Strive’To’Thrive!’worldwide.streamer.espeakers.com/assets/5/22515/113644.pdf · coordination and balance, making walking difficult. Partial paralysis of her face and vocal cords

Strive  To  Thrive!  ShariBookstaff.com  

 You  can  work  hard  to  achieve  your  goals  under  any  circumstance.  Let  me  show  you  how!  These  four  techniques  can  help  change  the  way  you  feel,  think,  and  live.    

*Focus  on  what  you  CAN  change,  not  on  what  you  CAN’T  change.  *Don't  be  afraid  to  try  something  new  and  difficult.  *Do  the  best  you  can  with  the  resources  you  have.  *Modify  your  goals  but  stay  true  to  yourself.  

 During  a  20-­‐60  minute  program,  you  will  explore  these  techniques,  leaving  with  an  understanding  of  how  to  implement  them  in  your  own  life.  Living  by  these  mantras,  I  followed  my  dreams  of  becoming  a  marine  biologist,  and  thrived  in  my  career  as  a  Biology  Professor.  A  benign  brain  tumor  practically  derailed  my  life.  I  lost  virtually  all  of  my  basic  human  functions.  A  planned  9-­‐day  hospital  stay  turned  into  9  months  of  grueling  rehabilitation.  I  have  worked  hard  every  day  since  to  regain  my  dignity,  my  livelihood,  and  my  spirit.  I  am  living  proof  that  determination,  hard  work,  and  positivity  are  the  cornerstones  to  overcoming  tragedy.  Let  my  story  inspire  you  and  your  colleagues  to  aspire  to,  and  attain  loftier  goals.    I  learned  that  life's  lemons  come  in  all  shapes  and  sizes,  but  they  are  always  obvious.  Throughout  my  journey,  I  realized  that  you  can’t  always  spin  tragedy  into  triumph,  (or  lemons  into  lemonade)  no  matter  how  optimistic  your  attitude.  However,  accepting  positive  thoughts  or  actions  into  your  heart  can  help  you  to  gain  the  strength  and  fortitude  to  handle  life's  lemons.  I  call  these  positive  entities  “cranberries.”    When  Life  Throws  You  Lemons...Make  Cranberry  Juice!        My  story  is  unique  and  you  will  leave  the  room  feeling  like  there  is  nothing  you  can’t  conquer!  I  am  available  to  inspire  your  organization.  My  various  programs  are  described  in  my  speaker’s  kit.    My  rates  are  negotiable—I  will  work  within  your  budget.    Thank  you  so  much  and  I  hope  to  hear  from  you  soon!      Accept  Life’s  Cranberries!  

 Shari  Bookstaff,  M.A.  650-­‐491-­‐4601  [email protected]      

Shari’s Biography  

Shari is a devoted single mother of two wonderful children, and a biology professor at Skyline College (since 1990), specializing in marine mammals. She founded and ran the local chapter of the American Cetacean Society from 1999-2006, and she has co-chaired Skyline's Expanding Your Horizons in Math and Science Conference (EYH) since 1992.

Before her brain surgery, Shari was an active biology professor, walking and talking without difficulty. She supervised marine mammal field projects, gave dynamic lectures, and walked on the beach regularly. Her life changed forever when complications ensued following the removal of a benign brain tumor. Her body lacked coordination and balance, making walking difficult. Partial paralysis of her face and vocal cords made speaking difficult.

Her life changed drastically, and she has worked hard every day to regain basic human functions, her dignity, her livelihood, and her spirit. As a single mother of two wonderful children, she owed it to them to do everything she could to reach her full potential.

As a teacher and marine biologist, walking and speaking were critical to resuming her career. Shari shares her story of how her great determination and willingness to try new tactics revived her career—and her life! Shari recently added a service dog to her life. Gromitt accompanies her everywhere, picking up items, opening doors, and helping her manage more independently. He helps her as she continues to strive to thrive!

