In Preparation for the 2010 FAME & WNSO World Championships I was asked to submit a "brief" submission of "media angle material" and I'll be completely honest, I had to Google it to find out exactly what it was that they meant.  I'm a bit of a perfectionist.. for good reason..  and I like to get things right the first time around.  What I found was "information directly relating to your business and it's success, achievements etc". There may be some of you that may have read "my story" on my BodyProud profile, or here on my website and what you may not have noticed is that "My Story" starts around mid life at the approximate age of 30 and speaks to my achievements of my goals throughout the last 17 years and how I now try to inspire every person I encounter to be BodyPROUD.
What I hadn't included was the first 30 years of my life. When I received the request for "media angle material" the other day, I decided it was time to explain exactly what transpired in my life that literally has made me the person that I am today and why it is so important to me to inspire others to believe in themselves. Below was my submission. Now, keep in mind that they wanted "brief" which turned out to be a difficult task as for each of the points below.. I could literally speak to for HOURS with stories that take you through my life which are so amazingly astounding that some of you may find it hard to even fathom while others may totally be able to relate to...

People ask what has made me so successful in my career as a Personal Trainer and Life coach, and they are usually shocked by my response. My story is not one of transformation due to weight loss, or overcoming physical disabilities or injuries, although I have only 10% hearing in 1 ear,  5 crushed vertebrae in my cervical spine (DDD), have had surgery on both of my wrists and God knows I’ve had more then my share of injuries in my years of weight training. I have never considered those as obstacles probably because to me those are a walk in the park when you consider the amount I have endured throughout my life. More so, my story is about transforming myself (and now others) mentally, physically & spiritually all stemming from circumstances beyond my control pretty much from the day I was born. I didn’t go through the earlier incidences alone, my siblings (brother & sister) also endured a lot of the same and we all handled them in our own way. I am successful in what I do because I have literally been through it all and can relate to almost any situation.

• My Siblings & I have endured child neglect and as an infant was left unattended for days on end with little or no food and was on the verge of malnutrition.
• We were adopted into a family of which we thought were our "saving grace".. or our Saviours so to speak.   In reality we had gone from the frying pan into the fire where the father and 1 step brother are/were pedophiles that preyed on my sister and myself.  Me from the age of 18 months until I was 5.  My sister was 3 years older then I and endured all of the same from the age of 4.5 to 8 years old.  She often sacrificed herself in order to save me from the sexual abuse by our father at such a young age and I am forever in debted to her for that.  
• In 1968 Just after I turned 4 we were moved from California, USA to a small secluded town called Bella Coola on the Northern Coast of British Columbia Canada.  Our Father died of a massive heart attack one year after we moved.  As a result we grew up in poverty and because we were so poor, I endured endless bullying as a teen and actually considered suicide on several occasions as a result.
• I’ve had a marriage fail and my family torn apart because I didn't know how to deal with what had happened to me earlier in my life, but out of all of it I got a beautiful, smart, successful 28 yr old daughter that I couldn’t be more proud of.
• Later I endured a 10 year mentally abusive relationship where at 85lbs I was constantly told I was fat and I should be thankful that I had him because I was dirty and not worthy of love.
• I can’t tell you how many jobs I had where sexual harassment ran rampant with if you can believe it.. not one but two employers who actually threatened my life or put me in direct harms way to serve their own purpose. One’s in jail for insider trading, the other is still out there and no doubt still up to no good.
• I am a cancer survivor but sadly last year on the same day that I turned 46 and on the same day that I placed 1^st in the 2009 FAME World Championships I lost my sister to brain cancer.

They say God doesn’t hand you what he doesn’t think you can handle.. They were right.. I had an “ah-ha” moment as Oprah would say & I took my lemons and made lemonade. I truly believe there isn’t ANYTHING I can’t do if I put my mind to it and this is what I teach my clients. My favorite quote: Never be bullied into silence, Never allow yourself to be made a victim, Accept no ones definition of your life, DEFINE YOURSELF! 
~Harvey Fierstein~

The results..

• I worked 2 full time jobs for 8 years and put myself through school
• I have a small but successful career as a Personal Trainer and Life Coach and my dream is to have my own studio or open my own chain of gyms. I’ve even completed a business plan and financing proposal which I’ve not yet had the guts to “sell” to anyone just yet.

• I’ve built my own website and with that and social media networks starting at BodyProud.org & expanding to Facebook I reach out to 1000’s who are struggling in one way or the other and try to inspire and assist them by answering their questions, posting diet tips & answering any email or inquiries ANYONE sends to me.
• I am also a true “Do-it-her-self’er complete with pink hard hat, pink steel toed boots & tool belt which you may recognize from last years' event. (They are actually my gear that I used on a daily basis) and I probably have more power tools then most grown men! I am on my 3^rd reno project where I have literally done all work myself, all self taught. One of my projects was actually for my Real Estate Agent so I think that speaks volumes about the quality of my workmanship.
• I can grow & preserve anything and live off the land if I have to and I’m also a gourmet cook
• In memory of my sister, I also became involved with the Canadian Cancer Society and The Relay for Life and was given the honor of opening the Vancouver relay with the warm-up routine. My local cable provider SHAW featured me and my involvement with the relay as well as my Sister’s struggle with cancer in one of their episodes of “The Express” which aired locally. I will add that during the relay I stayed on the track for the entire 12 hours from 7pm – 7am the next day. A small price to pay really when you think about what cancer patients endure.
• For my competitions I pick music that means something to me & mix it myself. This year I choreographed my own routines, sewed & made all of my costumes and embellished all of my suits.
• Most importantly of all I have found peace, contentment and even unconditional love, I have total self esteem, hold my head high and am proud of my accomplishments. My Mother always told me two things: God works in mysterious ways & what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. She couldn’t have been more right.

I AM BODY PROUD!