This week Ivy Slater, host of Her Success Story, chats with her guest, Andrea Wilson Woods. The two talk about the importance of tapping into your zone of genius, surrounding yourself with the right people, and the impact being made by Blue Faery for liver cancer patients and doctors alike.

In this episode, we discuss:

How channeling grief was the catalyst that led her to begin a nonprofit 

The mission of Blue Faery, and where they are today

What challenges and obstacles she faced in building, and how long it took to gain traction

What transformation made a big difference in the impact that Blue Faery makes

Why it’s so important to tap into your zone of genius and surround yourself with the right people

What has surprised her on her journey as a leader

What tips she has to share for entrepreneurs who want to make an impact and start a nonprofit organization

Andrea shares the deeply personal story of her sister Adrienne's battle with liver cancer, which began when Adrienne was just a teenager. Andrea, who became her sister's primary caregiver, recounts the emotional and challenging journey they endured together.

At this year’s American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Andrea Wilson Woods, Founder of Blue Faery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association, sat down to discuss Blue Faery, a nonprofit aimed to prevent, treat, and cure liver cancer, and how the use of education and research has helped Blue Faery with improving liver cancer care.

If you attended the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting this year, you know the traffic in Chicago was unusually bad! (Much worse than last year when Taylor Swift was there during her Eras tour.) Ubers canceled, taxis disappeared, and walking was sometimes the only option. However, the conference was still terrific.

We have many exciting events happening this month; I’m thrilled to share them with you.

First up, we’re producing our next The Truth About Liver Cancer workshop with a focus on Liver Transplant recipients. You don’t want to miss Tony, Karen, and Steve’s stories about their dealing with liver disease, kidney disease, and liver cancer. While their experiences differ, a liver transplant saved their lives.

Next, we have a live, in-person workshop in Brooklyn for our Love Your Liver program during AAPI month. Read the full press release and get the details about the Chinese educational workshop featuring medical oncologist Dr. Songchuan Guo, a community leader and leading expert in treating liver cancer.

In the world of healthcare, innovation often comes from those who have experienced the system firsthand. Andrea Wilson Woods, the inspiring founder of Blue Faery and Cancer University, transformed her personal experience of losing her sister to liver cancer into a powerful force for change, empowering patients through a unique combination of education, coaching, and community.

How To Discover Purpose in Loss

The Price of Business Digital Network has a new series of outstanding commentaries from thought leaders. This is one in that series.

Andrea Wilson Woods

Patient Advocate, Author, and Speaker Andrea Wilson Woods talks about why she founded Blue Faery, a nonprofit patient advocacy organization dedicated to helping people with liver cancer.

ANDREA WILSON WOODS is a keynote speaker, a writer who loves to tell stories, and a patient advocate who founded the nonprofit Blue Faery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association. For over ten years, Andrea worked in the education field as a teacher and professor for public and private schools as well as universities. Andrea obtained her master’s degree in professional writing from the University of Southern California; her nonfiction writing has won national awards. Her best-selling and award-winning book, Better Off Bald: A Life in 147 Days, is a medical memoir about raising and losing her sister to liver cancer.

I’m so excited to announce this year’s Blue Faery Award Winner for Excellence in Liver Cancer Research. [insert drumroll] Meet Dr. Peter Galle!

Upon receiving the award, Dr. Galle said, "I am truly honored to receive the Blue Faery Award. It is a great privilege to join the group of national and international HCC experts who previously received this prestigious award and a stimulus to continue to work for our patients with this deadly disease. In the end, it's not the tumor but the patient with the tumor we are fighting for."

This is a "Girl, Take the Lead!" Sound Bite, which is a shorter episode, building on Ep 149 with Andrea Wilson Woods about her Blue Faery Foundation and the launch of the book she edited, I’d Rather Be Dead than Deaf. I thought you might like to hear some of the passages from that book to feel inspired during your day.

Andrea Wilson Woods, Gen X, joins Yo to discuss the book she’s edited: I’d Rather Be Dead than Deaf. The book is the journal of Adrienne Wilson, a teenage artist, poet, and Andrea’s beloved sister. Before her death from liver cancer at the age of fifteen, Adrienne expressed her funny, bright soul in this prolific journal.

Patients faced with a serious diagnosis are often confronted with more questions than answers. Dealing with the shock of unexpected illness, while simultaneously learning about treatment options and navigating the labyrinth of insurance claims, can be overwhelming.

Andrea Wilson Woods, founder and president of Blue Faery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association, found out firsthand about the challenges facing both those suffering from liver cancer and those who care for them.

I feel blessed to have raised a child who left so much of herself behind, and now, I’m thrilled to share Adrienne’s art journal with the world. From pencil, ink, marker, crayon, charcoal, chalk, and pastels to watercolor, acrylic, oil, collage, multimedia, and digital photography, Adrienne created a world that gives us insight into her imagination. In the pages of I’d Rather Be Dead Than Deaf, you’ll discover why I call Adrienne, “The best kid ever.”

Patients, caregivers, health care professionals, friends and family are welcome, as well as members of the local community, to learn more about Together Facing Liver Cancer. The event will feature an expert panel with Fox Chase Cancer Center physicians discussing surgical options, genetic testing and clinical trials.

In this episode of Believe in Progress, Mitch talks with Andrea Wilson Woods about how the loss of her sister to cancer motivated her to start Blue Faery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association to help patients and families navigate liver cancer.

Years ago, I remember driving by a flower shop on Valentine’s Day. Dozens of men stood in a long line that ran alongside the building. Maybe it was forgetfulness or procrastination, but they had waited to the very last minute to buy their beloved flowers for Valentine’s Day. I laughed so hard that I almost ran a red light.

The good news is … you don’t need to buy flowers to love your liver. The bad news is … you may need to change your eating habits. Did you know that your liver loves water, coffee, and green tea? Oatmeal, blueberries, and greens like spinach and broccoli are good for it too. To love your liver even more, reduce your intake of alcohol, sugar, and processed foods.