Programs  

 PROGRAMS STRIVE TO THRIVE! INSPIRATIONAL / LIFE-CHANGING It didn't take brain surgery for Shari to realize how much she loved her career, but she certainly gained appreciation for its stability. A good education gives you choices, flexibility, and power. Unexpected, dramatic, life-altering bumps in the road happen to everyone along life's journey and being better prepared leads to a better outcome. Don't settle for "surviving. Strive to thrive! This presentation works for all adult audiences as Shari shares her story of survival and determination and how she modified her career to match her abilities. FIRST DO NO HARM INSPIRATIONAL / LIFE-CHANGING EDUCATIONAL / INFORMATIVE Medical professionals are amazing in their quest to save lives every day. No "but," you are amazing! Especially difficult is remembering that a completely non-responsive patient may be aware of EVERYTHING going on around them. When I was in ICU for almost a month, on tracheotomy and feeding tubes, completely dependent on nurses, doctors, and therapists, what I craved most was non-medical, human contact. Let me share my story with you and help you be even more effective. WHAT'S UP DOC? INSPIRATIONAL / LIFE-CHANGING EDUCATIONAL / INFORMATIVE Communicating with your doctor can be as difficult as being sick! The more educated you are, the better. Even if you don't know all the terms, and you wouldn't know a medulla oblongata if it hit you over the head, you can still be armed with tools on those doctor visits. Shari reminds us that doctors are human and she reminds doctors that patients are people. A little bit of science is included, but as Shari is an experienced teacher, she gets her point across!

THE POWER OF EDUCATION INSPIRATIONAL / LIFE-CHANGING EDUCATIONAL / INFORMATIVE Shari has always believed that education is the key to success. Following her brain tumor and subsequent obstacles, Shari's education helped her to remain in her home, live with her kids, and go back to work. Her education saved her life! A good education gives you choices, flexibility, and power. Listen to Shari's story--you will be more motivated than ever to continue your education! WOOF! INSPIRATIONAL / LIFE-CHANGING EDUCATIONAL / INFORMATIVE Gromitt, Shari's service dog, has been a fantastic addition to her life. Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) breeds, raises, trains, and provides dogs to people who need them free of charge. Shari will share her story, focusing on the great impact Gromitt has had. She applied for and recieved a service dog by following her own advice, "Focus on what you CAN change, not on what you CAN'T change." FIRST AND TEN INSPIRATIONAL / LIFE-CHANGING EDUCATIONAL / INFORMATIVE Before meeting my neurosurgeon for the first time, my dad and I joked that the surgery should have all first-downs and touchdowns, no Hail Mary's or even punts! Let me show you how football got me through my darkest hours. Remembering that an NFL Quarterback doesn't stop playing and take a knee unless they are WINNING inspired me to continue my rehab, write a book, receive my Black Belt in karate, and return to my career as a Biology Professor. Let me help you use your love for the game to motivate you to work hard to achieve your goals no matter what obstacles you face!  

Tes$monials  

Thank you SO SO much for your presentation tonight. It/you were wonderful! You were so well prepared, it was a perfect timing and your material and your story were uplifting and a very important message for all of us. Thank you, again. You certainly have an important message, and you deliver it beautifully. J.H., VICE-PRESIDENT, MARIN SOROPTIMISTS (VERIFIED @AOL.COM) Shari Bookstaff spoke at the community college I attended and let me tell you, "Inspirational" should be included in her title! Everyone attending was inspired, and there was not a dry eye in the house after she relayed her story. If ever there was a "Mighty Mouse" hero (or heroine, in her case!), it would be her. The adversity she has overcome would have been to most people insurmountable. Yet through hard work, discipline, and tenacity, Shari learned how to talk and walk again, clawing her way back to where she was before-all this while raising 2 young children on her own! She is an active part of the community, and a Marine Biologist and Professor at Skyline College. Shari's teenage children are bright individuals that have volunteered in the community for years, giving back just as mom taught them. At the end of her story, she raffles off one of her books, and I was the lucky one to have won! Her book goes into even greater depth than what she shares with the audience, making you appreciate and admire her even more! The presentation she gave us was in powerpoint, but a colleague of mine saw her in a restaurant venue-just casual seating of 15 or so at a large, round table. If ever you need to motivate or inspire a crowd, Shari will leave you feeling like there's nothing you can't conquer! C.P., STUDENT, SKYLINE COLLEGE (NOT VERIFIED)  

Press  

t heskylineview.co m http://www.theskylineview.com/sports/2010/05/05/how-effective-is-the-nintendo-wii-fo r-therapybr/

How effective is the Nintendo Wii for therapy?

The Skyline View > Sports >

(Katherine Ramirez)

Antoinette EstigoyMay 5, 2010 • 623 viewsFiled under Sports

Skyline’s adaptive physical education department is embracing a pilot study that utilizes the Nintendo Wii Fit asa complementary tool used in conjunction with rehabilitation training.

