Another miracle survivor: Yvonne Cooper
Yvonne in her studio
There are a few survivors I’ve interviewed who live in my city, so I get the pleasure of seeing them from time to time. Yvonne Cooper, who I mentioned in my last post, is one of them.
I stopped by Yvonne’s beautiful home today to pick up some ceramic tiles I purchased from her (at a very, reasonable price). Yvonne is a gifted artist whose work and spiritual practices greatly helped during a very challenging cancer journey.
The thing that stuck me most upon meeting Yvonne was her sense of serenity. This became even more apparent after hearing her journey. In 2003, a surgeon removed a very aggressive 30-centimeter tumor from her abdomen. The diagnosis: leiomyosarcoma (LMS), a very rare cancer of the soft tissue – in her case her ovaries.
After many failed surgeries and treatments, Yvonne discovered a unique protocol that combines a cocktail of supplements with low-dose chemotherapy. As of April 2008, she has been clear of cancer. She credits the protocol, her holistic practices, and especially, her ceramic work for saving her life:
My work on myself and my work in clay are one in the same. I used to just give away my pieces as gifts, but I made so much, that it started to pile up. So I started to do shows and put my work out for sale. In 2008 at my first show, I laid a bunch of my pieces out for everyone to see. It was like I was standing there naked. A woman went up to me and said, “I feel like I know you.” I replied, “You do.”
I use my work to demonstrate joy, determination and grounded-ness. My pieces are the most positive things that I could ever create. They are in bright colors and include stamped messages for inspiration. Some of the quotes are mine, and some are quotes from great thinkers. A lot of my pieces have the message, “Stop. Take a breath. Focus. Open your heart.”
These messages, I believe, are relevant to everyone. It’s a universal principle to survive – whether it’s cancer, divorce or loss of a child. We are all common in our struggle to survive our challenges.
Rhonda says:
Wow! I couldn’t believe I was reading about a sarcoma survivor! God has surely blessed you. I have been fighting synovial sarcoma for 3 1/2 years. I’ve had 4 major surgeries and every king of traditional chemo that is used for this cancer…and still it grows. I would be so grateful if you could get in touch with me and tell me about your lifesaving program. I really hope to hear from you!
jeri mcguire says:
Yvonne, what can I say–but thank you–for sharing your odyssey–and helping other cancers patients like myself–I remember calling you when I had a recurrence of leiomyosarcoma and said I will just do hospice and you said firmly whats this about? and urged me to try other things, whatever it takes–and I so appreciate this–because with sarcomas we have a tough battle and I also believe in this multi level approach in our healings. Thank you friend. Jeri