3rd Act - Gratitude through Cancer with Christina Costa

Gratitude through Cancer with Christina Costa

11/23/21 • 31 min

3rd Act

In This Episode:

In Christina's research and now her life she studies the practice of gratitude.
Gratitude practices are something that anyone, no matter what they are going through can implement. They are all accessible and all free. This doesn't mean that they are easy, but they can make an incredible impact.
Some examples include
- Doing a gratitude list when you wake up in the morning
- Writing letters to people you are grateful for and giving those letters to then in person or reading them on the phone
We talk about some of her thoughts, poems and observations in her book, Kiss Your Brain: Diagnosis Diaries
For Christina, she wanted to bring attention to the narrative of loving your body and brain even during the time she had the uninvited guest of cancer. Trying to articulate the difference between fighting brain cancer without fighting or blaming her brain.
Christina was a neuroscience undergraduate, and has always thought of herself as a "brain-nerd."
We talk about her Ted talk and what that experience was like for her.
Christina defines a neurodivergent person.
Christina shares the moving story of sharing her Ted Talk and her diagnosis with her middle school students.
We discuss why she wrote her book during her diagnosis, treatment, and recovery and the response she has seen from it. She also used some of the funds to help go towards research.

Quotes from This Episode:

Tragedy can kick you down and lift you up in the same breath. It can make friendships stronger. It can give you purpose. It can inspire, you can bring hope. It can strengthen faith and it can accelerate dreams. It can bring an unexplainable peace, a love for your body that you never knew. It can introduce you to the bravest people that walked this earth and the smartest people born to help you heal. And that's why I'm not scared. Thank you tragedy for what you've taught me. It's now time for you to go. - Christina
But when you hear the word cancer, you then hear warrior fighter. You can fight this, you can beat this. And when I started hearing that, of course, I've seen that all around me in commercials and advertising, but when people started to say it to me, it was really uncomfortable. It didn't sit right with me and thinking about how much I love the brain and how much I tell my students, the brain is amazing. I thought I don't want to fight my brain for the rest of my life. -Christina
I've learned in therapy is do focus on truths. On what I know is fact, I don't know what my life will be like in five years, 10 years or longer, but I do know I'm strong. I'm resilient. I can rise again. I have community behind me. -Christina

Links To Things We Talk About:

Episode Info:

This episode of the 3rd Act podcast is brought to you by WeAreThirdAct.com. Built on the pillars of illumination, compassion, and inspiration, it's your place to get involved, spotlights of non-profits, and 3rd Act Merch.

Join the 3rd Act Community to bring together connections, good stories, and a shared mission to help others.

If you like the 3rd Act podcast, visit our website to subscribe, listen to past episodes, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

In This Episode:

In Christina's research and now her life she studies the practice of gratitude.
Gratitude practices are something that anyone, no matter what they are going through can implement. They are all accessible and all free. This doesn't mean that they are easy, but they can make an incredible impact.
Some examples include
- Doing a gratitude list when you wake up in the morning
- Writing letters to people you are grateful for and giving those letters to then in person or reading them on the phone
We talk about some of her thoughts, poems and observations in her book, Kiss Your Brain: Diagnosis Diaries
For Christina, she wanted to bring attention to the narrative of loving your body and brain even during the time she had the uninvited guest of cancer. Trying to articulate the difference between fighting brain cancer without fighting or blaming her brain.
Christina was a neuroscience undergraduate, and has always thought of herself as a "brain-nerd."
We talk about her Ted talk and what that experience was like for her.
Christina defines a neurodivergent person.
Christina shares the moving story of sharing her Ted Talk and her diagnosis with her middle school students.
We discuss why she wrote her book during her diagnosis, treatment, and recovery and the response she has seen from it. She also used some of the funds to help go towards research.

