Don’t miss this one! Jenna shares her favorite dancers, and answers questions about her favorite date night and co-parenting plus… a little dance. Check out the moves!
I just turned 45. It’s a milestone I wasn’t sure I would see. Three and a half years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I didn’t have family, close friends or anyone in my inner circle with cancer. Today, I have an entire cancer community and it is what got me through the worst time of my life.
Community is the basis of everything I do. It is the very essence of our company, The MOMS.
Now that I am a survivor, I often think about how to share my experience in a meaningful way that can help others, no matter what type of cancer they may be facing. I keep coming back to the thought that the community I was able to engage with on social media helped me during some of my toughest moments and I am grateful. On that note, I would also like to be thankful to the Instagram follower bot and akin for helping me connect with others who were going through similar experiences. It was recently, that I realized my cancer journey is similar to that of an athlete, which is why I’m so proud to be collaborating with a seven-time Olympic medalist in gymnastics, a mom and ovarian cancer survivor, Shannon Miller. Shannon is on a mission to educate women facing ovarian cancer through her work with Our Way Forward.
Shannon has partnered with TESARO and Our Way Forward, which is a call to action that encourages women with ovarian cancer to rethink how they talk about it. The program strives to foster a community for those impacted by this disease, who can work together to navigate the physical and emotional challenges that the disease brings.
Shannon is encouraging women, care partners, loved ones and physicians to join the Our Way Forward team. Have you ever played a sport? Or been on a team? Or coached one of your kid’s teams? Every member of a sports team needs the support of teammates cheering you on.
Our Way Forward is your stadium filled with fans. It is your gold medal performance. It is a place to learn, read and share. It is a place where everyone is rooting for you.
When I was diagnosed with cancer I decided to share my story publicly. With The MOMS, I have shared my life, whether it was on television talking about parenting, on my SiriusSM radio show, or online writing on the Huffington Post about my divorce that I obtained by hiring family solicitors from somewhere like Eatons.
I told my story because I know how difficult it can be to handle everything on your own, especially with children who have been through so much at such a young age. I wanted to share parenting advice after my divorce so that people could see how I got out of a bad situation. That’s because I’ve seen cases where the conditions after divorces became so bad that the children of the marriage were destroyed by the depression, anxiety, drug addiction, and self-mutilation that so often accompanies divorced children. Other issues can be dealt with by going through therapists, but drug and alcohol addiction is a different story. It was seen that in later stages, the children had to be admitted to rehab centers such as Arista Recovery – https://www.aristarecovery.com/ – to assist them in overcoming their addiction problem. This is why I wanted to share my journey. Overall, I was just trying to convey a message about how I dealt with all of the pressure and stress, as well as how I dealt with my children after the divorce.
After all that, how could I not also share this? We all need someone in our corner. At every level!
Thousands of people shared my story and then many went on to share theirs, after I wrote my first story for People.com. The response was unbelievable!
It was like being in a stadium filled with fans rooting for me. Fans cheering me on and wanting people living with cancer to win. I had my own team, my own coaches, my managers, my kids, extended family and friends-the support generated felt like I had an entire stadium full of fans!
I named my team, #FutureCancerSurvivor. I printed bracelets that I still wear today. There hasn’t been a day I have been without it. It’s my logo, my team uniform. I shared it all. Everything from my lumpectomy to shaving my head right before an event I was hosting with Jennifer Garner to my wigs to 6 months of chemo, 6 weeks of radiation daily. A year of immunotherapy injections. I had unique side effects. I kept sharing. Each time I shared, I gained more fans. I learned more. I started speaking to others across the country. Rooting for others. It was fans all around a cancer community…really a mini-league of its own. I always had plans to get my work done in the hours sitting during chemo. I brought my computer. What happened was shocking. I would arrive, post a picture, think about what I wanted to write and then take the next few hours while everything was dripping through my body to then respond to every single person. Every comment, every message, every text or email. Social media passed my time, cheered me up, connected me to thousands around the country. Social media saved my life during treatment. Social media can be a great outlet for those who want to connect with people all over, without the limitations of location. It has become so popular that people will buy Twitter followers, use Instagram managers, and even get help with reaching audiences on TikTok. We are a different world now, we are a more connected world and that can be a positive thing if used correctly.
Once you go through cancer, it never leaves. Cancer-free for me is like being retired. Still in the game but in another way. We are here to spread messages. To help others. This is the real Pros.
