We found out my husband had Hodgkins Lymphoma right before Christmas. After a little research about diets and its impact on the body, we thought we’d try a plant based diet. The problem was, I didn’t know how to be a vegan and my husband was an over the top carnivore and otherwise very picky eater. I tried to satisfy his palate but was failing miserably. The added challenge of Chemo’s effect on the taste buds made the situation even worse. We were introduced to Susan Francis through a cousin and decided if we were going to do this, we needed help. We flew Susan to New Jersey from North Carolina for a five-day crash course in the vegan lifestyle. Susan began educating me from the moment I picked her up. I realized very quickly that Susan was dedicated and passionate about this lifestyle. We started out at the Whole Foods Store where she helped me stock up on the essentials ingredients to get us started. Susan proved to be so compassionate and resourceful as she navigated our skittish acceptance of new flavors and textures. The experience was more than the food we cooked. We ate of course, but we also meditated, and exercised, shared our truths and created a special bond. It’s been about 2 month and things are going pretty well, but not perfect. Still, I’m grateful for the time we shared and realize that I will be forever impacted by what Susan taught me about food and what I learned about myself in the short time we spent together. We’ve stayed in touch and she continues to educate and inspire us on this life journey.