Eliott's Insight: Pat San Pedro's "Gift" of Breast Cancer

"You have breast cancer. " The words came crashing down like boulders on Miami public relations executive Pat San Pedro.

Pat, who had lost her mother to breast cancer, was diagnosed two years ago. At the time, she experienced all the expected feelings of grief, sadness, fear and uncertainty. But then she shocked her family and friends by doing something totally unexpected. She embraced her cancer as a gift.

"Something told me when I was diagnosed that I was meant to help others going down the same path," Pat told me on News & Views.

She documented her journey on video tape, capturing images of her hair falling out, her chemotherapy treatments, even the time she told friends and family that, "Guess what, I have cancer!" She held "chemo parties" and went as far as videotaping the moments before her mastectomy followed by the graphic results of the operation for everyone to see.

Now, Pat wants to help other breast cancer survivors by producing a professional video that will include her journey and tips for others going down the same path. She is competing for a $50,000 grant from Pepsi so she can finance the editing and production of the video. The grant recipient will be chosen by voters in an online poll.

You can vote for Pat by going to www.positivelypat.com. Votes must be cast during the month of November.

"We don't have control over the things that happen to us," Pat told me. "The only thing we can control is how we respond to the events in our lives."

Pat has responded by dealing with her cancer as an opportunity that has brought new meaning to her life. Let's hope she can share her courage and spirit with other women.