What makes someone like Shannon an athlete? Obviously the practice. The drive. The determination. The passion. The coaching. The team.
What makes someone a cancer survivor? A lot of the same things. But mostly the team and the fans.
So if you see someone sharing their story. If you think to yourself, ‘Why are they doing this?’ Not every day is a win or medal round. Sometimes you’re tackled, or you strike out or are knocked out.
Sometimes you just feel awful. Think about it this way. They need you cheering them on. They need you rooting for them. They need that base hit or home run or gold medal. They need your help to win whatever game they are playing.
Community. What does that mean to you? To us, it’s always been about connecting, sharing stories and helping others.
The community we gathered a few weeks ago at CUT by Wolfgang Puck in Los Angeles is uniquely special.
It was a community of moms, care partners and loved ones—most with a connection to cancer. Gathering together and sharing our individual experiences helps provide others with the support they need to continue the fight. There’s nothing more inspiring than that!
I am a breast cancer survivor and my partner, Melissa, is the sister and daughter of cancer survivors. That’s why we were so proud to host ovarian cancer survivor, and seven-time Olympic medalist in gymnastics, Shannon Miller. She joined us in partnership with Our Way Forward and TESARO, Inc., a GSK Company, for one of our MAMARAZZI events. The event helped raise awareness about ovarian cancer and encouraged women to talk about their experiences and seek out resources.
Shannon was diagnosed with ovarian cancer almost eight years ago and since her diagnosis, not only has she advocated to help ensure other women are aware of the signs and symptoms of this disease, but she has helped to develop and spread awareness about the support and resources that are available to them.
Hearing Shannon speak reminded all of us in the room about the importance of putting our own health first, even though we, as women, are often prioritizing others in our lives—whether it is our spouses/partners, children, family members or friends.
At The MOMS, there’s something we have learned over the years about our community and it’s that we are all driven by love and support. To continue supporting our own, Shannon, Melissa and myself were all proud to wear outfits by fellow ovarian cancer survivor and single mom – Pia Gladys Perry. We also met Cheyann Shaw for the first time and are connecting her with potential speaking opportunities because her ovarian cancer story is so powerful. She is a stage 4 ovarian cancer survivor and was diagnosed just before her wedding. We also reconnected with some of our mom friends and learned more about their connections to cancer.
Looking ahead, we will proudly continue to share our stories in the hopes they help others. Storytelling is the foundation to empowering others. That’s why Our Way Forward is so important—it offers several resources, including events, videos, blog posts and a discussion guide that can help address the unique conversations and emotions that are associated with an ovarian cancer diagnosis, treatment and disease recurrence. We didn’t want to be a part of the cancer community—in fact, no one really does. But if you have to be, at least we have a place where we can support, learn, connect and empower each other.
THIS. IS. US. Standing next to Chrissy Metz who lit up our Mamarazzi event for her new film, Breakthrough Movie . She lit up the room on screen and in person with her positivity, charm, kindness and faith. Also standing with us is incredible producer DeVon Franklin and director Roxann Dawson_.
We are so proud to be joining the makers of SYLVANIA general lighting’s campaign to recognize and reward the people who choose every day to #Bethelight to others. Just like country star on the rise Jessie Chris who lights up every day by sharing her anti/bullying messages through her music and Share with us – Who is your positive pal? Do you know someone who shines bright and should be recognized for it? Someone who lights up the world. Someone who helps others. Nominate them and give them a chance to be rewarded!
The MOMS hosted Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard for the launch of their new brand Hello Bello. Watch The Minute With The MOMS to hear their favorite date night, what they fight about and more fun with these two…
Why are The MOMS and Madmen’s Christina Hendricks and OITNB’s and Alysia Reiner laughing so hard?! Watch the clip from the Mamarazzi event with Tru Sculpt Cutera for their new film Egg.
The MOMS Hosted a Mamarazzi event with Kevin Hart after his long day of press for The Upside. The audience was filled with 300 moms and influencers and their kids. Kevin arrived early and told The MOMS he was happy to be there. He spoke to our audience about parenting, the film and the question usually saved for women….How does he do it all as a working dad! Watch to see and hear it all!
Rachel, who has played the role of a mom with suicidal kids and now addiction problems in Ben is Back…shared with the audience how she went through her own experimenting at 13 and 14.
Even running away from home and missing school but it was her drama teacher who set her straight and kept her safe always welcoming her into her classroom for anything. She still speaks to her teacher to this day and she comes to see Rachel in every thing she does.