Quotes from This Episode:

Tragedy can kick you down and lift you up in the same breath. It can make friendships stronger. It can give you purpose. It can inspire, you can bring hope. It can strengthen faith and it can accelerate dreams. It can bring an unexplainable peace, a love for your body that you never knew. It can introduce you to the bravest people that walked this earth and the smartest people born to help you heal. And that's why I'm not scared. Thank you tragedy for what you've taught me. It's now time for you to go. - Christina
But when you hear the word cancer, you then hear warrior fighter. You can fight this, you can beat this. And when I started hearing that, of course, I've seen that all around me in commercials and advertising, but when people started to say it to me, it was really uncomfortable. It didn't sit right with me and thinking about how much I love the brain and how much I tell my students, the brain is amazing. I thought I don't want to fight my brain for the rest of my life. -Christina
I've learned in therapy is do focus on truths. On what I know is fact, I don't know what my life will be like in five years, 10 years or longer, but I do know I'm strong. I'm resilient. I can rise again. I have community behind me. -Christina

Links To Things We Talk About:

Episode Info:

Join the 3rd Act Community to bring together connections, good stories, and a shared mission to help others.

If you like the 3rd Act podcast, visit our website to subscribe, listen to past episodes, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

Previous Episode

The Definition of Homelessness

In This Episode:

Kimber is an active advocate for children and seniors that are struggling without food and shelter in Pontiac and throughout Oakland County, Michigan.
We talk about the housing issue in Oakland County, in part because of the definitions of homelessness in HUD housing. Kimber explains and unpacks some of the challenges of the nationwide housing shortage.
With children, the definition is much "kinder" you have to be sleeping in your car or doubled up in someone's home. This makes it easier for them to get some services through their school or other programs.
Oakland County has 3200 children who are considered to be homeless.
When Kimber brought up how the definition of homelessness was hurting and not helping with Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence it started a task force.
The three missions of the task force
- Identify legislative areas to make changes
- Educate leaders about the barriers that people in homelessness face
- Get everyday people involved in the solution
Kimber shares stories of what it is like helping people dealing with poverty and homelessness navigate the government programs designed to give funds to people.

Quotes from This Episode:

Engaging the community to solve our problems is one of our missions. ~Kimber
I've probably worked 20, 30 hours on it to get the right person (about funding in a program to assist with rent). And if you can imagine that I'm completely exhausted from trying to find the organization and supposed to help. Can you imagine, having not sure where you're going to go that night? Not sure when you're going to be trying to call these places to get help. ~Kimber

Links To Things We Talk About:

The HUD definition of homelessness.
If you'd like to get involved you can reach out to kimber at [email protected], or call her at (248) 840-9858 or follow the Facebook page for Oakland County Task Force on Poverty and Homelessness
Coats for the Cold - Coat Drive 2021
Help a family in need this Christmas Season
Kids Empowered On The Move

Episode Info:

Join the 3rd Act Community to bring together connections, good stories, and a shared mission to help others.

If you like the 3rd Act podcast, visit our website to subscribe, listen to past episodes, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

Next Episode

HAVEN of Oakland County

In This Episode:

As Oakland County’s only comprehensive program for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, HAVEN provides shelter, counseling, advocacy and educational programming to nearly 30,000 people each year.
HAVEN has helped domestic violence and sexual assault victims and their families escape abuse and create safer lives for over 40 years.
Their survivor-centered services honor survivors as experts of their own experiences.
MiVida Burrus, Director of Development, has held key roles in fund development, grant writing and donor cultivation for area nonprofit organizations, municipalities and colleges.
Jasmine Valentine is in the marketing and development program at HAVEN.
We are pleased to have MiVida and Jasmine are join us today to has helped spread the word about the good works taking place 24 hours a day, seven days a week and to allow HAVEN to share more about their services and programs.
HAVEN received a perfect score, perfect assessment score from the Michigan domestic and sexual violence prevention and treatment board. It was a first perfect score and their 14 year history.
All their services are under one roof to better service their clients that can face up to 22 barriers to receiving services.
All of their services are free of charge and they always appreciate donations of any kind.

Quotes from This Episode:

"We operate on an empowerment. We do not tell survivors what to do. We empower them to make choices and decisions that are going to be positive for their own lives." ~MiVida Burrus

Links To Things We Talk About:

Episode Info:

Join the 3rd Act Community to bring together connections, good stories, and a shared mission to help others.

If you like the 3rd Act podcast, visit our website to subscribe, listen to past episodes, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.