Meet RSM Pursue Your Passion Winner: Shelley Moreno

Shelly Moreno | Senior Associate | Los Angeles, CA

I was given an incredible gift and I want to pay it forward. After surviving breast cancer two times as a single mother of a now eight year old boy, I, of course, feel blessed to be alive. And at the same time, I also felt something I didn’t expect. In the face of the aftermath of the harsh, but necessary treatments and five surgeries, I felt shattered. There was so much to process and grieve. My heart was broken at the special times I had lost with my son. I laid in bed for months while I watched everyone on Facebook take vacations, have babies and go on with life. I had constant fatigue and I quietly distressed over how the treatments had left my appearance. I looked drastically different and who I knew myself to be was gone. As a result of steroids and hormone suppression, I gained 20 pounds, have spots on my skin and a tired swollen face. Telling people how bad I really felt, seemed too embarrassing so I tried to hide it. Like many women, I have always been plagued with perfectionism- having it all: the perfect work/ family balance and looking great while doing it. After all, as a mother, isn’t it my job to take care of everyone else I thought. With cancer, this was impossible. Redefining who I am is the biggest gift cancer has offered me. Through others, I got the courage to talk about my inner struggles and learn just how magnificent I am. Just the way I am. 

My healing journey began when I stopped by a cancer store for women to thank the woman who worked there for her kindness throughout the years of my diagnosis. A simple thank you turned into so much more. I let her know the cancer was gone, but that I was struggling with how I looked. The woman’s face lit up, and she told me I had to call the Hallmark Channel’s Home and Family television show. The show was looking for a breast cancer survivor to share their story on an upcoming episode for breast cancer awareness month, and I was a perfect candidate. 

Doubting oneself physically is such a personal and private concern, and a lot of times people feel isolated and even embarrassed, thinking that they were “better” before cancer and treatment forced these physical changes. 

Soon I would meet their Emmy winning makeup artist Jan Ping who was also a single mother and a survivor of breast cancer. Jan has made it her mission to help breast cancer survivors feel their beauty not only on the outside, but on the inside. Jan explained that doubting oneself physically is such a personal and private concern, and a lot of times people feel isolated and even embarrassed, thinking that they were “better” before cancer and treatment forced these physical changes She says, treatment is vital. However, how we feel about our self image is also vitally important. It can affect our mood, our energy, and even our will to move forward onto a healthy, happy future. While talking with Jan, my heart began to melt. Jan understood me better than I even understood myself. And she had made it through the other side. I appeared on national television with Jan and my son and told my story. The hosts of the show looked me in my eyes and really took the time to hear the feelings of what I went through. My own father said he had no idea how I felt until he saw the show. On the show, I was given a make-over and gifted a trip on the 11th annual Thrivers Cruise to the Carribean sponsored by Breast cancer Wellness Magazine. The makeover helped me find a beauty I forgot I had. I was empowered for the first time in a long time. The spring in my step was back with new purpose. 

This cruise is the longest running cruise event in the world that celebrates breast cancer survivorship. It is sponsored by the Breast Cancer Wellness Magazine which is a national publication that focuses on whole person care after diagnosis. Beverly Vote, the publisher of the magazine describes the cruise as a place where breast cancer survivors from across the country can come together and be heard and understood and celebrate each other and the milestones in their lives. 

The power of being understood cannot be underestimated. The process of being understood through the Hallamrk show, the magazine and incredible people like Jan Ping is what brought me back to life. I would like to partner with RSM to bring the Power of Being Understood to breast cancer survivors. I would use the award money to work with Jan Ping and Beverly Vote of Breast Cancer Wellness Magazine to impact the lives of seven breast cancer survivors by providing a travel package for each of them to go on the 2017 Breast Cancer Thrivers Cruise with me, and have a makeover experience with Jan so they too can feel the new sense of inner beauty, self-compassion and purpose I felt. 

In the spirit of paying it forward, a video will be created of these seven makeover experiences with breast cancer survivors from the Los Angeles area so they too can share their transformation. They will be randomly selected from area breast cancer nonprofits and support groups. With this video, many more breast cancer survivors will be reminded that they are not alone. 

What Jan guided me to see is that breast cancer does not take away my real beauty but in fact helps me to define what the essence of beauty really is. Helping other women survivors own their strength and beauty has become my new passion. It invigorates me and guides me. I feel a part of something so much bigger than me. And my son has a Mom that is thriving.