The Life Less Traveled

DonnaLyn Giegerich is a woman full of life, moving a mile a minute. She’s been an adjunct professor of economics and finance, worked on Wall Street, runs her own business, and serves on several councils and boards. She has won numerous awards and nominations, both as a business women and humanitarian. To relax, she teaches yoga and trains for triathlons and marathons (yes, this is her way of relaxing) and enjoys time with her husband and two dogs.

Impressed? It doesn’t stop there. She’s also has a great sense of humor and is an amazing people person, stopping all her activity to get know someone (including mere mortals like myself–I had the pleasure of meeting DonnaLyn in early 2008).

In 2006, DonnaLyn was diagnosed with an incredibly rare form of cancer, Leiomyosarcoma. As one might guess of a woman as energetic as DonnaLyn, this news did not stop her from living her life–in fact it propelled her to do more. DonnaLyn combined her energy, humor, knowledge of fitness and enthusiasm for people to become a professional speaker, reaching out to inspire and empower “folks that face chronic illnesses with more hope, more passion and more pleasure even during adversity.”

Conception

1) How did you come up with the idea to develop a professional speaking career during your cancer recovery?
It seemed natural..was used to lecturing as a college professor, presenting workshops in business venues and love to entertain and work a room from the podium.

2) Why did you want to speak publicly about survivorship and advocate for women survivors in particular?
I believe women are amongst the greatest natural resources on the planet. We’re highly proficient multitaskers, we’re resilient, strong and possess naturally occurring networking skills. Since time is a precious commodity for us, I hoped I might be able to pay my rare cancer story forward in ways that might resonate with focused, fabulous women that need to overcome daily adversity in their lives.

3) What worried you about setting out to develop this speaking career during your debilitating cancer treatments?
Nothing…I like to act fearless most of the time..but then again, maybe I was a little nervous about one of my wigs falling off during a speaking gig…but heck, that would have been funny! so I’ll stick to my original answer…no worries!

4) What excited you about setting out to develop your speaking career?
The possibility of reaching more folks, dispelling fear in a feminine funny way, and empowering folks that face chronic illnesses with more hope, more passion and more pleasure even during adversity.

5) Were there people that thought your idea was crazy?
No..most of my colleagues had been urging me to do public speaking for years…without the cancer piece, of course!

6) Were there people who thought your idea was brilliant?
Uh…brilliant is not part of my skill set…but they knew if I committed to the goal, I would see it through with determination and passion…so does that qualify as “brilliant”?

7) Was there a specific moment when you thought “Yes, I’m going to do this!”?
The momentum for this move had been gradually building throughout my business career but cancer put me “over the edge” so to speak. My “a ha” moment was when the Cancer Institute of NJ and the Institute for Cancer Research hired me as their keynote speaker to address the Unmet Needs of Cancer Survivors at their Annual Public Forum in ‘08.

Implementation

1) Was it easy or hard to develop your new speaking career?
Easy because the invitations came to me naturally…without any push on my part. From there it was all word of mouth from satisfied audience referrals. Hard because there’s not enough hours in the day to do everything I want to do here in this area! So I keep reminding my doctors to please keep me on the planet so I can get the endless job done well!

2) How long did it take from the conception of this idea to actually doing it?
A nanosecond. I’ve not stopped since my first invitation to speak!

3) What was your funniest memory in crafting your speaking presentations?
I’d have to say the stories about my doctors…for instance, telling my port surgeon he’s not putting his chemo port in my chest because its bathing suit season! Strappy suits and summer dresses call for a port in my inner arm or my ass…I was willing to consider alternatives and be flexible and requested he “work with me, Doc…I’m gonna be bald, not bulging”…or the time I blurted out “Hey…how the hell old are you, Dr Doogie?” to the transplant surgeon that was wielding a knife to help save my life!

Reflection

1) What was the most fun about developing your speaking career?
The excitement of where the next assignment was coming from…the business, athletic or the survivorship community? I love creating new talks for various audiences, leveraging my experiences in business, fitness, wellness and empowerment. Hopefully, somebody benefits.

2) Would you choose to be a speaker again?
Yes Yes Yes!

3) What is the biggest lesson cancer survivorship has taught you about life?
LIVE LIFE with NO REGRETS and GET BUSY crafting your lasting legacy NOW and make PLEASURE A PRIORITY!

4) What is your favorite memory of the last year and a half on survivorship and launching your speaking career?
The multitude of new fabulous friends I’ve made and celebrating life with my old friends, family and colleagues…it’s been a beautiful journey!

Advice

1) What is your favorite advice to someone thinking about making lemonade outta lemons?
DO IT because it’s ALL SO SWEET! and the fear eventually melts away because nobody gets off the this planet alive.

2) What books would you recommend to someone inspired by your story?
All the Lance Armstrong books, the The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale, How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie and Talent Is Never Enough: Discover the Choices That Will Take You Beyond Your Talent by John Maxwell…and yogic texts that wax philosophical and encourage peace and perspective like the The Bhagavad-Gita and the The Yoga Sutras by Patangali..and of course, all the Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff series of books!