The purpose of this project is to improve the coordination and balance of students who have been impactedby some sort of brain injury, disease or other correlated condition.

The Wii Fit of f ers students f rom the adaptive physical education classes a dif f erent type of medium in whichthey are able to test, review and record their f itness goals.

The study is appropriated tit led Wii-hab, which is coined af ter the rehabilitative properties expected of theNintendo Wii. In terms of assisting students who have been af f ected by brain injuries, the data will be usef ulwhen comparing the value of using the Wii f or physical therapy purposes versus training without it.

Skyline biology prof essor Shari Bookstaf f and adaptive physical education prof essor Chip Chandler have beeninstrumental in getting the Wii-hab program up and running.

This undertaking is the f irst-ever pilot study that Skyline’s adaptive PE department has proposed and

administered. Despite that f act, Bookstaf f and Chandler, who are both volunteering their t ime, have a well-organized system with a group of volunteer students that make up the control group as well as test subjects.

Bookstaf f has composed a specialized class f or biology students to work with adaptive PE students to studythe potential f or the Nintendo Wii Fit to be advantageous f or adaptive PE students with brain injuries.

Chandler has had people brought to him that have been conf ined to a wheelchair f or 20 to even 30 years andhas been able to get them walking again. He said of tentimes, people who have brain injuries are not given anyhope. He empathizes with patients who are recovering f rom brain injuries and are told by their physician not tolook f or changes or improvements af ter six months to a year.

“I have f ound over the many years that I have been working with adaptive PE students, that there is no end toimprovement,” Chandler said.

Chandler is a f irm believer in brain plasticity—the brain’s capacity to build neural connections and the ability torelearn aspects of living that normally come as second nature.

“People who have survived any type of brain injury need to relearn automatic movements as if they aren’tautomatic,” Chandler said. “It ’s harder to learn the basic f unctions of walking, eating, and dressing than it is f orother people that have had any other kind of disease.”

Ten students were recruited f rom Chandler ’s adaptive physical education class to participate in the pilot study.However, the Wii-hab program is not intended to act as a substitute f or the students’ regular training sessions.Rather, the program was created to supplement their current exercise regimen.

The sessions are broken down into a total of 23 consultations f or each test subject and control subject.Exercises involve a series of balance tests and balance training on a bi-weekly basis. The balance testsconsist of f our exercises: standing balance, horizontal balance, step test and balance using a dynadisk. Thebalance training is comprised of three Wii Fit games: ski- jump, table t ilt , and soccer. All of the studentparticipants f rom each group train two times a week, doing three sets of each game.

Testing f or the Wii-hab pilot study of f icially commenced during the f irst week of February, and will wrap f or thesemester during the week of May 3.

Chandler f oresees the program expanding to have multiple Wii Fit stations f or more adaptive physicaleducation students to utilize.

“This is only the beginning,” Chandler said. “We hope to pave the way f or other schools.”

One of the volunteers of the Wii-hab program, Jennif er Cressman, believes that the timing in which Bookstaf fand Chandler appealed f or a grant f rom the President’s Innovation Fund to buy the Wii Fit was quite f ortuitous.

Cressman conveyed how conf ident she was in the Wii-hab program and in Bookstaf f and Chandler ’s presencein leading the development of what may eventually become an important program in terms of research andstudy f or the physical education department.

This is Cressman’s third semester as a student of the adaptive PE class taught by Chandler. Af ter being hit bya cab in 1982, Cressman was still seeking help af ter 26 years of recovery in terms of regaining bettercomprehensive physical coordination when she came to Skyline’s adaptive PE program.

“The more I learn about my brain, the easier I f eel it will be to create new neurological pathways,” Cressmansaid. “And I’m getting more inf ormation about the brain’s ability to recover now than f rom my doctors when Iwas in the hospital.”

Cressman plans to continue to volunteer f or the Wii-hab study f or a long time to come, not only because it isf or a cause dear to her, but because it has the potential to af f ect change f or other people with brain injuriesas well, simply by using an alternative dimension of therapy.

“I f eel that because of this technology, there is hope f or people like me,” Cressman said.The biology students analyzing the data in Bookstaf f ’s biology class are in their f inal stretch and will becomparing and analyzing the data in the coming weeks.

