KATHY PARKER: AN INSPIRING AUTHOR’S JOURNEY FROM PAIN TO HEALING

Kathy Parker, a writer from a small seaside village in rural South Australia, has a remarkable gift for touching hearts through her words. Known for her deeply personal poems and texts, she explores themes of healing, self-discovery, and the complexities of human relationships. In this exclusive interview, Kathy shares an intimate look into her journey as a writer, her sources of inspiration, and the challenges she faces in bringing her words to life. Enjoy!

@abylovesblogging: First of all, thank you for confirming my interview request. I am very glad.
Before we start, please introduce yourself to my followers…

KP:_{Hi, and thanks for having me here My name is Kathy Parker and I am a writer from a little seaside village in rural South Australia. I am a lover of beautiful words, the ocean, mountains, rivers, camping, hiking – actually, pretty much anything to do with being outdoors in nature! I drink cheap red wine so I can afford expensive gin, am a trumpet player by trade but these days spend more time with the guitar, am a total empath, wannabe yogi, paleo chick who loves to grow her own veggies, and I have dreams to one day travel my beautiful country with nothing but a van, guitar and surfboard. And all of that sounds weirdly like a dating profile!! Ha!! It is not, I promise!!}

@abylovesblogging: Kathy, the reason I have chosen you to be my interview partner is because you inspire me through your poems and texts. Tell us more about your job as a writer …

KP: ^{Firstly, the fact that you are inspired through my writing is the exact reason I write. I don not write because I have dreams of being rich and famous, I write because the passion of my heart is to bring connection, understanding, healing and hope to women all around the world. To make them feel less alone. To empower women to know their worth, and go forth and change the world. It sounds glamorous. The reality is, it is not. It is hard work, lonely work. It is forcing myself to uncover the places in my own heart I would rather keep buried. It can be brutal at times, unforgiving. It’s many hours of solitude, of being alone with nothing but my own mind. It can make me impossible to live with when I’m in the throes of the creative process. I mostly never get paid, and nobody will ever see the hours of work that go into each piece I write. However, I wouldn’t change a thing. This is my passion, the desire of my heart, the thing that matters most to me. Even on the worst days, there is still nothing else in this world I would rather be doing.
The beauty of writing for me is the ability to work around my family and the demands of life that come with that. I don not necessarily have set writing hours, it’s something I fit in as best I can – some weeks that can look like days where there are no other priorities and I can write during normal working hours, other weeks it can look like cramming time into 5am starts or late nights when everyone else is asleep. Lifestyle matters to me and I would always rather write less and have time with my family, time for walks on the beach and morning surfs and yoga and to enjoy a cup of tea in the afternoon sunshine with a book and be available for my family when they need me, and I’m extremely thankful to be able to do what I love around the simplicity of the lifestyle I love.}

@abylovesblogging: When did you start writing and what was the reason for that ?

KP:_{I have always been a writer, and have written on and off since high school, but it took me decades to give myself permission to own it and to find the courage to step into it. However, I officially started writing in 2015 when I began my own blog, This Girl Unraveled. I had just been through some extremely difficult years of my life that culminated in emotional breakdown and physical breakdown as I suffered through ME/CFS. It was about the time I was diagnosed with Complex PTSD, and was forced to deal with a traumatic past I had been covering up with many layers of perfectionism. Those layers soon began to unravel, hence the name of my blog, and as I began to work through my pain and journey toward healing, I began to write as a way of processing all I was thinking and feeling in the hope my words would bring healing to other women who were going through similar issues.}

@abylovesblogging: Most of your texts are about breakups, why did you chose to write about this issue ?

KP: _{More of my recent texts centre around this theme but I tend to write about anything and everything to do with relationships as I feel they are core to the human condition. What I write about at any given time is often what I am thinking about – either from my own experience or from books I am reading or conversations I have with people which trigger themes in me that I ponder and explore more in my writing. Also, much of what I write is with the intention of facing pain square in the eye, and breakups are certainly one universal pain we have all suffered through at one time or another in our lives.}

@abylovesblogging: Where do you get your inspiration from ?

