I vividly recall sitting on the floor of my shower with water and tears streaming down my face trying to figure it all out. I could not stop thinking . . . Why? Why me? What did I do wrong?
On July 28, 2005, my son’s first birthday, I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of thirty-three. My life was flashing before my eyes as I struggled with the question if I was ready to die or not. It did not take me long to conclude I was not ready to die. I had a young child to live for! I knew I had to muster up the strength to get out of the shower and take care of my family, but nine months of chemotherapy and a year of surgeries to first remove my breasts, and then reconstruct them, left me weak, bald and hopeless.
After all that, my doctors told me I still had up to 40% chance of a recurrence. How could that possibly be? After everything I had done to fight my cancer over the past two years? I knew one thing for sure: I had to stay alive for my son, so I resolved to get up off the shower floor and do something about it.
Using A Breast Cancer Diagnosis To Drive Passion
I decided to investigate diet because I heard that food could have powerful healing attributes. I read everything I could get my hands on, and my journey led me to understand that a plant-based diet filled with raw vegetables could not only help detox my body from my breast cancer treatment, but it could potentially reduce my chances of a recurrence of my breast cancer. I was excited to find something that would finally be under my control. I found the most efficient way to consume raw veggies was to juice them, so I ordered my first juicer and started making a green juice every day. The effects were immediate and undeniable. I started to regain my energy, my hair quickly grew back, and my skin and eyes started to glow. I was blown away and determined that the right thing for me was to move to a fully plant-based diet.
It took several years of slowly eliminating animal protein from my diet, but when I finally got there, the results were amazing. Ten years later, I am still vegan and follow a plant-based diet, and it enables me to be the best version of myself each and every day.
I was so enthusiastic about my newfound fountain of youth that I could not keep it to myself. I started to share the benefits of a plant-based diet and drinking daily green juice with my friends and family. Over the years I had many converts, but after several months most would conclude that it was too difficult to use their juicer on a daily basis. I realized if I was going to get folks to stick to drinking a daily green juice, I was going to have to make it for them.
Turning Passion Into a Business
So after practicing corporate law for 18 years, I decided to set out to research the technology needed to produce cold-pressed green juice on a massive scale. My mission and vision was to get a daily green juice into the hands of every American. In December 2012, with the help of my cousin, I made 60 bottles of green juice, and early the next morning I took it to the farmer’s market. It was a massive hit, and Daily Greens was born. Today, just three and a half years later, Daily Greens is nationally distributed in over 3,000 retail outlets.
I am so proud of everything that Daily Greens has accomplished, but I will not forget my roots and the struggle that lead me to this place. I will never forget the amazing services I received from Young Survival Coalition all those years ago. I was bald and still in treatment when I attended the YSC National Summit for the first time. I will never forget the feeling of walking into a room with 500+ other young women with breast cancer. I said to myself, “I am not alone”. Words can’t describe the overwhelming feeling of sisterhood and companionship I felt at that conference.
When I started Daily Greens, I knew I wanted our mission to include raising money and awareness for YSC and other organizations that provide services to young women battling breast cancer. Since its inception, Daily Greens has donated a percent of our sales directly to Young Survival Coalition in support of their amazing mission to ensure no young women face breast cancer alone!
Eleven years later, I now know the answer to the 'Why?' I was meant to go on my breast cancer journey so that I could help bring a message of health and hope!
Join us in Oakland, CA for 3 inspiring days of learning and leave feeling empowered. Connect with other young survivors and co-survivors who understand what you're going through and hear from expert speakers addressing the unique issues--like fear of recurrence, health wellness, medical and research updates, dating and relationships, and leaving a legacy--that young women with breast cancer face.
The Early Bird registration fee is $145 per person until January 8, 2017, and then $160 until March 3. Fee waivers and travel grants are available to those who qualify, and fundraising options are available to offset expenses.
About the Author
Shauna R. Martin is the Founder & CEO, Daily Greens and the creator of Daily Greens 4-day Cleanse. In January of this year, she joined YSC's board of directors.
