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The Soldier and the Squirrel introduces children to the Purple Heart

through a loving story of a friendship between a newly wounded soldier

and Rocky the squirrel with his backyard friends. This story began as a

blog during my first year in bed after my incident. With much

encouragement, it is now a book and has been placed in the

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum. Please watch the video

on the About page to learn for the Soldier & Rocky are changing children's

lives.

 

ORDER NOW

 

 

In 2018, Bensko founded Veterans In Pain - V.I.P. Facilitating OrthoBiologic solutions for Veterans suffering from chronic pain, by connecting volunteer physicians with our country's heroes, nationwide. 

V.I.P. is a Platinum Certified GuideStar Nonprofit, and Certified Resource of Wounded Warrior Project.  

501(c)3 EIN# 83-0600023

www.VeteransInPain.org 

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Entries in breast cancer (1)

Sunday
Feb272011

Lou’s Journey Continues to Make a Difference

Yesterday my neighbor told me the slide-show Lou's Journey inspired her niece to have her own chemo hair-cutting party celebrating the life and love within her treatments, surrounded by loved ones. Her niece is 26.

The past few years have been a time of reflection and growth as my dear sister, Lou, (our mothers don't know it but we must be blood related...) ventured through the dizzying sea of the C-Word. Diagnosis, Chemo, and recovery, had us all chasing our tails for the answers we were convinced in one remedy or another. Yet after her treatments, hair loss, and all the self help Cancer strategy manuals on the planet, we discovered one truly valuable insight for anyone facing the challenge of Cancer. You've heard it a million times, "mind over matter", Cliche'? Perhaps, but it was how Lou approached her diagnosis which was a lesson I will carry forever. She called me and said, "Bring it on! It's a whole new experience I've never had and we might as well make this interesting!". As we went through her treatments, she welcomed my camera as our escort, our friend, our weapon, our advocate...I found myself shooting the strangest things, wigs on stands, angels overlooking the chemo chairs, chemicals going into her body.

Although we created Lou's Journey a while ago, (she is now recovered with a thick gorgeous head of hair), it seems that weekly I hear of a friend who's loved one or friend is newly diagnosed with this journey no one would purchase a ticket for. As Lou and I were keeping this slide-show mainly for friends and Cancer patients, it is now a story we are sharing without limit, with hopes that it can continue to help others who could use a little encouragement, to see that although 'mind over matter' may or may not cure, it certainly does allow one to create memories along this path filled with love and laughter, inspiration and courage. Everyone may wrangle their diagnosis differently, however Lou made a choice to do so with a golden lasso, and I am forever honored to call her my friend.


Lou's Journey: