As many of you know, October is breast cancer awareness month. In February 2011, my mother received a breast cancer diagnosis on her birthday. To this day, I can tell you exactly where I was when Mom called to let me know. Breast cancer did not run in our family and Mom and I were both shocked with her diagnosis. Ever since that day, I have made sure that I have my annual mammograms and do self-checks regularly.
While attending the TNWOMEN CONNECT conference, earlier this month, I had the privilege of meeting Jessica Baladad, founder of “Feel For Your Life”. Jessica is a 5-year cancer survivor who became a passionate advocate when her practitioner dismissed a malignant lump in her breast during a clinical exam. She was in her early 30’s when diagnosed. As a result of her diagnosis, Jessica developed the “Feel For Your Life” app. This app offers both a monthly reminder for self-checks as well as “how-to” illustrations so that a self-check is performed correctly.
You can find the app via the Appstore by searching: Feel For Your Life. If you would like to learn more about Jessica and her mission, you may visit her website at: feelforyourlife.com.
-Crystal Walker
Secure File Uploading
Recently, we have had a couple of situations where clients had health issues and we were unable to assist their family members with navigating the financial components of caring for their loved one because they were not familiar with our team, and we did not have copies of their planning documents or the family member’s authority to act. It is extremely important that once you do your planning, you share those documents with people who can assist, like our team. PLEASE also be sure to have a family meeting to discuss your planning team (us, your accountant, attorney) and documents so your family or those you’ve selected to assist you are aware of who to reach out to and how best to honor your wishes should an emergency arise. These documents are NOT just about when you pass, but also, and more importantly, about how to care for you while you are living.
We encourage clients to provide copies of their estate planning documents, including POAs, so if there is ever a family emergency, we are prepared to best assist you and your family. We are also happy to help you review your planning documents and if your accounts here are structured in alignment with your planning goals. Please use the secure upload link, or request your estate planning attorney’s office send us a copy of your documents if you don’t have a digital copy readily available.