KP:_{Much of my inspiration comes from experience, as I believe the best writing comes from the deepest places within us, and so I try not to shy away from the things that are hard to write about as I believe they will be the things that impact the hearts of others the most. However, author Dani Shapiro talks about having the ability to put ourselves in the shoes of others – and so being an empathetic person allows me to listen to the hearts of other people and put their pain into words that bring justice to how they feel, so much of what I write comes from the hearts of others who share their pain with me. But I also find inspiration in beautiful poetry, books that rip my heart wide open, and I’m a quote fanatic and spend far too many hours scrolling Insta and Tumblr and taking screen shots of quotes to go back and read again and again – my phone is full of them!! But I’m definitely most inspired to write when alone in nature – the more wild and rugged, the better, it definitely brings out the best creativity in me.}

@abylovesblogging: Some of your texts have been published on “The Elephant Journal”, that means a lot of people are reading your poems, what exactly does it mean to ?

KP: _{Elephant Journal has been a wonderful platform for my writing, and I have been honoured to have been featured there, and thankful for the love and support shown from readers all over the world. However, I have chosen to step away from there for the time being, and from other platforms I have been writing from, as I feel at this point in my career it’s more important for me to be building my own readership, and not the readership of other journals.}

@abylovesblogging: Which issues would you like to write about in the near future? And why ?

KP: _{There a lot of issues I currently write of that I would like to delve a little deeper into that I have been too scared to push the boundaries of up until now. I spent many years without a voice, and now that I have found it, in many ways I am still learning to use it, and to understand the power of it. I don not believe in using a shock factor when writing, but I do believe if my writing makes people uncomfortable at times that is not necessarily a bad thing. In saying that, one area of my life I have not written much about has been my faith, and my journey from being religious to becoming spiritual, and what that has meant for me – the ways religion can damage an already damaged person and be counter-productive to their journey to healing and freedom. This is something I would like to explore more.}

@abylovesblogging: What are your wishes for your future? What do you want to achieve ?

KP: _{The thing I have loved most about my journey as a writer so far is that it has been an entirely organic process. I have never really known where it was going to take me, I started to write because the words began to mean everything and I could no longer not write, so there was never any goals or targets or achievements aimed for as such, just a desire to write. I have loved my journey and the unknowns and the surprises. To be where I am today still amazes me, but mostly, I am amazed and inspired by how my words reach the hearts of people all over the world, and as long as this remains the core of my achievements, then that’s all that really matters to me. I do have a couple of projects I am working on at the moment however, and I hope to see these come to fruition in the next 12 months – both a published collection of my poetry/prose and also to finish writing my first full-length novel and see that to publication also. But really, I just hope to keep doing what I am doing because writing is where my joy and passion come from. It’s like the quote by Howard Thurman – “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Regardless of outcome or achievement, I am just happiest and contributing best to the world when I am writing.}

@abylovesblogging: Could you imagine to write a book, if yes, which topic would it be about?

KP: _{Yes! As I said earlier, I am currently in the process of writing my first book – a literary fiction novel that addresses the themes of childhood abuse and trauma, domestic violence, relational wounds, generational cycles, and how we overcome, heal and find the way back to our own hearts. It is a difficult book to write, and while not a memoir, much of it comes from a deep place of my own pain which makes the process slow and careful – it is not the kind of book you can smash out in a few months, but one which I believe will be worth every amount of bloodshed it will have taken to get the words on the page.}

@abylovesblogging: Do you pay attention to rhythm or epic to make the importance more “visible”?

KP: _{I am quite new to writing poetry, and when I first began to write poems I did not pay a lot of attention to the structure of how I wrote, just placed words on lines and hoped for the best! Since then I have studied hundreds of poems, traditional and contemporary, and now pay more attention to the structure of what I write. I am probably most drawn to alignment, I have this thing where I like to see the sentences line up evenly, probably a throw back from my perfectionist days. I never rhyme in my poems, not because I don not like poems that rhyme but because it takes me back to many, many lame poetry efforts in my high school days that make me shudder at how bad they were. I don not always write in verses but when I do it matters to me that each verse has the same structure, same amount of lines and equal rhythm. I still love what Picasso says though, “Learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist” and some of my favourite poems are still my earliest ones where rules didn’t exist for me.}

@abylovesblogging: Do you have favorite poets and writers ? If yes, who are they ?

