The Voice That Wouldn’t Be Silenced: One Woman’s Fight Through Cancer, Trauma, and Near Death

Alicia Rush was in crisis and had reached the point where she no longer wanted to live. She gathered her medication and headed toward the woods, but then remembered it was her son’s birthday — a moment that interrupted her plan and helped pull her back.

It was not the only time Alicia felt that level of hopelessness. After thyroid cancer left her living with a tracheostomy, she felt isolated in her trauma and unsure how she could face the rest of her life.

Alicia never imagined that cancer would take away her voice — twice. After surviving two tracheostomies, multiple surgeries, and life-threatening complications, she discovered something even more powerful than words: the strength to keep sharing her story.

Today, Alicia speaks to anyone who has felt hopeless, reminding them that even in the darkest moments, there can still be a reason to hold on.

      Two trachs. Two near-deaths. And a powerful new purpose born from the pain.

What if surviving cancer wasn’t the hardest part?

At fifty, Alicia Baca Rush thought she was preparing for a new chapter in her life — but nothing could have prepared her for what came next. Diagnosed with Stage 2 thyroid cancer, Alicia faced more than surgeries and hospital rooms; she faced losing her voice, her independence, and nearly her life — twice.

In this raw, heart-wrenching, and ultimately uplifting memoir, Alicia shares her extraordinary journey through not one but two tracheotomies, life-threatening complications, and a relentless fight to reclaim her identity. She opens the door on moments few dare to speak about — the betrayal of a failing medical system, the loneliness of healing, and the emotional scars that linger long after the physical ones fade.

But this isn’t just a story of survival. It’s a story of resilience. Of finding purpose in pain, of discovering that even when your voice is reduced to a whisper, your message can roar louder than ever.

Perfect for readers navigating illness, trauma, or personal reinvention, The Good Kind of Cancer is a beacon of hope, honesty, and fierce determination. Alicia doesn’t shy away from the hard truths — including the fear, the setbacks, and the two times she nearly died — but she also shows us what’s possible when you choose to turn pain into power.

If you or someone you love has ever wondered “Why me?”, this book will remind you that even in your darkest moments, you are not alone — and that every breath you fight for has meaning.

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Do You Know How to Unlock Hope When Life Seems Hopeless?

In 2013, Colleen Murphy's daughter, Lauren, was hit by a car and suffered severe brain damage. This is a miracle story you do NOT want to miss. 

Colleen Murphy is a wife, mother of seven, author, and public speaker. 

Tragedy struck Colleen’s family when her second oldest daughter, Lauren, was hit by a car and suffered severe brain damage. Colleen’s main focus became helping piece Lauren back together again. With the help of specialists from all over the country, her family and friends, as well as her strong faith, she was able to do just that. 

Today, Colleen and Lauren speak together as a team, inspiring thousands of people by sharing the details of Lauren’s tragic accident, never-give-up attitude, and miraculous recovery.

Colleen shares this raw, incredible story in her interview and how to unlock hope -- when life seems hopeless:

"There are several low points in the book but one that stands out was when Lauren was an inpatient at RIC and they sent her to Northwestern Hospital for a CT scan, the nurse at RIC did not stay with her.

Lauren was still medically fragile, and I was inept at caring for her. She had C-diff and I had to try and clean her without help. Once I finished, she began vomiting and I had to launch myself across the metal bars of the bed to try and hold her head up, so she didn’t choke. I was soaked in vomit and scared. A while later the doctor finally came in to give me the findings of the CT scans and to let me know that Lauren would need a fourth brain surgery.

Suddenly the fact that I was soaked with vomit through my bra, was freezing, and had a bag full of diarrhea-covered clothes seemed rather insignificant."

Murphys Don’t Quit is a story of hope and resilience as one family rallies together during a tragedy.

Colleen Murphy's daughter, Lauren, suffered severe brain damage after a tragic accident. Lauren remained in the hospital unidentified for several hours, she was not expected to survive. This story is a raw, honest account of the pitfalls and challenges a family faces while navigating life through brain injury.

Murphys Don’t Quit shows how one family combined a never-give-up attitude with faith, hope, and love. Throughout the chapters, readers see not just the highs, but the heartbreaking lows.

Due to the family’s Irish wit, humor often diffuses the devastating subject matter. Through the many grueling hours of therapy and by visiting specialists all over the country, Lauren was able to find her way back to a life filled with purpose and is now a highly sought-after inspirational public speaker.

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How Do You Function When You Were Raised in a Dysfunctional Family?

How do you build a healthy relationship with your family when you grew up in a dysfunctional one? Are you ready to create that life and family you dream and desire? Would you like to know how to break off generational dysfunction? 

