“Narrow Spots” Educational Program Pilots at University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN

Rein in Sarcoma with Ruth Bachman and The Hour Glass Fund Project set a goal last fall to educate young people about the Red Flags of Sarcoma and to provide them with skills and inspiration to live resiliently through the narrow spots of their lives. Heather Meeks, Development Chair for Colleges Against Cancer and other committed students at the University of St. Thomas offered to pilot the program on their St. Paul campus. The students did a marvelous job of organizing and publicizing the the event that took place on April 11th in the Anderson Student Center on the St. Paul campus.  The 90-minute program began with an activity to identify individual core values.  Students were glad to know there were no right or wrong answers and there would be no quiz at the end!  Only introspection and honesty were required.  I then spoke of my cancer journey, the signs and symptoms – Red Flags – of sarcoma and my trip to Nepal with Above + Beyond Cancer. The comments illustrated how using your core values is instrumental in facing life’s narrow spots.  I use an hourglass as a metaphor for life. Experiencing the inevitable changes that occur in life is like the sand going from the top to the bottom of an hourglass. The sand is rearranged and the resilience necessary to grow though those inevitable times of change is discovered and enhanced in the passage.  None of this is effortless, however.  Patience, persistence and effort are required – all in the presence of grace.  The session closed with participants reflecting on how their core values provided them with resources to navigate life’s narrow spots.  Everyone left the experience uplifted and inspired, even on a very snowy and dreary April afternoon.

This program can be made available to other High School and College groups. If interested please contact Ruth at www.ruthbachman.com