KP:_{So many! Most of my favourite authors are Australian women who are excelling in the area of Literary Fiction. My favourite poets are a little more widespread however, and most fall in the category of Modern or Contemporary – ummmm, just to think of a few favourites from the top of my head – Clementine Von Radics, RM Drake, Rupi Kaur, Lang Leav, Alfa, Atticus, Nausicaa Twila, Sarah Jean Bowers, Cindy Cherie, Beau Taplin, Nicole Lyons, Stephanie Bennett-Henry, Zachry K Douglas, Michael Xavier, Becca Lee, Nikita Gill, JM Storm, J Raymond… there are so many amazing writers out there!}

@abylovesblogging: Unfortunately, our interview is almost over, but here is last question: where can my followers find you ?

KP: _{This Girl Unraveled: www.kathyparker.com.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathyparkerwriter/
Twitter/X: @kathyparker2206
Insta: @kathyparkerwriter
Tumblr: kathyparkerwriter.tumblr.com
You can also find articles I have written at Elephant Journal, Huffpost Australia, The Mighty, The Minds Journal, Thought Catalog, and Lessons Learned In Life Inc}

Note: ^{This interview was originally conducted on July 18, 2017, and is being republished with the permission of Kathy Parker.}

MINUSCH AFONSO: FIGHTER, WARRIOR, BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR

**_{Minusch Afonso by © Max Sonnenschein}**

_{Imagine you want to spend a nice day by the lake with a friend, enjoying some quality time, and this day later turns out to be fateful. This is what happened to}_{Minusch Afonso in 2021. Minusch Afonso is a journalist, moderator, and host in Bavaria and originally from Angola. I meet Minusch Afonso in April at my apartment in Munich to talk about that fateful day in her life. Even before the interview, I knew this conversation would be special. Not only because of the topic, but because Minusch is one of those people you find immediately likable. Here is the story of a breast cancer survivor, which aims to provide insight into what many cancer patients go through and inspire people not to give up.} _{Thank you Minusch for your time, courage and openness!}

1. Tell me about this fateful day? What kind of day was it?

_{Minusch: I had some discomfort in my lower abdomen that day, so I went to see a gynecologist. I was examined, prescribed medication, and everything seemed fine. I then went to the Isar River with my friend for some food and later went home. At home, I ordered some food, and when the delivery guy arrived, I opened the door. For no apparent reason, I pointed my index finger towards my breast and touched it. Just like that. It made no sense. The spot was not itchy or anything, but I just touched that spot. And then I felt a small lump and thought, “Huh, what is that?” I googled it, and usually, Google brings up really scary things, but in this case, it did not.}_{Then, I watched a video on YouTube about how to properly examine breasts and recognize signs of breast cancer. None of the symptoms described in the video matched what I was experiencing. Sometimes, it mentioned discharge from the nipple or skin that looks like an orange peel, but I did not have any of that. So, I thought, okay, maybe it is nothing. On the other hand, I was wondering if I should go to the gynecologist again the next day, considering I had already been there. Then, I remembered I had a doctor’s appointment in Saarbrücken in two weeks and decided to bring it up then.}

@abylovesblogging: Minusch went to her see her doctor and told her about her concerns and the lump she had discovered.

_{Minusch: I attended the appointment in Saarbrücken and told the doctor that I had felt something in my breast. She assured me it was probably nothing serious but examined the area. Having worked in a breast cancer center for many years, she was quite confident it was not anything to worry about. However, to put my mind at ease, she decided to investigate further. I had another appointment where they numbed my breast and used a long instrument to take samples from the tumor. Afterwards, I was allowed to go home. I felt conflicted and another week passed before I was supposed to call for the results.}

@abylovesblogging: As if the situation was not difficult enough, Minusch had to wait for the test results. In the interview, she told me that the waiting was the worst part for her. The next day, her life changed from one day to the next.

