I was watching “The Jeff Probst Show” yesterday with his special guest, supermodel, Paulina Porizkova. The conversation centered on beauty in our culture and how it impacts us as a society. During the interview Porizkova mentioned a woman she felt is truly beautiful. The woman, Kelly Pozzoli, was Jeff Probst’s first guest. Pozzoli is a woman from St. Louis who is battling cervical cancer. It just so happens that Probst had already planned an update with Pozzoli, so she was on standby on Skype.
When Probst checked in with Kelly Pozzoli, they discussed the ups and downs of dealing with a life-threatening illness, along with her current treatment strategies. Her upbeat demeanor and determination for recovery is inspiring. She even revealed a rather invasive treatment strategy that she’s considering since chemotherapy hasn’t had the impact she or her medical team would like.
While Probst was wrapping up this segment of the show he mentioned that along with checking in with Pozzoli, following her journey, that two oncologists had contacted the show and wanted to review Pozzoli’s chart to see if there was anything they could offer this new celebrity.
I started thinking about what would your life be like if your story made it to national television. Who would see your story and want to extend their expertise to help you on your journey to health and healing? How would your life change if the country could support your, even if just virtually?
It definitely changes the playing field to have the world know your struggles and triumphs. You may not be able to get on national television, but I’m wondering what can you do to expand your world? How could you rally the support you need to get better or get well? It’s interesting that we, the audience, get to travel the journey with Kelly Pozzoli, how can we follow you? What would it mean to you to have mega-support?
Pilgrim Pathway/Surviving Strong 
I think the buzz that gets started in support of a television appearance is often powerful, fast and generally short-lasting. The support you can develop from friends, family and those you can reach out to on a more intimate level is a much stronger, lasting bond of support.
That being said, Kelly is an amazing young lady. I hope she heals completely and spreads her story of triumph. Her spirit moved and inspired me. Rather than what we receive, I hope national television stories touch and motivate many people.
I always say if I can touch even one life my trials are worth it.
There are many things I liked about being able to share my story on national television, not the least of which is that I was treated like a star during a time in my life when I felt like anything but. I’ve heard that my story has inspired many, and that, for me, was the point of it all. Maybe that sounds ego-centric, but I assure you, my motivation could not be more pure. A lot of people going through a tough situation of any kind feel isolated and alone- like they are the only ones having a hard time. I wanted to share my story to show that struggle is not the end. It shapes us and informs us, but it does not define us. By sharing my story with Jeff (and ultimately the world), I hoped that I could move people to truly live… to be the very best version of themselves regardless of situation.
All of this being said- being in the public eye, however short lived, has been (and continues to be) a wild ride. Thank you for sharing part of my story 🙂