Authors
Alan Katz was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia with a FLT3 mutation in November 2020 and had a bone marrow transplant in February 2021. Alan relapsed in May 2021 and had a Donor Lymphocyte Infusion in June 2021. He was able to get back into remission. He has been taking Xospata since his relapse and has continued to get better ever since. He has gone back to work part time and spends time taking care of his grandchildren. He also volunteers for various blood cancer advocacy groups.
Chester Freeman is a retired college and hospital chaplain. He is also a teddy bear artist whose creations are highly collectible. He travels and lectures on the therapeutic value of teddy bears. He is the author of a children’s book Runaway Bear (Pelican Publishing, 1993). He collaborated with the Children’s Theatre Department at East Carolina University(Greenville, NC) to turn his book into a full-scale production which premiered at ECU. Chester has received diagnoses for bladder cancer and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Kiki Peppard, a retired certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA/L), is also a Qigong instructor, Reiki Master/Teacher, Hypnotherapist, Grief Reiki® Energy Healer, Reflexologist, Ordained Minister and Drums Alive® Instructor.
She is an author, advocate, lecturer, Holistic Grief Healing Workshop facilitator, demonstrates Qigong for Breast Health, and creator of Cancer Journey to Wellness series. Diagnosed in April 2022 with stage 3 Triple Negative Breast Cancer, it has since mutated to the rare small cell carcinoma of the breast and cancer has metastasized to the skin of the chest wall. She has undergone chemotherapy, lumpectomy, mastectomy and radiation.
Jennifer D. James is an author and survivor of triple-positive breast cancer.
