Women’s Health Advocacy, Career Reinvention & Finding Your Purpose

Transcription:
Second Act Success Podcast
Season 1 – Women’s Health Advocacy, Career Reinvention & Finding Your Purpose Episode - #258
Host: Shannon Russell
Guest: Rebecca Bloom
Transcription (*created by Descript and may not be perfectly accurate)

[00:00:00] approximately one in eight US women will develop invasive breast cancer in her lifetime
Shannon Russell: With an estimated 321,000 new cases expected in 2026,
the median age of diagnosis is 62
we talk about second acts here on the podcast, second acts can mean that career transition, it can mean doing something that truly fulfills you. But what about actually taking care of our health and advocating for ourselves and our second act? Women's health in general decreases in and around midlife,
This can mean chronic conditions, physical limitations, hypertension, arthritis, and even cancer. Today I'm chatting with Rebecca Bloom. She is a former workplace and benefits attorney who now works as a women's health advocate. She is also the author of When Women Get Sick, an empowering approach for getting [00:01:00] the support you need.
When Rebecca's mother and sister were both diagnosed with breast cancer, Rebecca really learned what it was like to dive in and be that advocate for them.
She now serves as an advocate for Women coast to coast, and her longest and proudest affiliation is with the Bay Area Cancer Connections,
Where she has served as a healthcare advocate for women fighting breast and ovarian cancer for over 27 years. Rebecca has quite the story to share about career transitions truly helping empower other women to live strong healthy lives, especially in their second act.
Let's dive in.

Shannon Russell: Rebecca Bloom. Welcome to Second Act Success. I'm so glad that we're finally able to have this conversation. We've been planning for quite some time.
Rebecca Bloom: Me too, Shannon.
I'm so glad to be here with you.
Shannon Russell: Let's take it back to the beginning and where did your career first begin?
Rebecca Bloom: You know, it kind of all goes together. So I started my career as a lawyer. I really thought I was [00:02:00] gonna get out there and fight for justice and the downtrodden and women and children and all that stuff from the jump. And then I realized, whoa, student loans, those are kind of big. You'd think I would've planned ahead a little better, but I didn't.
And so I needed to go into big law. In order to plow those out so that I could live the life I wanted. I was confronted with how do I choose what I'm gonna do inside of big law? so I gravitated immediately towards something human centered. And that was employee benefits. Most people think that stuff is pretty boring.
You know, boring but important. It's very technical. It's not the sexy part of big law at all. I actually really liked it 'cause my clients were human resources departments in the big companies and those departments are made up of humans. Who are trying to take care of humans [00:03:00] and trying to keep employees engaged and happy and well and productive.
that actually felt kind of positive to me. And what I didn't know. Was how useful it would be when I flipped the script. And why did I do that? 'cause my mom got breast cancer and I had just moved out to California. I came back to New York, which is my home, and probably always will be. . To help her out.
And I didn't think it was gonna be more than just like getting the flowers at the door and putting the lasagnas in the freezer and just sort of preserving her piece so that she could rest. But it turned out to be, whoa. I learned all this stuff, these ninja skills as a lawyer that we're so useful in helping her navigate her health journey.
So I thought, huh. What can I do with this? So when I came back to California, I connected immediately with an organization, which is now called Bay Area Cancer [00:04:00] Connections. , I met with the executive director and I said, Hey, you know, this is strange, but I have these very specific skills that I learned.
Staying up all night as a lawyer while I was paying off my student loans, and I found them to be so helpful to my own mother on her breast cancer journey. Do you think I could help your clients? And they were shocked because it was like, I feel like I want ice cream in the ice cream mantro up. In terms of, you know, the fit for, what I had learned with what their clients actually needed. And that's not to say I didn't learn a lot of other stuff along the way 'cause I did. But in tandem with helping women who were facing breast and ovarian cancer. I also sort of plumbed my own interest in the writing process and the storytelling process, and I became a storytelling coach as well, , like a book project manager as well.
So when it came to getting to writing my book When Women Get Sick, [00:05:00] wow. It was just to come together of all those things that I had done. And what a cool thing to realize that you can sort of lift out. The parts of what you've done that you really love and value and turn it into something new in your second act.
And that's what I did. I was raising kids. , I didn't want to be a high power corporate lawyer for the rest of my life. I knew I didn't wanna do that. It didn't make my heart sing even though. It was powerful in its way. The excellence was there. And I'm an excellence junkie, so that was good.
But I lifted out the parts that really worked for me and that matched the rest of my life and the rest of my interests, and I turned it into becoming a women's health advocate. And then. At the 25 year marker, that's when women are considered an expert. Guys have a shorter window, I think. Um, [00:06:00] but you know, that's when I thought maybe it's time for me to do my own book so that instead of helping the thousands that I'd been able to help, maybe I could reach more people and that's why I did it.
Shannon Russell: My gosh. Okay. Rebecca, right off the bat, the fact that you said you were able to pluck those things that you enjoyed and. Mold them into something new is so powerful for our listeners to hear. Because I say that all the time. When you're thinking of starting a second act, you take what you want from your first act.
You can Make a list of your skills, but you take what you want and the rest doesn't have to come with you. Right. I think that's so important. We can be choosy when we're thinking about what we're evolving into, and you really found those parts and it all stems back it sounds like, to you wanting to serve others.
And be boots on the ground. And how incredible that this, , awful experience for your mother led you to be able to do something really [00:07:00] heart-centered.
Rebecca Bloom: It really did. And, you know, to continue the story a bit mm-hmm. My sister was diagnosed only a few years later, so I really became kind of a poster child for a high risk breast cancer family.
In that way, and I went through a lot myself, screenings, surgeries, you name it. And there's so much there that I learned that I was able to use to help others also, you know, in the old days, if you wanted to get genetic testing, you had to do it on the side because you didn't want. Your insurance company to know about it, that would change your status.
You could lose your coverage or your coverage costs could go up because of certain genetic markers you might have. Right? The world has changed so much, but I've been able to bring that personal experience and empathy along with the expertise. So when I walk with a [00:08:00] woman on her health journey, all of that is brought to bear.
And really That's so cool to be, in terms of thinking about, you know, your second act and how you're looking more for fulfillment, not just kind of, you know, professional identity. You're really trying to bring it all together. I was just so lucky, you know, all these things that happened, they were, some of them were hard and some of them were super challenging for sure.
But what it yielded for me was a blueprint for how to create a really holistic identity for myself that really spoke to me. And I, I mean, I get up in the morning, I can't wait to do what I do.
Shannon Russell: Mm-hmm.
Rebecca Bloom: How cool is that?
Shannon Russell: And I, I think all of your experience as an attorney, I'm just assuming that when you went first to New York to help your mom, did you find yourself really being an advocate for her and using your
Rebecca Bloom: I did.
Shannon Russell: Yeah. Right.
Rebecca Bloom: I did. And, and my dad is also a lawyer.
Shannon Russell: Oh, okay.
Rebecca Bloom: And they had good health insurance. I mean, you would think they had the [00:09:00] perfect situation, but it's so hard. Every diagnosis. Is gray in some way. There's gray areas. What do I do next? What does this mean? Is one lymph node closer to zero or is it more like too many lymph nodes?
How do I decide what I'm gonna do to attack this problem? Who do I talk to? How do I get a second opinion? What's covered what it isn't? What the heck does this bill, I just got mean. I mean, you can't believe it. Even inside of. A good situation with relative security. There's so much complexity.
Shannon Russell: And being an educated woman, like I find that in our generation we do wanna advocate more than maybe the older generations that are just like, okay, well I'll go with this first opinion and I'll do what they say. It's like, no, I feel like we were raised to be, especially as high achievers, to be like, no, let me look again.
Let me get that other opinion. Let me do my research. Yeah. And I. See you being that person who is like, well, let's look outside of the box and [00:10:00] the initial plan. Yeah. And figure out what's going to be best for her and make that personalized.
Rebecca Bloom: Yes, absolutely. Medicine has changed so much, you know, it's like education has changed, right?
We used to say it's the sage on the stage, but now it's more like the guide on the side. Right. People talk about that in education, but it's true in medicine too. . Doctors have changed the way they practice. Some of it is fear and liability, but a lot of it is evolution around, Hey, let's think about this as a partnership, not as the doctor is godlike and you hang on every single word.
They have pressures of their own, first of all, behind the scenes. That's part of it, but also the culture has changed. We are participants in our own care. In a new way. You don't just accept the first thing you're told it, you know, it's part of the process to realize that there's gonna be more than one [00:11:00] opinion, and the more information and the more research and the more things that do come out, the more complicated it gets.
Shannon Russell: So you didn't just go into writing your book, you volunteered your time began working with this organization in the Bay Area. Yeah. And that led you to storytelling first.
Rebecca Bloom: Yeah, so, so storytelling, you know, it's kind of a funny thing nowadays. It's co-opted. Everyone's talking about it. Everyone's talking about it in business, everyone's talking about it in medicine. , The truth is lawyers are storytellers. my undergraduate education was in the humanities, and I've always been a literature nerd and a story nerd.
I've always loved the theater, I've always loved movies, you know, all those things., I realized when I was staying up all night as a lawyer, , ordering in dinner, getting car services to take me home at midnight, that really everything is storytelling and that's how I didn't go nuts and didn't get sad.
[00:12:00] You know, I thought to myself. This is a story. My job here is to tell it as best as I can for my client to stack up facts and information, , in such a way that it reaches the goal. And that's, that's really what lawyering is. that Was the part I loved. Remember we talked about taking out the part you loved?
so I dared to dream when I was in that reinvention phase when my kids were young. About how I might get more into that. And I became a storytelling coach, a writer, an editor, somebody who helped other people strategize how to line up their facts because again, that was the part of lawyering that I loved.
And then when I started working with women, I realized, wow, so much of this is how you tell your story. And I ended up teaching memoir and I ended up working one-on-one with a lot of writers. I had two decades of that, and I had, , more than two and a half decades of being a health [00:13:00] advocate.
Before I wrote my own book. I did some other books before this one, but this is my first traditionally published book out in the publishing industrial complex, as it were.
Shannon Russell: so It all led you up to this?
Rebecca Bloom: Yeah.
Shannon Russell: Tell me about the process then. when women get sick. It's gotta be a little personal to you. You're taking all of your experience, both personally and professionally, working with your organization in California. How did you decide what you wanted to put into this book and, and get it out there?
Rebecca Bloom: I love this question, Shannon, because behind the scenes there were a lot of questions about that. Some agents felt like, do you really have to be so story forward here? Can't you just give people the information? And the answer to that was no. This is about stories. Every single chapter of the book opens with a story of a real person that I walked with through her journey.[00:14:00]
And that's super important, right? Because this is how women learn. And I know this, and I think anybody who studies how cultures evolve know that women are the people sitting around the campfires telling one another stories. That's what we do, right? , So that's how it evolved for me. I started structuring it as the stories are the way in, and then.
I wanna give some practical information. Remember I said boring but important, right? Yes, yes. Because there is that. But I didn't wanna write a pamphlet and I could have just done a website or done webinars if it was just the information that I was after sharing. But I really wanted to honor the stories.
Some of these women taught me so much more than I taught them, and some of them. Aren't alive anymore. And I wanna keep them and keep what they shared with [00:15:00] me and with the wider world as part of this, and that's really important to me.
that's why it came out that way. , There's some stuff in the book about women who are no longer with us, but who figured out ways to create legacy for themselves.
And I find that to be so important. There's a story of one woman who. Quietly gave $10,000 to various women who she knew were on health journeys. And after she passed, she wrote them letters and said, please take yourself on a vacation with your family. You know, things like that. I want that in print. I want, I want people to read those stories and be moved by them.
That really matters. So that's how I approached this, and I waited till I found the right agent and the right publisher who shared my goal of making this [00:16:00] about how stories can heal us and help us.