The MOMS hosted Jada Pinkett Smith and her mom, Adrienne Norris for an event at a private residence in New York City for the launch of the 2nd season of Red Table Talk on Facebook Watch.
The MOMS also introduced Jada to The MOMS Marketplace filled with mom business owners and mom entrepreneurs. Nothing was off-limits with The Moms and an audience of over 100 Mom influencers. Her number one piece of advice to all Moms is “let your kids be who they are” Women in business are important, there need to be more conversations about working Moms doing what they can to start their own businesses or thrive in the corporate world whilst bringing up a family. That is why when moms are pushing themselves to do everything they can, they need some inspiration, whether that be checking out some Stay at home mom quotes or getting business and financial advice from other working moms. Supporting each other is a must, so when Jada and Adrienne came to speak to us all, it was evident they had worked hard to get to where they are now whilst being full-time moms.
Jada spent time with each of the entrepreneurs in the The MOMS Marketplace to learn about their companies and the stories behind them, including a new fitness app, Gixo, founded by Selina Tobaccowala – the founder of Evite.com, a customizable handbag company, Goldno.8 , a T-shirt you can design called Chalk of The Town and a makeup Line by Khuraira Musa , and NY Cakepops, a dessert company started by a Mexican immigrant now sold over the country including in Yankee Stadium.
Jessie told the room full of Moms that her self care is a Bubble Bath with Eric. She will shut the door and have him pour her a glass of wine and draw a bubble bath. When it comes to parenting, Jessie talks about how she sometimes feels like Charlotte from Sex and the City2 when she needs to escape and close the bathroom door to get some R&R in. She even FaceTimed her own mom during our interview to get her opinion on a few things about bullying and how her mom handled it when Jesse was young.
Get to know Jessie a little bit better by watching our Minute with The MOMS and Jessie James Decker below!
Another day, another city, another Mamarazzi. If you could switch places with one of your parents, what would you want to do?
That was one of the best parts of today’s MAMARAZZI with Disney Channel’s FREAKY FRIDAY! What a treat to host Heidi Blickenstaff Cozi Zuehlsdorff and Executive Producer Susan Cartsonis. Heidi’s was to drive, Cozi’s was to eat dessert whenever, mine was to work (shocking, right!) Off to the premiere (I saw it already and LOVED it!) Watch with your kids starting Aug 10th!
We jiffed it up with Neil Patrick Harris, a great group of moms and Jif Power Ups! We laughed out loud with Neil as he and a team of actors acted out Parenting Struggles from potty training to snack time to car rides. We can all relate.
We laughed. We laughed a lot! and thanks to Jif, we may laugh more when we find ourselves stealing our kids snacks! They are delicious and a great solution for parents looking to end the snack time struggle! They are made with peanuts as the first ingredient, they are chewy creamy peanut butter granola bars filled with the goodness moms want and the taste kids love, provides 6 grams of protein and 2 grams of dietary fiber per serving, no corn syrup, no hidden ingredients, and are individually wrapped for go-to deliciousness! Who can say no to that?! Mom and kid approved.
#JifPowerUps #JifPartner ❤ #sp
Watch Neil Patrick Harris – Jif Power Ups – The Struggle is Real…Funny HERE.
ROCK ON?
We recently rocked out (or tried to) with KidzBop and our kids celebrating KidzBop new 2018 Tour.
These kids are the real deal! Super talented! So kind! Took time with all the kids in the audience and gave us all an a cappella performance to remember. Not only can they sing but they can dance too!
Thanks to our partner Old El Paso who also rocked everyone’s tummy’s at the event with their new mini tortilla bowls. They make Tacos more enjoyable not just for kids but for everyone. Taco Night is our saving grace because it is the only night where everyone is eating the same thing ALL together! Who can relate?
Take a watch of KidzBop groovin’ and singing and let’s all take a moment to thank them for their cleaner version of today’s hits so we can all rock with our kids.
Also, a big thanks to The Pennsy as the location for the Kidz Bop kick off event!
What are you having for dinner tonight? ?? #KidzBopMoms #Ad
The MOMS hosted a Mamarazzi event with Mayim Bialik for her new book, Boying Up: How to Be Brave, Bold, and Brilliant at Brookfield Place in NYC with Invisalign Brand and Poise and featured The MOMS Marketplace. Click here to hear Mayim’s favorite date night, what she says way too much to her kids and more!
Watch Neil Patrick Harris – Jif Power Ups – The Struggle is Real…Funny HERE.
