S3 Ep 16: Shari Bookstaff had fulfilled her lifelong childhood dreams and was a tenured marine biology professor near San Francisco. She was thriving in her career and her personal life when sporadic dizzy spells and nausea led to a diagnosed benign brain tumor. Even though this was a large tumor that had to be removed immediately, it would be an “easy, routine surgery.” Then, the unthinkable happened. A 9-day hospital stay turned into 9 months of grueling rehabilitation. A stroke following the surgery took away Shari’s ability to breathe, eat, talk, hear and move. After several weeks in the hospital during which Shari was fed through a tube and breathed through machines, she was transferred to a rehabilitation center an hour away from her home. The only thing giving Shari the will to live was the love and devotion of her kids, then 12 and 8 years old. She has worked hard every day since to regain her dignity, her livelihood, and her spirit. Shari is living proof that determination, hard work, and positivity are the cornerstones to overcoming tragedy. Shari chronicles her medical journey in her book, “When Life Throws You Lemons…Make Cranberry Juice!”
The fundamental message in Shari’s book is to look for and accept positive entities into your heart, even amid raging lemons. These positive entities (“cranberries”) will enhance your ability to cope with lemons. Actions that make a difference have always been a cranberry for Shari. She took a leadership role in Expanding Your Horizons, a conference which exposes young girls to STEM fields and established a local chapter of a national whale and dolphin conservation organization, the American Cetacean Society. Following the inconsistent level of compassion and empathy she received from medical professionals after brain surgery, she founded the nonprofit Lifetime of Impact! to provide inspiration to healthcare students by presenting her story and offering tangible tips to improve their connection to patients. Shari later founded Impact of Empathy, leading workshops for companies that covet enhanced customer service skills, greater employee retention, and a cooperative workplace atmosphere. Special workshops for healthcare professionals reveal the secret sauce of patient engagement.
Find the Transcript here.
Disability Empowerment Now is produced by Pascal Albright.
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