Ep. 15: Thriving in the Face of Illness (aka Kicking Cancer’s Ass) with Lydia Castillo-Galloza

So talking to one of your best friends in the world makes for a different type of interview. We laughed,we cried,we cursed ( A F**KING LOT) but hopefully you leave this one with a smile and light and love ( and I am no GOOP.. I don’t use those words lightly).  

We started off talking about her background of being raised by a single mom who emigrated to the US from El Salvador with limited English and how that forced her to grow up very early and  the strength and “never give up” mentality she developed from her experiences. Then we fast forward to Sept 11, 2001, when she and her husband’s lives changed forever, but her indomitable spirit led to her commitment to thriving and living in NYC and making a good life for her, her husband and 3 boys.  Then we come full circle to 17 years later when in the Fall of 2018 she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer from the enduring impact of the chemicals & trauma. We get into why it’s so important to listen to your body like your life depends on it and be your own advocate even when doctors think you’re crazy, and how remembering that she was born to fight allowed her to quickly make the pivot from victim to thriving mentality. That mindset, along with her support squad tribe and lifestyle changes, has been the key to her wellness this past year, and we talked about how she actually feels better now than she did before.   So she wanted to share some words of wisdom and Jedi mind tricks for people living with disease, as well as their loved ones, and resources for people affected with illnesses related to Sept 11th.

Books & Resources

How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease  by Dr Michael Greger

Crazy, Sexy Cancer Tips by Kris Carr

September 11 Victim Compensation Fund:
https://www.vcf.gov/

Song
Esta Loca by The Latin Age
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiAOPqrbtp8

Guest Bio:
Lydia Castillo-Galloza is one of my all time BFF’s. We’ve known each other since we are 16, and everyone who meets her is changed my her, especially me. She’s worked in operations for real estate in NYC for some of the largest and most recognized firms for the last 20 years. She’s also a tiny but mighty powerhouse…. mom, wife, sister, friend, cat mom and non-stop dancing house-music head. She grew up in The Bronx raised by a single mom who emigrated from El Salvador, and has been Boldly Spoken ever since. You can reach Lydia on Instagram at @lydsleo_319

Charity Highlight:  St Jude Children’s Research Project

Www. Stjude.org

The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family's ability to pay.