Chandler and Bookstaf f are anticipating the progression of the Wii-hab program in the coming semesters.

“We know it does help people recovering f rom brain injuries—we just have to prove it works,” Chandler said.“We’re on the cutting edge here and we f eel really good about it.”

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t heskylineview.co m http://www.theskylineview.com/features/2010/10/27/kick-high-for-life-a-true-inspirationbr/

Kick high for life; a true inspiration

Filed under Features

Kick high f or lif e; a true inspiration

Four years have passed since Shari Bookstaf f , a Skyline Biology teacher, had her brain tumor surgery. Doctorsclaimed that af ter her surgery it would only take weeks f or her to recover but it turned out to be months, andthen years.

And now she’s up on her f eet again thriving through lif e and embracing what it has to of f er: Last Saturday,Shari Bookstaf f received her black belt in Karate.

The ceremony gathered honorary guests including Great Grand Master Ming Lam, Prof essor Janet Gee, andSensei Jerry Jaeger who came to witness the students claim their success.

This kind of ceremony happens once every two to three years. Each time the karate center has a big number ofjunior students who attempt to tests to have their black belt.

Gathering the grand masters f rom dif f erent places is also a f actor of having this ceremony once every two tothree years only.

Sensei Lee Byrd the owner and head Instructor of the Family Martial Arts Center of Pacif ica was very proud tobe a great part of the black belt promotion of Shari Bookstaf f , her colleague Pat Carter, and his students.

“In running the karate center, I never turn any students away despite any disabilit ies,” said Lee. “I let them showtheir potential.”

Bookstaf f , along with her sister Patricia Carter, a Laboratory Technician f rom Skyline’s Biology Department,has achieved the f ruits of their labor. Training and working f or a black belt takes time and ef f ort, taking almostseven years to complete.

David Durkin, Lee’s student, was all out in helping Bookstaf f f or her preparation in black belt promotion.

Karate helps her exercise to gain back her coordination and balance. In addition to that, with the help ofadaptive physical education prof essor Chip Chandler, the Wii-hab program, video game rehabilitation, is nowhelping Bookstaf f get up and running again.

“It takes her hours to burn movement in her mind and body… Shari as a student is an inspiration, she’s outthere and gives her all, bef ore and af ter her surgery,” said Lee.

Bookstaf f f irst took up karate with her kids to develop a bond in 2005. She never thought of having a blackbelt; in f act she did it just f or f un.

“At f irst I didn’t have a goal, I just wanted to play,” Bookstaf f said.

Sensei Lee encouraged Bookstaf f to pursue karate, get back on the mat and aim f or that black belt.

“It was all about surviving, learning all the basics again,” said Bookstaf f .

The ceremony and black belt promotion was a reward of Bookstaf f ’s hard work. Karate was something that

gave her f amily and f riends bonding sessions as well.

“She was like everyone else,” Carter said. “She was a go-getter in karate, active and strong, she even got meinto karate!”

Carter and Bookstaf f have been working together almost 15 years at Skyline and have been training f or karatef or f ive years.

“There is something about karate that when you’re doing it, all you’re thinking about is doing karate,” saidBookstaf f . “Not the laundry, not doing work; It ’s not about anything else but you and hitt ing the target. It ’swhere you can leave your worries.”

She shares her rigors and hardships in lif e which is written on her very own book, “When Lif e Throws youLemons, Make Cranberry Juice!”

Bookstaf f ’s lif e chapter is true evidence of courage and what kind of mindset she had as a karate student.

She continues f ighting using pre-arranged techniques in karate known as “Kata” and struggles with what lif ehas to of f er regardless of the challenges she had to overcome.

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t heskylineview.co m http://www.theskylineview.com/features/2010/04/23/she-calls-herself-a-work-in-progressbr/

She calls herself a work in progress

The Skyline View > Features >

Shari Bookstaf f , author of "When Lif e Throws You Lemons…Make Cranberry Juice!" (Antoinette Estigoy)

Antoinette EstigoyApril 23, 2010 • 1,642 viewsFiled under Features

On Monday April 19, Shari Bookstaf f , a marine biologist and biology prof essor at Skyline College, presentedher story about the rigors of lif e af ter having surgery to remove a brain tumor.

Bookstaf f wrote about her journey in a book tit led, “When Lif e Throws You Lemons…Make Cranberry Juice!”chronicling memorable moments post her operation.