_{Minusch: So, I called the next day, and they told me the result was in, and the doctor would call me later – that is when I knew something was wrong. I waited for 1.5 hours for her to call back. Those 1.5 hours were terrible because I had no idea what was going on. When the doctor called, she told me that, unfortunately, it was not as she initially thought and that the diagnosis was malignant. At that moment, everything stopped for me – I was in shock, genuinely shocked. I thought I was going to die. That was my first thought because there had never been any cancer cases in my family. Not even in my circle of friends. The only things I knew about cancer were from TV.}

2. What did you do when you realised you had breast cancer?

_{Minusch: I called my mom and talked to friends who tried to calm me down. My mom drove from Freiburg to be with me. I really appreciated how calm she was because she usually is not that calm. Her calmness helped me stay calm, and we got through that time together. That evening, my mom and I prayed. Eventually, I went to see my gynecologist with her, and the journey felt like it took forever. In the clinic, we had to wait about 45 minutes, and the assistants looked at me with such pity because I kept going to the bathroom due to my nerves. Finally, a doctor came and said that the gynecologist had asked him to talk to me. [Minusch never saw this gynecologist again, despite repeatedly trying to reach her.] The doctor only asked me what questions I had for him.}

I had the feeling as if my soul is leaving my body.
Minusch Afonso

_{@abylovesblogging: Once it was certain that Minusch had breast cancer, they went to the doctor and underwent examinations. She was referred to the breast centre and had to undergo various examinations such as ultrasounds, blood tests and mammograms.}

3. What could have gone better on the way to your chemotherapy?

_{Minusch: Communication during this phase was not always clear. The thing which was so unfortunate about the doctors was that they never spoke plainly. I did not just have to deal with one doctor but with different ones and each of them said different things. That was a bit difficult.}

_{@abylovesblogging: Although the doctors almost always assured Minusch that she did not need chemotherapy, after the surgery, it was recommended by various experts that she undergo chemotherapy.}

_{Minusch: I took all my documents to this doctor and asked him for help. He took his time—two hours, to be exact. He explained everything to me, step by step. He also told me that I had a good chance of recovery because the tumor had not spread to the lymph nodes. Given that I got cancer at such a young age, he advised me to have a genetic test to understand the origin of the cancer. Additionally, he explained the step of mastectomy and recommended that I undergo chemotherapy anyway because I am so young. I could write to this doctor on WhatsApp if I had any questions, and that is still the case. Even though it took some time for me to trust him, I must say he did a good job.}

@abylovesblogging: With her thoughts focussed on the forthcoming chemotherapy, Minusch was unfortunately given more bad news…

_Minusch:_{One day before the chemo, I received the news that I do suffer from a rare genetic defect. My first chemo started on December 20, 2021. Normally, the chemo should last about four months, but since I did not tolerate the chemo well (poor blood values, feeling of fullness, fatigue, nausea, fatigue, and vomiting), it ended up being eight months.}

I did not expect that at all
Minusch Afonso

4. Who were you able to count on in particular during this time?

_{Minusch: My family was there for me and helped me as much as they could. My friends too, of course. Some of them called me via Facetime, spoke to me on the phone and tried to build me up. That was really nice to see.}

5. Were you also able to draw positive things from your illness?

_{Minusch: Yes, very many… I had a lot of time to reflect on myself. I would say that I used to be a people pleaser and was always concerned about how others were feeling. But the illness showed me that there is only one Minusch, and there is no second, so I need to take care of myself. That is why I also learned to set boundaries, say no, and stand up for myself. If I notice something is not good for me, I now take immediate action. I was not like that before. I used to beat around the bush, procrastinate, and make excuses for people. I do not do that anymore. I do not have time to get upset because life is short. My friendships have also become closer, and I have cut some people out of my life because some friendships were toxic. Not that you would define these friendships as toxic at first glance. They were the kind of friendships that drain your energy or involve people who constantly complain. I was not aware before that such things or people were dragging me down. Cutting these people out of my life has given me so much balance. I can hardly believe it, but I have never felt so balanced in my life. Those unconscious stress factors are no longer there.}

6. How has the illness changed your relationship with God?

_{Minusch: I have come much closer to God. I remember when I had trouble sleeping at the beginning, I called the crisis hotline, and the staff there prayed with me over the phone, which I found very comforting. They also sent me a small book about the church and Jesus. During that time, I read a lot from the Bible, even passages I did not know before… For example, I was already familiar with Psalm 120, but during that period, I read it very often because it fit my situation. I also frequently spoke with the pastoral counselor…The day I found out that I would need chemotherapy, I was angry. But I wanted to wait and see what would happen…I realized that God is always there and looking out for me. Even if it was a terrible situation, He is there the entire time. He has not left me alone. I thought about other situations in my life. Situations that were incredibly bad, where I was always supported. I was sad and angry, but the solution was always just around the corner.}

7. If you had 3 wishes, what would you wish for?

_Minusch_:_{I would wish for better we}_{ather, good health and to have a beautiful and fulfilling life.}

8. What tips do you have for people who are in the same or a similar situation as you were back then?

_{Minusch: I would also advise against googling or following certain Instagram profiles, as everyone has their own individual diagnosis. Secondly, request a consultation with doctors. And lastly, accept help. Admitting that you are ill. People often associate cancer patients with the verb ‘strong’ and I have the feeling that patients try to fulfil this. But you are ill and have cancer – that is not a cough. You can be ill and do so with a clear conscience. For example, I felt guilty about my work colleagues because I thought to myself: ‘Shit, now I cannot go to work’, but when you are ill, that is the way it is. You are allowed to be sick and recover and take the time you need and get fit. I stressed myself out to get fit again and put myself under pressure.}

_{Find Minusch Afonso on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/minusch_afonso/}

_{Give abylovesblogging a Like and a Follow on Instrgram: https://www.instagram.com/abylovesblogging/}

_{Support DKMS Germany and become a stem cell donor (Germany): https://www.dkms.de/}

_{Support DKMS USA and become a stem cell donor (US):}_{https://www.dkms.or}g/

_{Study on Breast cancer in Germany: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38702333/}

KELSEY NEAL – THYROID CANCER DID NOT DEFINE ME, IT CHANGED ME

Please introduce yourself to my followers….

A: My name is Kelsey Neal. I am from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I am 30 year old young. Entrepreneur, network marketing mentor and Thyroid Cancer survivor!

Q: I contacted you via Instagram after I have realized that your post have been always positive. Where do you take all the positive vibes from?

A: My positive vibes? They come from everyone around me, that vibrates good energy… you know the things that make you feel really good all around, that put a smile on your face! That kind of positivity… the little things, everyday. It can be tricky thing to maintain, but I surround myself with many things that give me gratitude, hope and inspiration. Which includes music, people and travel.

Q: You had been diagnosed with cancer and (thank God) you survived. Please, tell me ore about your journey…

A: After my diagnosis in 2015, I started to see the bigger picture of my life being painted differently. I cannot describe the feeling but all of the sudden, I felt like… I was supposed to start going in another direction that I could not control. I was going to start doing bigger things, dreaming bigger and grabbing hold of every new opportunity possible cause my time was important to me. Before thyroid cancer, life was good. I had a full time career, was working away, saving for vacations, enjoying our dog and I had a beautiful new home, I was 26 at the time and ready to start the next chapter of my life with my husband. The dreams of starting a family was in the process and then when I had my yearly physical exam, everything changed. They found cancer. They found a lump in my right thyroid bed and then after everything happened something came over me, that this was going to ALL change whether I wanted it to or not… the moment it all changed was when I woke up in the hospital, I cried and said to my family “I am alive”.

Q: What exactly has changed in your life since your diagnosis?

A: I learned many things along the way… I learned to accept this diagnosis, it was hard. The hardest thing to ever experience, I had the “why me” moments time and time again. I slept for days, I was angry, miserable and tired (always tired). After all I was missing my thyroid, it was removed due to the cancer and it was not functioning properly anymore. For those who do not know, your thyroid controls so much of your body and brain. It controls the hormonal system, which also includes energy levels, emotions, metabolism and so much more. My thyroid was removed, and now I live on medication for the rest of my life, to ensure the hormone levels are balanced as best as possible. This is a tricky act. I have an invisible illness, that does not define me and my good days have finally began to outweigh the bad. After learning to accept this diagnosis and grieve the loss of my organ. I began to slowly, but surely get out of this lifeless body and start turning my thoughts into positive vibes only. At the time of my journey, I was experiencing hair loss, hair thinning and my confidence was dwindling. I stumbled across a company that could help me with those challenging experiences. I am grateful that I learned to say “Yes” to new things, cause if I did not I may be on a different path. I am now a top leader in my industry, helping those who struggle with this illness, hair loss and help other discover their self worth. I am motivational speaker now, something I always dreamed of doing, but did not feel I had a story of my own to share… and well… Now I do. Who knew right?! I learned to take risks, because.. What is the best thing that could happen!