Shannon Russell: So beautiful. And I'm sure you know, from getting the reviews and, and testimonials and just hearing from other readers of what they got out of the book, that they got so much more hearing the stories because it's relatable to some and it's telling,, information of what can happen to others
Rebecca Bloom: right.
Shannon Russell: I mean, what is the reception that you've gotten from, from readers?
Rebecca Bloom: It's been so beautiful and so, so gratifying, and you know, it's not really about me, it's about connection.
I've been able to connect with so many readers and just people in a room when I'm, when I'm doing a presentation about the book and what I get over and over again is I wish I had this book when, fill in the blank.
Mm-hmm. That means so much to me. I'm glad people have it now, but I'm hoping that there are gonna be [00:17:00] people who have it when they really need it, because that is why I wrote it exactly. I mean it to be a companion.
Shannon Russell: Yeah.
Rebecca Bloom: You know, I wish I could walk with every single woman when she's on a health journey.
I know there are practical reasons why I probably can't, but at least I have this. This book is something that one friend can give to another friend. Maybe you're the supporter and you read it. Then you bring what you learn to it, to the experience of walking with somebody else. You know? I mean it to be like a ripple like that.
It's needed by the people that I meet and the people that I talk to, and I'm seeing people say how much it meant to them to read it. And that just blows my mind, Shannon. I mean, that's, that's so incredible. I, I feel so lucky that I'm, that I'm able to hear that
Shannon Russell: This is your legacy, one of your legacies.
Would you say.
Rebecca Bloom: So kind. I hope so. You know, another thing that is incredible [00:18:00] is my mom and dad are part of this. They unboxed the first books that came, I had it sent to their house instead of mine. They've been at a lot of the events. They're able to see how much I honor them and their journey.
Through it. And so that's important to me. Like it's part of their feeling of legacy too. But thank you for saying that. That's so kind.
Shannon Russell: the idea was stemmed from what you went through with your mom and, and her being a survivor is amazing and Yeah. And I think. , For women, as we talk about second acts, you know, we do get older and there are things that we go through on our health journeys, , whether it's breast cancer, ovarian cancer, whatever it is, and it's important I think, for us to finally, if not sooner than our second act, put ourselves first and take care of ourselves because so many women put everyone else first.
Before themselves. Right?
Rebecca Bloom: A hundred percent. Shannon. And you know, one of the things I [00:19:00] talk a lot about in my book and that I've talked a lot about with people is, Hey, you've been paying into the social safety net forever. You do for others. And not only should you consider caring for yourself, but you should recognize all these benefits that you have.
You earned them.
None of them are charity and I mean employee benefits. I mean health insurance that you have, you shouldn't be afraid to ask. And that goes too for reaching out inside of your community because your community is something that you have built. You have built your own personal safety net.
So be open to inviting folks who you've given to, to give back to you.
They actually appreciate that opportunity. It's not charity. None of this is charity.
Shannon Russell: Mm-hmm.
Rebecca Bloom: It's, it's relationships, it's connection, and it's [00:20:00] the most powerful thing in the world.
Shannon Russell: And a lot of us in midlife or the second act, whatever it is, we are looking for something that brings us that meaning.
Yeah. To feel like we're truly contributing outside of maybe our family. And I do have clients who are like, you know what, I really wanna leave my nine to five and I want to. Volunteer full-time. I wanna work at an organization that moves me. Know, you don't have to go in full-time, but to be able to say, I want to give back, and I wanna also be able to lean on people when it's needed.
So it is that mutual community that you're building around yourself.
Rebecca Bloom: There's no question about it. You know, it kind of dovetails with really following your purpose.
Shannon Russell: Mm.
Rebecca Bloom: You know, when you walk in your purpose. You connect to other folks who are doing the same, and you realize that building those ties is usually part of your purpose.
Let's say, you know, my purpose is helping [00:21:00] women on their health journeys, but what's the bigger thing I'm trying to build community. I'm trying to really, facilitate more connection because. That's where, you know, it's a social determinant of health. I don't have to tell you that. I, I know what you do.