In July of 2006, Bookstaf f had undergone invasive surgery to remove an acoustic neuroma—a benign braintumor. Doctor ’s had reassured her that the typical recovery time was brief , but she soon f ound that neither hersurgery nor recovery time was a typical one.

What was supposed to be a f ive to 10 day recovery period in the hospital became nearly nine months. Af terbeing the subject of multiple tests, injections, and under the caref ul supervision of the doctors and nurses,Bookstaf f was able to return home to her children and dogs, which provided her ult imate comf ort during adif f icult t ime.

“When people are going through a tough time, others grasp f or the ‘right’ words to say,” Bookstaf f said.

She thought that many of the trait sayings were too cliché, giving the crowd examples of ones that she wouldhear t irelessly, such as “It could be worse,” or “Think posit ive.”

Bookstaf f ’s recreation of the f amous line, “When lif e throws you lemons, make lemonade” to “When lif ethrows you lemons…make cranberry juice,” truly ref lects her character. She is known f or f inding the humor andwit in lif e’s idiosyncrasies—which is made apparent in the tit le of her book, which was published in 2009.

This book illustrates her view on how to exercise your right to choose what you want out of lif e—and f orBookstaf f , that meant that she did not have to take lif e’s sour lemons as they came, or to simply settle f ormaking “lemonade f rom lemons.” Rather, she f elt that we all have the ability to garnish what we have been givenin lif e—and she personally aimed to sweeten it up—literally and f iguratively.

“The whole point of my book is to look f or the good things in spite of the bad things,” Bookstaf f said.

Bookstaf f is not one f or settling, and in this case, she was adamant on changing the sour drudgery of realityto something more palatable by adding her own twist—sugar and cranberry juice—and making her drink ofchoice, lemon cranberry juice.

But no matter which way you spin it, the reality of the matter is that Bookstaf f will never live like she hadbef ore she was diagnosed with cancer. Although her doctor assured her that she had “excellent prognosis,” noone had f oresight into how her f uture would instead become a grand undertaking.

To many people’s ease, Bookstaf f survived. But unf ortunately, she is challenged every day of her lif e by theaf ter ef f ects of the brain tumor.

It is “like removing a bird’s nest f rom lots of branches,” Bookstaf f said, repeating the example her doctor hadgiven her to describe the complexity of her operation.

She never expected or could have prepared herself f or what came next—a tracheostomy (the creation of anartif icial opening through the trachea to aid in breathing), or having to relearn things that come naturally, suchas breathing.

It is f our years since her surgery and she still has minimal sensation in her right arm, as well as a decline incoordination of her lef t arm. In addition, she occasionally experiences speech distortion.

Although she has wanted to give up at t imes, the hope f or a better f uture and the thought of her two childrenis what has kept her going.

“A lif e of rehab” is how she explained lif e in the af termath of her operation.

“It has been a lif estyle change,” Bookstaf f said. “Automatic f unctions had to be practiced—I had to exercise toblink.”

Chip Chandler, adaptive physical education teacher at Skyline College, has known Bookstaf f f or over 20 yearsand has been her personal trainer since 2007, helping to guide her successf ully on her road to recovery.

“When I f irst started working with her, she could barely walk with a walker,” Chandler said. “I wanted her toimprove quickly, so I worked her hard doing a variety of exercises. I had to make it so that she was challengingthe circuitry of her brain.”

Bookstaf f ’s gait is true evidence of the progress that she has made. Today, Chandler continues to push herlimits to strengthen the condition of her physical body and conjointly, strengthening her mental willpower.

Bookstaf f ’s return to Skyline as a Biology prof essor was driven by her passion f or teaching. But this t imearound, it was not marine mammal science that she was gearing up f or. It was to teach a dif f erent subjectaltogether—brain science. She desired to share her experiences f irsthand with students.

She is hoping to continue to teach on a f ull t ime basis as her condition continues to improve. With the help ofher f amily, f riends, and trainer, she proves resolute in her ef f ort to overcome her condition—and through it,she remains resilient.

“I have come to realize that even when you don’t f eel like doing something, you just have to do it—to keepgoing,” Bookstaf f said. “Just by going through the motions, you’ll f eel better—and eventually your emotionswill catch up.”

For more information about Bookstaff’s book, visit: http://www.wix.com/lemonsandcranberries/lemons

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