In this blog post, our President Sheila Hailstone reflects on the launch of her book and how Toastmasters has helped achieve this success. Enjoy!
It’s been quite a month. After a highly successful book launch in July, at Turanga (Christchurch Central Library), I was delighted when the ensuing media publicity resulted in Turanga purchasing 4 of my books for the Canterbury community. It just felt right, as if I was in this amazing circular community bartering system.
I paid the library to hire a room. People came, which created publicity, which resulted in an article in the newspaper. The publicity resulted in people in the community asking the library to purchase the books. The library purchased the books and I sent the money to Breast Cancer Cure to support their work in research. My objective of helping make deaths from this disease history in your lifetime became one step closer. My oncologist purchased the last printed book left over from my book launch. Yes, true! I sent $1900 to Breast Cancer Cure.
No, that’s not going to result in world-breaking research. But as the little boy once said, as he threw one starfish back in the water, on a beach covered in dying starfish, “it made a difference to that starfish.” We have no idea what the smallest action can result in. My efforts are ongoing, I am figuratively picking up more starfish.
My book Dancing Around Canceris on the Amazon Website and both the paper and e-book can be purchased through the Amazon US website. All the profits raised will go to Breast Cancer Cure. A dear friend in Germany, and a fellow cancer sufferer, sent me a message to say her book group will buy digital copies for their next book discussion. So you see more starfish …
I am also investigating getting the book printed here to save the cost of postage. So do let me know if you are interested in getting a copy this way.
We recorded my interview at the library book launch, with CWC Toastmaster and comedian Laura Bruce. I will be putting that on my website this week. So if you missed out you can still enjoy it on… www.cancer-cancan.com . (Remember the hyphen.)
If you’re not a member of our Christchurch Women’s Toastmasters group, why don’t you come and visit us? We meet every Friday at lunchtime. Meet my amazing team of women and find out why we were awarded top community-focused club in New Zealand for the past two years running.
Sheila Hailstone DTM
President CWC Toastmasters