REMEMBERING RENEE`

In August of 2007, I was invited to cover a speech by Renee` at the Annual “Horizon of Hope” fundraiser in Westlake. Renee` had been chosen to be the Keynote speaker for that event.

Renee` spoke about how she found out the first time she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.

A phone call with her Doctor on a November morning is how she found out. “I am told over the phone at 8 in the morning that I have to go in and see the Doctor because I have Breast Cancer. My body and my mind feel numb, I could not breathe, I could not speak. All I could feel is numbness and the thought; I am going to die.” Laubenthal beat it, only to discover 5 years later that it had returned.

From beginning to end Renee` had the audience glued to her every word during her 20 minute speech. Throughout the speech there was laughter and of course tears. Perhaps the most touching moment of the speech came at the end when she spoke of the support she received from her family and friends.

Near the end of her speech she invited a number of family members, including her Aunt, and friends to stand so she could thank them for their continued support. She called them her “team”; “Without them I would not have had the will, the strength, the courage or the motivation to overcome my bouts with Breast Cancer. Gandhi said; “Some people say courage takes incredible difficult strength” I say it takes indomitable will.”

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