My Story

In early 2010, Jasmine was mastering her professional life as a corporate executive. The self-described workhorse – a strategic town planner at an engineering consulting firm – led a large team of planners and environmental and social scientists at the time.

Jasmine received a breast cancer diagnosis in March of that year and quickly underwent various forms of treatment. While the treatment may have saved Jasmine’s life, she was left with side effects that meant she couldn’t resume her professional life as expected (not for lack of trying!). Ongoing after-effects included chronic fatigue and reduced cognitive function that affected her comprehension and memory.

Despite Jasmine’s best efforts, she felt like she was continually dropping the ball at work and concluded that she was a risk to the organisation, being unable to focus or read for long stretches. Although she delegated and restructured where she could, there came a day when Jasmine knew she had to make a change.

When Jasmine asked around, she discovered that this type of reaction to breast cancer treatment – while common – was not often talked about. What’s more, there was limited support available and nothing that was integrated.

She would need to find new ways to adapt. Fed up with focusing on the negative and berating herself for not being the person she once was, Jasmine pulled together a system to help get her through the day in a more proactive and positive way. The system, called GLLASHIO, is all about having a focus and moving beyond the complaints you didn’t expect to have. Adapting to changed circumstances through reviewing, rethinking, rewarding and recreating yourself are founding principles.

This new approach worked so well for Jasmine that she wanted to share it with others in a similar position. Encouraged by staff and cancer patients at her breast cancer treatment centre, Jasmine published a Pocket Guide with a Companion Book based on her tried-and-tested system.