Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenni Rai.
Hi Jenni, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Early in my 20 + year career as a physical therapist I came to the realization that my energy is not unlimited, and working and supporting women during breast cancer specifically was much more satisfying than treating everyone’s aches and pains (note: everyone’s pain is important and I”m glad there are therapist who specialize in “aches and pains!”). The deeper I got into the field of breast cancer treatment rehab the more I learned how severely it is lacking. While chemo, radiation and surgery are standard of care, what is not standard is the rehab needed to recover from these interventions. Even in a large city like Los Angeles, with phenomenal cancer centers, not all women are receiving this care. As I can’t reorganize our entire health care system, I decided to put my energy into using social media to get the much needed post-treatment info out to as many women as possible.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My education and experience as a physical therapist has NOT included real-life business information, such as how do you build a platform? How do I get my information in front of the most women? I am still learning and evolving in this department.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a Physical Therapist (PT) and Certified Lymphedema Therapist (CLT) who specializes in helping women recover from breast cancer treatment. My out of the box way of looking at the world has led me to address issues no-one else seems to be talking about. For example, the phenomenon of “phantom limb” syndrome as a result of an amputation has been known to medicine since the 16th century. Any patient who has experienced an arm or leg amputation will receive information for dealing with this. A mastectomy is literally a breast amputation. Those who undergo this procedure often have phantom symptoms, however IT IS NEVER DISCUSSED and women are left feeling uncomfortable in their body’s for years.
I had worked in an outpatient clinic for over 20 years when a diagnosis of chronic migraines forced me to retire. I am now using my platform as @MyBreastieSays to provide education to those that have been diagnosed with breast cancer, just as I would in the clinic. I do still see the occasional home visit but my priority is to educate the breast cancer world through my social media, speaking engagements and an upcoming book.
What does success mean to you?
Success is identifying what your authentic purpose is and being able to implement that into your life. I feel grateful to have identified my passion as educating and supporting women who are recovering from breast cancer treatment.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mybreastiesays.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mybreastiesays/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/388674088186596
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@mybreastiesays
Image Credits
N/A- all done by Jenni Rai.
