By: Emily Viramontes
Comfort, empowerment, and guidance in times of pain and sickness is what Chia Wollschlager is seeking to offer in her website titled Chia’s Silver Linings. A breast cancer survivor herself, Chia was inspired to create a space for cancer patients to connect with others, empower themselves through education, and guide family and friends in offering comfort and empathy. After her recovery, Chia sold her business and started Chia’s Silver Lining realizing there was a void in services offered to cancer patients. She wanted to create a place for those with cancer to feel empowered, to change their mind set, and to find support in others’ journey.
“There are lives that we can change and it’s quality of life I’m trying to give.”
Chia believes that education is vital for empowering cancer patients and seeks to provide, in her website, “what I wish I had learned in the process.” Patients can visit her blog where others are able to share their knowledge to guide others from their own experiences. She also offers “Here + Now Meet-ups” at Whole Foods for patients and family members to learn about insurance options, the importance of getting a second opinion, and how to sift through the plethora of internet information.
Chia’s mission is to provide patients and loved ones with what she calls the three C’s: compassion, comfort, and community. Compassion is given through support and education. In the blog section, she stresses the importance of being educated. In a time that can be overwhelming and scary, she creates a space for patients to access guidance and information.
Comfort is found through the website’s comfort boutique. The boutique offers products that keep wellness in mind and guide loved ones to provide support for those suffering from cancer. In her experience, Chia learned how much comfort from family and friends meant to her. Her mission is to give guidance to loved ones of cancer patients. Her products help loved ones show they care, and the gift selection offers a way to demonstrate support and consolation. Her products range from inspirational journals, prayer books, inspirational books, and comfort packages with slippers and aroma therapy. Her products are intended to care for patients’ mental and spiritual wellness through their journey.
Community, she explains, is a whole new movement of support. She connects patients with cancer and loved ones together through “Here + Now Meet-Ups”, focusing on information sharing, creating a community of healing and comfort. The monthly evening events are hosted by businesses vested in the healing journey. Each meet-up has a different theme of education and wellness with guest speakers, presentations, and activities. These meet-ups function similar to a support group connecting patients, survivors, and loved ones, to give those with cancer a healing space to share their journey. Chia believes in the power of connection and support in the healing process. The meet-ups are located at Whole Foods, and patients and family members are welcome to the free services offered there. Information about the time and dates of the “Here + Now Meet-ups” can be found on her website.
Chia’s experience as a cancer survivor was her motivation in creating Chia’s Silver Linings. She explains how her own experience shook her entire life. As a single mother of two children, she recalls how support systems and being surrounded by strong people made a difference in her recovery. When she was going through radiation treatment, she realized her daily jogs to the hospital were making her stronger. Chia’s doctors were surprised by her fast recovery and determined attitude. She realized, through her experiences, that she had the power to change her mindset. By introducing healthier life choices and a healthier attitude she changed her life. She used this vital aspect of her own recovery to create Chia’s Silver Linings.
For more info visit www.chiasilverlining.com
