I'm Erin

Over the course of 2017, my sister and best friend, Meghan, was diagnosed with three serious ailments in succession: an autoimmune disease, Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and a lung disease. Considering our father died from Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 1997, the cancer diagnosis was frightening and disheartening to our family. 

Unfortunately, we soon discovered that the cancer was the least of our worries. Meghan's lung disease was the real issue.  It was aggressive and rare which meant it would progress quickly but doctors had little knowledge of how to stop it.

During this time, I did my best to support Meghan. As time progressed, I realized that my knowledge and experience as a pharmaceutical sales trainer gave me a different perspective than most family members who care for a sick loved one. I put my professional training to work and strategically advocated for my sister by asking effective questions, figuring out a way to capture key conversations, conducting research using reliable websites, and more. I was determined to be the most influential advocate I could be for my loving sister.  

To our dismay, the next 13 months were painful and heartbreaking as we witnessed Meghan's condition worsen. No matter what the doctors did, the lung disease intensified. In the end, Meghan died three days shy of her 48th birthday. 

Since then, I have decided that my vision in life is to help others powerfully advocate for their loved one. In 2020, I published my first book, Badass Advocate: Becoming The Champion Your Seriously Ill Loved One Deserves. By sharing what I've learned, I can help other family caregivers to be Badass Advocates.

In the book Badass Advocate, I share an effective morning routine (named Five Rs) to help caregivers better balance self-care with patient care. In 2021, I published 4 journals to guide caregivers through the Five Rs. There are 4 journals: three 30-day journals (Cobalt Blue, Coral Pink, and Rose) and one 90-day journal. Each journal includes reflection questions, inspirational quotes, gratitude corners, mind maps, and more! These journals are a thoughtful gift for anyone dealing with a loved one's illness. 

In addition to the book and journals, I will continue to provide invaluable advice and resources through this website and social media (Facebook, LinkedIn & TikTok). I am confident that the information I provide can help any caregiver make a difference in their loved one’s healthcare experience. 

Sending you warm hugs,

Erin