What is a Healing Shower? It's a time for loved ones to come together and celebrate positive energy before an ill family member goes off to receive intensive surgery, i.e. cancer. It's an occasion for wishing a person well on a safe and healthy road to recovery. A Healing Shower is similar to how we celebrate life's milestones - weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and baby showers. The difference is that instead of wedding gifts, birthday presents and so on, guests arrive prepared to help the loved one with a deed(s), such as: taking the loved one to regular doctor's appointments, doing the laundry on a weekly basis, preparing meals three to four times a week, and many othe tasks your loved one will need during this dfficult time. The Healing Shower was written by Eloise Laws, an award-winning vocalist, Tony-nominated actress and breast cancer survivor. Eloise's Statement: This book is written to encourage and uplift all those feeling numb, shock, hopeless, abandoned, without diection, and at death's door. Such emotions are due to an illness that frequently traps patients in darkness searching for the light. When I first received the life-changing news, I was alone. It felt like a lfetime for the technician to get back with me with the results of the second test. I sensed that something was wong. Then, she appeared and said, 'We need to contact your doctor to let him know that we should schedule a biopsy: because of what we found. I just sat there without the ability to move. MALIGNANT I never thought in a milion years that my breast would need a biopsy. But, right when the technician said I needed a biopsy: I knew. Deep in my gut, I distinctly knew that I had breast cancer Within seconds, tears began softfly falling from my eyes. Like countless women, this was a fearful time for me and my family. Following my lumpectomy, I quickly went into survival mode after being told, that this cancer was called DCIS - Ductile Carcinoma in-situ (a non-invasive breast cancer). Meaning that, it had not gone into the milk ducts of my breasts leading to other parts of my body. In essence, I was in Stage 1 of this type of cancer. The physician said that I had a good chance of survival He said, "if you'e going to have cancer, this is the best cancer to have." I said to him, you must be kidding THERE IS NO GOOD CANCER He went on to explain why he made that statement. Now I recognized that I was going to survive. I was determined to do eveything in my power with the assistance of my doctors, family, and friends, to see to it that I achieved such an outcome. Thanks to God, I'm still here I was determined to make myself feel good in light of my circumstances. As a woman I needed to continue feeling beautiful. So I went to the spa, had massages, manicures, pedicures, jumped into the Jacuzzi, and sweated like a prune in the sauna. After all of that, I landed in the chair of my hair stylist, Lake Payne. As I sat there, and we thought of how we celebrate life's milestones - wedding, birthdays, annivesaries and even deaths. The idea of The Healing Showe was born. We thought, why not celebrate this important event in my life, like I do all others? For, I'm grateful to God for all of the seasons of my life, I should be able to find joy while basking in the sunshine and walking in the rain." As I was reflecting and thinking of Eloise, my song, 'Shelter in the Rain' came to mind: When all the odds say there's no chance Amidst the final dance, I'll be your comfort through your pain I'll be your shelter in the rain" Stevie Wonder, Grammy award-winning, singer-songwriter, musician, political activist and philanthropist "Shelter in the Rain" is from Stevie Wonder's 2005 CD titled, A Time to Love