In the past 40 days, I've had to say goodbye to four amazing souls unexpectedly; Brian, my father, Whitney, and Tyler. I am reminded that God's plan is not our plan.
Have you ever had a weird, unexplainable urge to do something that makes no sense, but you have this strong desire to do it?
I was called to use my family's unimaginable pain as we fought one cancer battle after another to build a community of cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers.
After hearing the words, "you're in remission," something in me said I'll never truly be the same. I had to have faith in the unknown, and it was confusing.
Continually praying for peace, I wanted nothing more than to heal and pretend cancer never happened to my family. It was such a traumatic and life-altering experience, and I could have lost myself through it but instead used it as fuel to ignite change.
In 2014, I prayed for direction, and God told me to trust in something greater than myself, which led to crowdsourcing diseases where I grew up on Florida's space coast.
I got involved with investigating a cancer cluster in Satellite Beach, a formerly used defense site in South Patrick Shores, and walked in faith, trusting that is where I was meant to be. Through that experience, I was gifted with memorable encounters and closer to finding the peace I prayed for in 2014. Every person I encountered in that endeavor shaped me into who I am today.
We must not be afraid of what the world is thinking, what we look like, or making the right decision.
Through the loss of these incredible people in the past few weeks, I'm reminded that we need to make the most of our time with each other, focus on being present, and harbor as many connections as possible. And if you find that God is calling you, trust Him. His plan will change your entire life.
To learn more about our work, visit: www.fight4zero.org
To connect with the Brevard County community through a public Facebook group, join Fight For Zero Brevard.
To connect with the Satellite Beach community of cancer patients, survivors and caregivers, join the private group Satellite Beach Health & Hope for Tomorrow
Forever Chemicals in the Indian River Lagoon
In Brevard County, Florida, some of the nation's highest detections of harmful chemicals were found at Department of Defense bases and aerospace industry sites. These cancer-causing chemicals were at levels higher than the Environmental Protection Agencies' (EPA) safety limit of 70 parts per trillion.
PFAS are not known to break down in the environment and have become global pollutants threatening people and wildlife. Once in our bodies, they stick around - with half-lives in people of up to eight years. These chemicals never break down and build up in our blood and organs; they are often known as "forever chemicals."
The Department of Defense used aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) during training, where PFAS exposure was inevitable. They knew these toxic "forever chemicals" were harmful to the environment and human health in the 1970s but continued to use the foam. The EPA also knew these chemicals were toxic since 1998 and failed to protect the environment. These chemical compounds are being found in waterways surrounding the industries that use them.
After the Department of Defense released its sampling report in early 2018, communities learned that per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were detected in groundwater and drinking water throughout Brevard County.
NASA also identified this contamination of emerging concern in groundwater at the Kennedy Space Center that exceeded federal standards.
YELLOW CRUSH
1 fresh pineapple, cored & cut into chunks
1 cup tequila
1 cup water
1 cup of orange juice
2 limes, juiced
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into pitcher.
Next time you're taking in the warm hues of a sunset, slice up this fruity concoction for the perfect amount of summer relaxation.
BLUE HAWAIIAN
Invented in Hawaii in the 1950s, this drink will have you crooning like Elvis.1-ounce light rum
1-ounce blue curacao
2 ounces of pineapple juice
1 ounce cream of coconut
1 cup crushed ice
Add all ingredients to the blender with ice; puree on high until smooth. Pour into a chilled highball glass.
It has a hint of sweetness and sourness and a bit of a kick. Take a look at these two tropical cocktail recipes. Ideally suited to sipping by the pool or beach as the sun goes down. They also have that color that makes them perfect for dressing up with paper umbrellas, wax flowers, or fruit wedges on the side. You really can't overdress on this drink. Get a taste of these tropical drinks by following the recipes below.
As seen in Vintage Affair Magazine 2015 summer issue // Photography & article by Stel Bailey
As seen in Vintage Affair Magazine 2015 summer issue // Photography & article by Stel Bailey
Conquering Battles and Impacting Lives
I met Alicia "Red" Campitelli 14 years ago, in 2007. We did model photography networking in Florida, mainly on the east coast and in Orlando. She modeled with her redheaded twin sister, Alana. Both are beautiful women with vibrant long red hair and unique personalities, which make them unforgettable. In the world of redheads, there's this immediate understanding of one another, a bond that we form. A part of our identities, for most people, revolves around our natural red locks.
Riley is a childhood cancer patient who wants to meet Queen Elsa and Anna for her sixth birthday. Her mother turned to social media in hopes of reaching both the Disney sisters. The family had difficulty locating Elsa and Anna but managed to pull off a big surprise on August 8, 2015.
Riley had no clue that the Queen and Princess were coming to visit, and she got to experience the magic while she bravely pushed on in her battle against illness. She celebrated her sixth birthday with snow inspired theme, a bounce house, friends, and a loving family.
Queen Elsa brought a gift and crowned Riley during her celebration. Her friends asked many questions with curiosity as to where Olaf was. We explained that he was shopping for a new carrot nose as he had lost his other one at the beach. A young boy replied, "How did he not melt?" Elsa answered, "he has a cloud that follows him with snow." We laughed about how much of a handful Olaf was, and then we began getting questions about Kristoff and Sven.
Through the most challenging moments that no child should ever experience, Riley dances with innocence, strength, and beauty at such a young age. Every day children are diagnosed with cancer in the United States, and research is underfunded.
Unfortunately, we received the news shortly after Riley's birthday celebration; that she is no longer with us. Riley has since spread her wings and is now in a better place. She is forever engraved in my heart. You can still support her journey by encouraging her family and raising money for childhood cancer.
She was there when my sister overdosed and when I began expressing concerns on public forums about water quality, she defended our family as people started gossiping about our tragedies. That speaks volumes about the type of person she was. Someone who was loyal and didn’t like to see others hurting.
Jill modeled and spent time in front of my camera. Below are a few images I took of her dating back to 2009. I had the privilege of photographing her wedding with Steven Cayton in 2011 at Playalinda Beach, Florida. I’m honored she asked me to capture that special day for them. They said their vows with close family and friends nearby. Both were happy and showed the depth of their love through their smiles as they looked into one another’s eyes. I can't imagine how hard this is for him.
