May The 2nd Act Be The Best Act, Meet Founder of A2ndAct.org Judy Pearson

Judy is a story teller, a proud graduate of Michigan State University, and a Triple Negative Breast Cancer survivor. As an award-winning writer, she has millions of published words to her credit. This includes four books, her latest being From Shadows to Life: A Biography of the Survivorship Movement. And like any good writer, Judy has another in the works!

In 2012, Judy co-founded the Women’s Survivors Alliance and was honored in Washington D.C. by the American Association of Cancer Research and featured in their National Cancer Research Progress Report.

Using what she’s learned from cancer experts around the world, along with thousands of women survivors, Judy has become a leading expert on life after a cancer diagnosis, the history of cancer survivorship, and the value of creating a 2nd Act after any life challenge. Judy’s survivorship and work led her to found A2ndAct.org. The organization’s mission is a beautiful melange of cutting edge research on the health benefits of volunteering, and women survivors sharing their inspiring stories of their 2nd Acts. It is, as she says, the best pay-it-forward organization ever.

Judy is a member of the Society of Integrative Oncology and co-secretary of their Patient Advocacy Task Force. She is a member of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society, a founding board member of Arizona Women for the Arts, a past board member of the Michigan State University Alumni Association, a member of the American Association for University Women, and a member Women of Central Phoenix, Women of Scottsdale and West Valley Women. In 2015, Judy was named one of Chicago’s Most Inspirational Women, and in 2018, was selected as an Arizona Healthcare Hero and a finalist in the Arizona Healthcare Leadership Awards.