From Gymnastics Coach to National Breast Cancer Leader: Transforming Breast Cancer Care
When Sue Weldon was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, she began searching for information on therapies that would complement her medical treatments.
However, what she found was a huge gap in accessible resources that could help patients navigate the holistic aspects of their healing process, including nutrition, acupuncture, massage, yoga, counseling, and various ways to enhance their overall wellness.
Passionate to bridge this void, she founded Unite for HER in 2009, an organization dedicated to empowering and restoring individuals diagnosed with breast cancer.
In today’s episode, we’ll talk with Sue about her journey from a gymnastics coach to impacting worldwide breast cancer care. We’ll see the organization’s mission to unite individuals facing cancer with a comprehensive network of resources, nurturing not only their physical health but also their emotional and spiritual well-being.
Join me in hearing the story of a woman who transformed her battle with cancer into a beacon of hope and empowerment for countless others.
In this episode
[02:55] We talk about how Sue flipped the script, going from a gymnastics coach to a national nonprofit leader.
[06:06] Unite for HER forms their first breast cancer wellness program and event.
[10:00] A targeted wellness program that individuals get to choose and create.
[14:04] Working in worldwide collaboration and community to give support to Black and Latina women.
[19:56] “It really is a collaborative approach. We can’t do it alone.” – Sue
[22:26] Sharing the mission and passion to deliver over 25,000 therapies last year.
[26:10] Sue shares her dare for the Beyond Empty Nest audience.
Your Dare this week is to embrace the uncomfortable. Our best work happens when we’re uncomfortable. When we’re out of our element and when we’re stretching ourselves. Just walk, and move forward, and it will open up a lot of doors that you didn’t think about.
About Sue Weldon
Sue Weldon is a former gymnastics coach and is now the Founder and CEO of Unite for HER. She is also a Professional Speaker and Wellness Advocate.
In 2009, Unite for HER was formed, a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to enrich the health and well-being of those diagnosed with breast and ovarian cancer.
When Sue was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 39, it was her children that she thought of first. She wanted to be there to raise them, to see them grow up, and to be strong for them. After surgery and chemotherapy treatments were complete, she was told that she was cancer-free. Despite this wonderful news, she hardly recognized the depleted woman she saw in the mirror. Determined to regain some control of her health, she discovered that an abundance of research had shown that integrating complementary therapies could significantly improve patient well-being during treatment and beyond. She began incorporating medical acupuncture, oncology massage, meditation/yoga, exercise, and whole-food nutrition into her recovery plan and experienced a significant reduction in pain, an increase in energy, and an improvement in her overall wellness.
Sue recognized that very few breast cancer patients in active treatment and/or recovery have both the time and the energy to do the research and the financial means to commit to the treatments. Fueled by the powerful impact that integrative therapies had on her, she founded Unite for HER to bridge this gap between the medical and wellness communities and bring complementary therapies to all breast and ovarian cancer patients, regardless of income.
Connect with Sue Weldon
Guiding Principles of Unite for HER
Compassion: We seek to better understand the experiences of those we serve, which informs our hands-on delivery of love and care in meaningful and considerate ways.
Community: We offer a new and supportive community to help all regain confidence and control.
Empowerment: We are mindful of the emotional and physical journey of those we serve, and we provide education, services, and tools that help them grow and feel stronger.
Inclusion: We are dedicated to building an inclusive community that is bound by a commitment to meet the needs of all who are diagnosed with breast and ovarian cancers.
Partnership: We take great pride in forming lasting, trusted relationships that are meaningful to our mission and to those we serve.
Trust: We put the needs of those we serve first in all that we do, and we carefully steward our resources to ensure the highest standards of service and care.
Unite For HER
Please go to the Unite for HER Library to find ways to explore healthy upgrades in your lifestyle. Enjoy a variety of videos crafted by our trusted advisors and providers in areas like nutrition, beauty, yoga, mindfulness, and more. If you know anyone affected by breast or ovarian cancer, please go to the Unite for HER Wellness Programs for more information.
