#GivingTuesday: Gratitude for My Journey to Peace

by Kim Green, Boundless Heart Fund Scholarship Recipient

When I applied for a scholarship to attend the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Course at Copper Beech Institute this year, I had a specific goal in mind. I was about to face one of the largest surgeries I have had and I knew there was going to be a lot of pain ahead of me. I have stage 4 metastatic breast cancer and have certainly had my fair share of pain. I wanted to learn a method to help me handle it this time.

When I did some research on MBSR and discovered that Jon Kabat-Zinn had originally designed the course for people struggling with chronic pain, I was all in! I never imagined that I would be in the hospital for almost two months, as I developed MRSA after surgery. I had countless tests, painful procedures, and needed two more significant operations. I used the skills I learned in MBSR every step of the way, every day.

I am still recovering and practicing mindfulness meditation daily. The MBSR course has allowed me to delve to new levels of meditation that I believe has been the cornerstone to my recovery. Less than six weeks since coming home from the hospital, I’m no longer on pain medication. My surgeons are astounded – and I am convinced that the relaxation and calm I achieve in my daily meditation is the reason for my progress.

Words cannot fully express the gratitude I feel to the Copper Beech Institute community – and to everyone who donates to The Boundless Heart Fund. I encourage you to help bring peace to more lives with a donation to the Boundless Heart Fund in any amount. When we become our best selves, we become a gift to others. And in this way, your gift is a loving circle of healing and hope.

Kim Green is a mother, wife, and author of the blog, Seventeen Years of Pink. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in June of 1989 at 34 years old. Her cancer has metastasized twice and she is now stage 4. Hers is the journey of living with cancer, raising a family and trying to keep a sense of humor. Kim participated in the MBSR course at Copper Beech Institute to help her cope with chronic pain and build resilience in her life.


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