Q: What would you advise people who are going through a difficult time ? What helped you while you had cancer ?

A: The best advice I can share with someone who has been recently diagnosed with Thyroid cancer or any type of illness, is that….Never forget where you came from, hold your past life close to you. Because moving forward you will become someone brand new and different but always carry those special moments, childhood memories and experiences of your previously life near and dear. All the sweet times, all the laughter, all the joy and love that brings you life… hold it close and never let it go. This will help you with your dark times, your struggles and challenges that you will face. Remember your younger days, your past life experiences (the good ones) and embrace the new you. It is like a second chance to have anything you want, do anything and BE anything without having any commitment to others opinions, any other negativity that was once drawn into your life. During my journey for example, I attended Young Adult Cancer retreats and also had the honor to facilitate one of my own. I surround myself with like minded people going through similar experiences. I connected myself to social media, woman from all over the world facing this thyroid illness that felt uncontrollable to them too. I felt safe talking to people who had been there. Family and friends supported me in a different way, they offered so much love and care. I am thankful to have let my family in during these times. Hold them close and do not be afraid to open up and be vulnerable with the world, this is where the magic can happen and you start to know your worth and place in life, even during the worst times. A little piece of you, still remains hopeful and strong. NEVER LET IT GO!

Q: Is there anything you would have done differently since your diagnosis? If yes what and why?

A: There is absolutely nothing I would change about this diagnosis and illness. Not one thing! Why? Because it is lead me to the person I am today. This was my path, it was chosen for me for a reason. Thyroid cancer was a blessing in disguise. Remember earlier you asked me about my life before this illness and what I was doing… well now since then.. I have climbed mountains I never thought I could. I have had more obstacles during this time, than anything I ever experienced in my life, and after all obstacles and hurdles are the path to success and fulfillment. I have travelled alone and only told a select few about it and will continue to travel to soak it in while I still can. I have dug deep to what it is I want in my life moving forward. I have taken risks, opened new doors, closed old ones, let go of anything that has not helped me grow which includes relationships, people, jobs, places and more. I see life now in a different lense and my time is so valuable to me. You go through big chunks of time in your life, when you think this is impossible… I can not do this anymore… but then you keep going and just keep going… and all of the sudden you sort of do the possible!

If you had 3 wishes free – what would that be ?

A: 3 wishes? Hmmm…. Wow.. I have not been asked that type of question, since I was little
1. I wish that I could connect with everyone… there are so many beautiful, unique people in the world with so many stories.. All backgrounds, all walks of life… getting to know people and being open to new connections.. Gratitude, it is the memory of the heart!

2. I wish I could meet my musical Idol Michael Jackson! I have been a fan since I was little his voice, song and dance has inspired in my aspects of my life. Raw, real talent and his lyrics are moving. He was a big influence to many around the world. I wish I could have had the chance to see him in concert.

3. I wish for more time. Unfortuantely, I cannot control this. But if I could… give me more time. I am not talking about the 24 hours in a day like for work.. I make sure I balance this clock and use my time with intention. I am talking about… when your in a moment, experience or place.. And you just wish you had “a bit more time”… like when your on a hot beach and it is the last day of vacation! That kind of time… a snap of my fingers and I could lay there just a few more days in the sun !

FIND KELSEY NEAL ON FACEBOOK

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Dear Kelsey,

I am glad to get to know such a inspiring person as you are. I am sure that this interviw will open eyes and change some people’s point of view. It was a pleasure interviewing you. Your answers definitely have an impact on me. Thank you so much for your time. You are an inspiration to me and I am glad to have had you as my interview parter. You deserve nothing but the BEST.