way we can stop bullying each other is to stop bullying ourselves,” Kalyani says in the podcast you can hear right here:

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Here’s more you can do to spark hope for yourself, your friends and family

Click on this cover to visit the book’s Amazon page.

Share this column with friends and family members. It’s easy to send a link to this column via social media or email—along with your own best wishes. A simple, caring note like that can make a big difference—perhaps share some of Kalyani’s wisdom with the folks you care about, perhaps a boost in their spirits on a tough day.

Download my “Survivorship” discussion guide. It’s a free, inspiring list of ideas for health and wellbeing when struggling with cancer—and, yes, it’s free to download if you visit my website and type in your email. This is one of the most popular resources I have offered to audiences when I speak about resilience in workshops and conferences nationwide. If you’re confronting cancer—or know someone who is—you’ll get a boost from reading that free download. I know that’s true because so many readers have told me so.

Get a copy of my hope-filled memoir, Shining Brightly. And, want to brighten someone’s week? Consider ordering a copy of my memoir from Amazon and having it shipped to a relative or friend who is facing challenges in life.

 

Truly ‘Shining Brightly’—Howard Brown’s doctor pulls his chemo port, the hope of so many cancer patients and their families

By HOWARD BROWN
Author of Shining Brightly

If you are reading this story, today, and wondering why this is such a big deal, then clearly your life hasn’t been touched by a form of cancer that requires the implantation of a medical “port.” I’m happy for you, but “ports” now are a common part of the cancer world.

Millions of men and women now live with these ports inside their chests. And—every one of them wants to reach this milestone that I’ve just crossed!

Sad to say, many cancer patients never have their ports removed. They die with those ports still in place. Sorry, that’s somber to hear, but it’s true.

When my port was removed recently, I was so thrilled that I posted on my social media:

“Sharing some HOPE with all of you! After over 7 years, I had my Chemo Medi-Port removed. One big step forward! I feel like I got unplugged from the MATRIX! NED 4 years on September 20!” (NED means “No Evidence of Disease.”)

When that post went live—I was showered with “likes” and encouraging comments. It was such a happy day for me and for so many who care about me!

That’s why I’m also going to add:

Care to learn more about these ports that folks you know have in their chests? Here’s the Wikipedia overview of ports. If you do have a loved one living with a port right now, you may want to read the Cleveland Clinic’s helpful Q-and-A about how to successfully live with a port in place. Then, here’s one more helpful link: The CDC provides a free brochure about “Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients” that includes information about the care of ports.

So, right there are three helpful links (and there’s one more very helpful link to my own website below after the podcast). I’ve tried to make this column a helpful message that you can send with good wishes—and solid information—to friends and loved ones who are caring for cancer patients with ports.

If you’ve read this far, then you’re a reader who will understand the importance of this message—and hopefully the inspiration I’m conveying—in an unusual new podcast.

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Here’s what you can do to spark hope for yourself, your friends and family

Click on this cover to visit the book’s Amazon page.

Share this column with friends and family members. It’s easy to send a link to this column via social media or email—along with your own best wishes. A simple, caring note like that can make a big difference—perhaps a big smile for the folks you care about, perhaps a boost in their spirits on a tough day.

Download my “Survivorship” discussion guide. It’s a free, inspiring list of ideas for health and wellbeing when struggling with cancer—and, yes, it’s free to download if you visit my website and type in your email. This is one of the most popular resources I have offered to audiences when I speak about resilience in workshops and conferences nationwide. If you’re confronting cancer—or know someone who is—you’ll get a boost from reading that free download. I know that’s true because so many readers have told me so.

Get a copy of my hope-filled memoir, Shining Brightly. And, want to brighten someone’s week? Consider ordering a copy of my memoir from Amazon and having it shipped to a relative or friend who is facing challenges in life.

 

The AACR podcast welcomes Howard Brown, because: ‘Finding cures and battling cancer must be a team sport.’

We will let Mitch Stoller, Chief Philanthropic Officer of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) tell this story. In a newly released podcast, Mitch talked with me about the need for broad-based support and team work when fighting cancer. He introduces our conversation this way:

“Join us as we share stories of hope and inspiration that will lift your spirits and remind you that no matter how difficult the journey may be—there’s always hope. We will explore the latest breakthroughs in cancer research and we will hear from leading experts who are working tirelessly to find new treatments and cures in the fight against cancer. This podcast isn’t just about the science of cancer. It’s about the human side of this disease, too. We will hear from cancer survivors who have overcome incredible odds to beat cancer, thanks to the groundbreaking research and innovative treatments that are changing the landscape of cancer treatment.”

You can enjoy our podcast right here

Here’s what you can do to spark hope for yourself, your friends and family

Click on this cover to visit the book’s Amazon page.

