Saturday night I attended the 2009 Pink Tie Gala, and was honored with the Hope Award for Ambassadorship as a corporate sponsor for the 2008 Komen Houston Race for the Cure®.
Judge Ed Emmett, Vickie Milazzo, Marjorie Landry
Over 27 years certifying legal nurse consultants and operating a woman-owned business, I’ve been graced with many honors and awards. This one is very personal and special to me because of my Mom.
My Mom, Marise
Many of the women I mentor won’t “go for it” because of their fears. One thing that helps me go for it is perspective. My mom, Marise, gave me that. She came from Tickfaw, a small town in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, and she always dreamed of traveling. She read books that took her to the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, the Sistine Chapel and she planned on visiting all of them. Then she met Sal, my dad, and they married and lived in the big city – New Orleans.
My Mom and Dad, Marise and Sal
During those early, struggling years she still dreamed but often said, “When we have enough money, we’ll travel.” But then she had three children, and she said, “When the kids are grown and out of the house, then we’ll travel.”
My Family – I’m the shy one sitting on Mom’s lap
Finally, the kids were out of the house – and my mom died – at age 48 from breast cancer. Her travel dreams never came true.
Are you waiting to live your dreams? And if yes, what are you waiting for? When you get enough money? When you lose enough weight? When your business is perfect? When your spouse is perfect? Don’t wait. My mom’s death taught me that the time is now. When I’m afraid to take a risk, which is quite often, I honor my mom by asking myself, “What’s the worst thing that can happen?” The perspective of knowing it’s not cancer or death helps me to do the thing I fear.
It’s perfectly okay to admit that a commitment is not right for you and to reject it outright. After all, this is your life, not someone else’s.
What’s not okay is to hold back and put less than everything into a commitment that is your passion. If you want something, go for it all the way and go for it now. When you do, you’ll wake up every day to a life and a legal nurse consulting business you love. This is the message I’ve been sharing for 27 years with Certified Legal Nurse Consultants and women everywhere.
All of you know my business mission is to certify legal nurse consultants as not just the best, but the only, solution for attorneys who litigate medical-related cases. My personal mission is to see deaths from breast cancer eradicated in my lifetime. To this end I actively sponsor Susan G. Komen and support their mission to do the same. Each year an Institute team has walked (and occasionally run) the Race for the Cure®. I’ve sponsored booths, donated time, money and my book Inside Every Woman: Using the 10 Strengths You Didn’t Know You Had to Get the Career and Life You Want Now – all of it for my mother and other women who needlessly lose their lives, body parts and confidence to breast cancer.
Mom, over the years I have felt you watching out for me. Often you were laughing and smiling. I felt your tears mingle with mine. And yes, I’m ashamed to say, I’ve felt the occasional frown of disapproval.
Saturday night was for you. Thank you for the beautiful legacy you give to my life and taught me to share with others.
Success Is Inside!
Tags: breast cancer, Certified Legal Nurse Consultant, dreams, hope award, legal nurse consultants, New Orleans, Susan G. Komen, Travel, Vickie Milazzo
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March 21, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Kaye Miller
My mom also died of breast cancer at the age of 48. Six weeks later her first grandchild was born. That was 20 years ago. It’s a comfort to know that if/when I am diagnosed that treatments have improved and increased survival rates. Keep on keepin’ on….
March 7, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Beverly A. Pratt, RN, CLNC
Congratulations Vickie on the Hope Award! So appropriately titled because where there is life there is hope. So many of us are breast cancer survivors! It is because of people like you Vickie who are committed to a cause that research, new treatments, mammograms, etc. are available to women who sincerely need some hope in their lives. In honoring your mother, Marise, I sincerely hope that your days may be long upon the earth. God bless you Vickie! One Love!
March 3, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Patricia W. Ross, RN, CLNC
Yours is a wonderful story Vickie–thank you for sharing it again. I am sure your Mom saw your genius even as you sat “quietly” on her lap in all your “shyness.” I hope you know that as you travel and see the world the way she was never able to do in her short 48 years, that your Mom travels right along with you and celebrates your every accomplishment. She would be very proud of you.
P.S. Vickie, any remote resemblance of shyness in you has long since disappeared. You Go Girl!
March 2, 2009 at 9:35 pm
Paule Toon
Dear Vickie,
I didn’t know your mom, but I love her for having such a wonderful daughter who is a strong, courageous, loving and giving. You have a wonderful heart!
March 2, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Diana Schmitt, RN, BSN, CLNC
Congratulations Vickie and friends. Your dedication to breast cancer awareness and a cure in honor of Marise is an accomplishment that I am sure has saved lives and helped so many to cope as they or a loved one have struggled with diagnosis and treatment. Thank you for supporting such a worthy cause and for being an inspiration to those who have been touched by and have directly benefited from the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
And also thank you Vickie for the opportunity to directly participate in this through book orders to Amazon.com from the community website. I am moved and touched every time you share vignettes from your mother’s life and the special bond between you. She is so beautiful.
March 2, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Marianne Dean, RN, CLNC
Your mom is definitely proud of you! Congratulations on the Hope Award.
I was listening to your session on permission marketing today and how fear can be an issue for every CLNC® consultant. Though I can’t imagine you being afraid to do anything, hearing that you do experience it at times reduces its power. Thank you again for speaking from the heart and sharing.
March 2, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Susan Schaab RN, BSN, CLNC
Fantastic Vickie! I did a 3-day, 60-mile walk from San Jose to San Francisco seven years ago to celebrate turning 40. (No history of breast cancer, I just hate running marathons!) It was a life-changing experience and a heck of a party! We raised $7 million for research with that one event.
I love your spirit and go-for-it attitude!
March 2, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Genevieve G. McCunney
Congratulations!! Your approach to life is “refreshing.” So many people just don’t get it. I know your Mom is very proud; you are a special person!!
March 2, 2009 at 11:19 am
Cheryl Garrison
Congratulations Vickie on your Hope Award for Ambassadorship. It is wonderful to see that your corporation family gives their support (time and financially) to help others. You are such an inspiration to so many women and I hope you truly realize that. There are many motivational books one can read and even many lectures and seminars one can attend. The key is to find one that truly speaks to you. I don’t know if it is because you are a woman or because you are a nurse or if it is your honesty in revealing that you also have fear at times, or it could be just the way you deliver the message, but you do speak to me. Since I first sat in your CLNC® 6-Day Certification Seminar, you spoke right to me. Thank you!
March 2, 2009 at 10:19 am
Michele Sfakianos
Congrats Vickie! I’m sure your mom would be proud.