HEALTH
MY LEFT
BREAST
Rosie O’Hara
celebrates life
after cancer
By Caitlin Collins
I
n January of this year Rosie O’Hara was understand that it was about him - both his own compelling purposes properly, seeing
diagnosed with cancer in the left breast. former wives had died from cancer. I had what I wanted in glorious technicolour,
Her story of what happened next is a to tell him that I’m Rosie and I’m going to hearing it in surround sound, and feeling it
testimony to extraordinary courage, resilience live. This wasn’t easy. I was upset, angry, in every cell of my body. And I did it. I got
and ability to reframe crisis as opportunity. annoyed. My goals for 2009 had been out of hospital on March 1st, largely because
NLP Trainer Rosie is a busy woman. ‘I seriously sideswiped! Through my tears, I I had no pain relief after the op. How did I
started this year with other things in mind,’ she pulled myself up (literally - I was leaning deal with the pain instead? I lay on the bed,
says. ‘I’d had a mammogram before Christmas on the kitchen table!) and presented my breathed into the surgical site (I hadn’t seen
and then went on holiday. I came back to a new plan for the immediate future, enlisting it then, but the surgeon had told me the scar
letter recalling me for another mammogram. I Jim’s support by telling him in a way that he was a smiley face), and slowly relaxed bit by
knew there was a lump, but my mum had had a would understand that I had a plan to live.’ bit from the toes to the head while telling
cyst, and I thought that’s all it was.’ myself that the cancer had gone. I think
Positive thinking another part of the reason why I was sent
Taking charge Rosie was determined to avoid all negative home early was because I was so disgustingly
Right away Rosie took charge of what was language about the cancer. ‘I removed words cheerful - such behaviour doesn’t fit in a
going on. ‘The first appointment I was offered like “struggle”, “battle”, and “difficult” from hospital!’ Having demonstrated flexibility
was on my daughter’s birthday. So I said “No” my vocabulary and from the vocabularies of over her second purpose, the choir practice -
to that appointment and went in two days later. everyone else around me; and, sadly, where ‘I was offered the chance to see the comedian
My daughter came with me - I always took that wasn’t possible, I temporarily removed Rhona Cameron instead, and chose laughing
someone with me to all my appointments.’ myself from those people.’ over singing!’ - Rosie made her presentation
Doctors gave Rosie the choice between either With the operation scheduled for February to 70 people. ‘I wore my new red jacket,
a lumpectomy and radiotherapy, or a total 26th, Rosie set about creating a compelling with a new hairdo, and was supported by
mastectomy. ‘I dislike any form of conventional purpose for her future. ‘I intended, first, to my chauffeur – my partner Jim, who was
medicine and I really wanted to avoid be out of hospital on March 2nd; second, to driving! It was all exactly as I had created in
radiotherapy, so I opted for the mastectomy; attend a choir practice on March 12th; and my mind.’
this was my informed and considered choice,’ third, to give a presentation on “Creating Looking back over the entire period
she explains. a Compelling Purpose” at a dinner in following the diagnosis, Rosie can identify
Rosie met with a challenge in reassuring Aberdeen on March 19th to which I had several other ways in which she brought her
her partner, Jim. ‘When he got upset I had to agreed before the diagnosis. I created my NLP skills to her aid.
28 | Summer 2009 - rapport
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