Inspirational Waikato woman to speak at patient forum

Who better than a person who has herself experienced blood cancer to speak to those living with the illness?

Te Awamutu woman Tracey Hancock was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in March 2015 and has since made a strong recovery and is revelling in the life she now lives.

Tracey will speak at Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand (LBC)’s Blood Cancer Patient Forum in Auckland on September 8.

The forum, which runs from September 8-9, is a chance for people diagnosed with blood cancer and their families to hear local and international speakers discussing a range of topics relevant to Kiwis living with a blood cancer

Tracey will be talking about ‘The power of language’ in her session. A neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) coach and mentor, Tracey drew on her NLP and business coach skills during her journey to support and re-build her health.

Tracey decided to become “the CEO of her life and health journey”, taking a proactive approach, asking questions and seeking expert advice and not relying on Google for answers.

“I concentrated on managing my thoughts and was always very conscious of the words I used. I chose not to see myself as a victim and instead positioned myself as the leader of my health journey,” Tracey said.

In the months prior to her diagnosis, Tracey went from being active outdoors in nature and running a business to being so tired she couldn’t get out of bed. However, she was determined to focus on the important task of caring for herself as she underwent both chemotherapy and radiation.

During her talk at the Patient Forum, Tracey will share insights about the power of words and how to use them to live well.

“We use words every day to express how we feel, what we’re doing and what we’re experiencing,” Tracey said.

“Those words have become so familiar that we don’t question what they mean or how they might affect us, we simply use them. But what we think and say matters a lot.”

“The words and phrases that are part of our everyday vocabulary have the power to influence everything about our life including our health.”

Today, Tracey is passionately committed to helping people live well – something she does every day in her business, REALiving Coaching.

“I guide people to reconnect with their true self and to live their real life,” Tracey said.

“I believe that when we put ourselves and our health at the heart of everything we do in life and business, we can achieve real success.”

The forum is a closed event for people diagnosed with a blood cancer and their families only. It is not open to the media.

For more information about the forum, see lbcforum17.co.nz.