Phylis Mantelli is the author of the book Unmothered - Life with a Mom who Couldn't Love Me. She is a coach, mentor, speaker, and passionate advocate for helping women break off generational dysfunction. 

Through all the mess, even in her own journey of trials and mistakes, Phylis breaks through the pain and replaces it with the heart of a daughter who loves her mom unconditionally until her mom's passing in 2007.

After a failed marriage and the death of her baby boy, Phylis believed she did not deserve a happy life and family. She was broken. But she found her WORTH and can help you find yours too.

Your determination and life survival skills only last so long - Phylis shares how you can love unconditionally and overcome the pain of the past.

Phylis offers a six-week Patience and Grace Coaching course to help you create the family life you deserve and desire

Here is her remarkable story of the roller coaster journey of life with an alcoholic mother. She now coaches people on how to love unconditionally and overcome the pain of the past. 

In her memoir Unmothered, popular blogger and speaker Phylis Mantelli takes the reader on her roller-coaster journey of life with her alcoholic and narcissistic mother. 

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Phylis and her two siblings never know what to expect from their mom. The mom who bakes homemade chocolate chip cookies with hugs and smiles, or a raging, screaming mother who mocks and belittles them. The mom who cooks dinner, says a Hail Mary and promises she will do better, or the drunk mother who brings men home from bars and leads them to her daughters' room to show them off. Phylis just wants a mom who loves her and wants the best for her, but that mom rarely makes an appearance.

Though it breaks her heart to leave her baby sister behind, Phylis moves out of her mother's house as soon as she is able, hoping one day she will find the family of her dreams. 

What she discovers are more nightmares. Through it all, God never stops his pursuit of Phylis, and though she would like nothing more than to turn her back on her mother, every time her mom reaches out, Phylis takes her hand. 

By God's grace, Phylis eventually breaks through the pain and replaces it with a heart of a daughter who loves her mom unconditionally. Unmothered is a surprising memoir that offers hope and encouragement to those struggling with dysfunctional family relationships.

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How To Build Your Faith to Take Action on Your Dreams

 

Like many of us - Kevin Bjorklund had moments in his life where regardless of how many people gave him positive feedback, he felt like he had nothing of value. These moments created a sense of hopelessness.

Have you had moments like that?  Kevin is going to show us today how to recognize and identify those feelings and overcome them. 

Kevin's background is in film production. For the past ten years, Kevin studied the great leaders on personal development and success which ultimately lead him to a coaching program with Robert Proctor who is part of a legacy of leaders in this space of personal development, success, and mindset.

After being coached by him, Kevin became a consultant of the Proctor Gallagher Institute and has dedicated himself to helping people live a life of purpose, mastering their mindset, and tapping into their full potential.

Kevin shares how the power of the mind and what limits are placed on people through their mindset. He shows us how to alter old limiting beliefs to become leverage for a breakthrough. 

During his interview, Kevin answers many of the questions you may have on how to live a life of confidence and success, the importance of goals, and gaining a new perspective:

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The Life On Purpose Planner is the PERFECT PLANNER for AN IMPERFECT WORLD. Everyone wants the perfect system or plan, but for those who haven't found the perfect plan or system, this planner works for you. The Life On Purpose Planner helps you concentrate your mind and manage your time in harmony with your purpose, vision, and goals. The foundation of this planner is a concept called sprinting. You can create a series of sprints that allow you to remain disciplined in your consistency towards a plan while allowing yourself the freedom to make adjustments after each one.

CREATE SPRINTS: Create automation in your mind by using this daily planner. 

CHOOSE A SOUL ROUTINE: Your soul routine is a series of activities you choose to do every day to keep your Spirit, Soul, and Body in a healthy working condition. 

CHOOSE A GOAL ROUTINE: Your goal routine is a series of activities that you can do every single day that takes you closer and closer to the achievement of your goal.

IDENTIFY YOUR TO-DO ITEMS: How to manage your time

DAILY ACCOUNTABILITY: Reflecting on your commitments is something that should be done daily. 

QUOTES: Quotes allow you to glean from the wisdom of others in bite-size pieces.

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How to Turn Hopelessness to Hope and Be Successful No Matter What

Lafiro Gomez is a hemiplegic who fulfilled his dream of becoming a full-time author no matter what happened.

As a young man, Lafiro suffered a major stroke which nearly killed him and left him paralyzed. He survived that only to nearly die again due to a large ulcer. Yet, he survived but had to have his right leg amputated.

You don't want to miss Lafiro Gomez's story of survival and never giving up - no matter what. Here is his story of hopelessness turned to hope and success: