Learning the Art of Survivorship | How to Navigate the Cancer Maze Friday, February 27, 2015

For almost 4 decades Grace Gawler has been the “rock” for thousands of cancer patients who seek her guidance and strategies. Grace has also assisted those who struggle to manage adversity and uninvited changes that life challenging or life threatening illness can bring. At 21, Grace became a full-time care-giver to her boyfriend. She married him, a cancer amputee with a poor prognosis. He survived and they established a non-profit organization to support people going through the trauma of cancer and other life challenging illness. She created Australia’s first breast cancer support group and residential program which led to authoring Women of Silence: the emotional healing of breast cancer, a 1994 best seller which remains a bible for women with breast cancer. Grace has worked in Government creating a new Women’s Health Plan. She was awarded the prestigious inaugural Rotary International Jean Harris Award for Services to Women in Society. In 1997, Grace experienced not only the collapse of her marriage but was soon hospitalized. Complications from a routine surgery created a major health crisis. After 20 surgical procedures over 13 years, she faced death many times. A bionic surgical procedure in the Netherlands gave her back life and vitality. Grace has survived and thrived and is passionate about helping others to walk in the field of all possibilities and navigate the cancer maze. She has her own cancer charity and consults to Hallwang Private Oncology Clinic in Germany.