Subscribe to the AACR’s new podcast. Here is Mitch’s invitation: “Join us on this journey of hope and progress. Subscribe to Believe in Progress, the AACR podcast today. … Together, we can make progress in the fight against cancer and bring hope to those who need it most.”

Get a copy of Howard’s inspiring memoir, Shining Brightly. Here is what Mitch says about my story: “Howard Brown is a two-time state IV cancer survivor, 30 years apart. Howard shares the keys to leading a resilient life with hope. He drives successful community leaders, business innovators and patient advocates towards engagement, empowerment and excellence. Howard also has his own Shining Brightly podcast with 25 episodes released as of this recording. His podcast is all about overcoming with resilience, hope and inspiration.

“Howard recently spoke to cancer researchers, investigators while he was being honored at the AACR’s 2023 annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. Howard also was selected and participated in AACR’s 25th anniversary cohort at the Scientific Survivor program as an advocate mentor. At the annual meeting, Howard shared how having the patient voice and communication, collaboration and connection together gives all patients, care partners and families hope for a better tomorrow.”

Mitch concluded by summarizing my advice to families facing cancer: “Live our lives one more second, one more day, one more week and one more year. Finding cures and battling cancer must be a team sport.”

 

The Best-Selling Series by Beloved Catholic Teacher Bishop Kenneth Untener Continues for Lent 2023

As a longtime journalist covering religion in America, I reported on the launch of the late Catholic Bishop Ken Untener’s Little Black Book series for Lent of 2020.

At the time, no one had any idea that this simple concept would lead to millions of devotional books sold around the world, but I kept checking in with Ken’s project over the years and soon millions of the little books were circling the globe. To this day, Ken’s friends in the Diocese of Saginaw’s Little Books publishing house continue to roll out annual books, now via Kindle. If you check Amazon, there is not only this new 2023 Little Black Book for Lent on Kindle, but also editions for previous years.

I am thrilled to see this idea for special pocket-sized devotionals continuing to touch lives, so I’m reviewing the 2023 edition right away. Perhaps by adding a review, I might encourage more folks to pick up this year’s edition while Lent is still mostly ahead of us.

Click on the cover to visit the book’s Amazon page.

The team at Little Books continues to select pieces by Ken for each edition. Anyone who knew Ken’s life and work understood that he was all about concise storytelling and preaching. He was a pioneer in working with his priests, many years ago, in workshops on preaching to encourage them to more carefully plan their daily homilies and also to keep them tightly focused. So, the idea of these tiny texts springs from the heart of Ken’s wisdom about how to share the faith with others: Keep your message clearly focused.

In fact, Ken used to point out in his workshops: That’s how Jesus does it in the Gospels. One of the first meditations in this 2023 edition is an example of that: Jesus using the example of a child to explain how he wants his followers approach the world, in this case saying, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me.”

Then, throughout Lent, Ken’s daily reflections celebrate Christian wisdom, customs, the saints and scripture.

For example, you’ll meet Blessed Rutilio Grande (and this short piece has been updated to include the fact that Grande was declared “Blessed” in 2022). You’ll meet Peter Benenson, the founder of Amnesty International, Australia’s singing nun Janet Mead, the American-born St. Katharine Drexel and more.

Although Ken died far too young in 2004 from a form of leukemia, his compelling teaching continues in many forms, including this remarkable best-selling series.

Give yourself a gift in this Lenten season and follow along with one of Ken’s little books.

 

Howard Brown’s second book is a chorus of 365 inspiring voices

By DAVID CRUMM
Editor of Read the Spirit magazine

The message of Howard Brown’s memoir, Shining Brightly, comes across loud and clear in his contribution to a new global collection of 365 voices of hope and resiliency: The Art of Connection.

Howard was invited to contribute one of the year-long day-by-day readings for this volume, which debuted on Amazon this month.

In his contribution, Howard starts with advice that’s already well-known to readers of Shining Brightly:

We all get knocked down in work, family, and in life. The question for all of us is, “How do you get back up again?” As a stage IV cancer survivor, I have been knocked down to my core; emotionally, physically, financially, and in relationships. I have learned and now teach that cancer and life are team sports. You cannot and should not go it alone. Accept help from friends, family, colleagues, and even strangers.

To read more, click on the image above to visit the book’s Amazon page and order your own copy.

Or, check out the entire story in Shining Brightly.

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Care to learn more?

This is a perfect moment to become one of Howard’s growing global community of friends by ordering your copy of his book.

Here are other articles we have published, exploring the launch of this book:

Take a look at the book’s Foreword: ‘Shining Brightly’ Foreword by Dr. Robert J. Wicks: ‘Learn anew about the American Dream’

And especially read this story: Two-time cancer survivor Howard Brown writes ‘Shining Brightly’ to encourage others to stay healthy

Free Resource Guides

Download (and free-to-share) resource guides for discussing Shining Brightly:

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