So I know, you know that that's what it's really about. It's kind of resurrecting the connections that get worn down by politics. Things like COVID, you know, these are all things that back out our loose ties. We start to dehumanize and disconnect. Because of stressors like that. But if you're really following your purpose, what you're really doing is you're rebuilding those elemental connections that matter so much to all of us.
Shannon Russell: Yes. Yes. Going back to following your purpose, and I talk a lot about living with no regrets and wanting to make sure that at the end of the [00:22:00] day you've taken those adventures and you've challenged yourself and you've done what you've wanted to do. And I can look at you, Rebecca, and know that you have, you have.
Done the job, you worked where you needed to, to pay off those debts, to earn the money to live the way you wanted, and you've been able to really utilize and live fully, , ever since then and live on your own terms. Yeah. And that's so impressive. I'd love to know your advice for someone who's thinking about doing the same, of saying, you know what, it's about time I start something new and live in my purpose.
Rebecca Bloom: I guess what I would say. Is going back to what we said before, make a list in your head of all the things that you've done that have really lit you up.
Maybe you were doing a job that didn't fully light you up, but there are pieces of, of what you've done, and I mean everything you've ever done, whether it's be the captain [00:23:00] of a team, do a job that maybe you didn't love fully, but there were little pieces you loved, you know, you volunteered at X, Y, Z, and.
This piece of what you did was so cool to you. Really do an inventory of the things that lit you up and try to weave them all together. That's how you get to a successful, purposeful second act. I think.
Shannon Russell: It's a puzzle. Yeah. I always think it's fun to put those pieces together. Who would've thought when you were in law school that you would end up being a storytelling coach and an author?
Yeah. Like You wouldn't have seen that correlation then, but it makes so much sense now knowing the, the years that you've lived. To get you
Rebecca Bloom: up to even my college job. You mentioned puzzles. Yeah. My college job was, I was an editor and proof reader for crossword puzzles and word searches for Bantam Doubleday, Dell.
That's, that was my job. And at the time I thought, well, this is fun, but to [00:24:00] your point, I'm always thinking about. Problem solving and thinking creatively and words are my tools. It all makes sense. It all makes sense.
Shannon Russell: That is incredible to think back. Right? That is really amazing. , And for now for you, you've got the book, you've got your storytelling business.
What is on the horizon for you?
Rebecca Bloom: it's Funny, people always ask once you get a book out.
Shannon Russell: Yeah.
Rebecca Bloom: People always go, what's your next book? Right. That's always, and I'm really not sure that I want to go linear like that. I think I might prefer to go deeper with this work. I, I'm not ready to let go of the idea that there's more to be done here.
I think this is a movement, I think considering. You know, my thesis, my thesis is no woman should go this alone.
Shannon Russell: Mm.
Rebecca Bloom: And there's just a lot more work to be done [00:25:00] in teaching people how to be excellent advocates for women in the healthcare world. So, I don't think I'm fully finished yet. I want to talk to more people.
I wanna be in rooms with more people who care about this. So, you know, my book tour is. Technically over , but. I wanna go to conferences. I want to connect with more stakeholders in, in this space and from different angles. You and I talked before we press play, about how, you know, there are different ways to turn a movement and, and turn something, you know, I wanna take it from different approaches.
I want the patient approach, I want the employer approach, I want inside the medical system approach. All of those come together to make these things better for women.
Shannon Russell: This is your work. This is your calling and, and with the book it opens up that it opens up for you to be on more stages and attend conferences and get into these rooms where you can make a difference and make those connections, like you [00:26:00] said, right?
Creating that community and really giving people the tools that they need to not only be that caregiver and that supporter, but for women who are going through this journey, for them to be able to say, Hey, I do need help. Here's how you can help me. , I love the work that you do, Rebecca. It's so incredible and your story of transition is so admirable.
So I, I can't thank you enough. How can everyone get in touch with you?
Rebecca Bloom: Thank you so much Shannon. On Instagram, which is the only social media it's at when women get sick and I also have a website when women get sick.com.
I'm reachable both of those ways and I'm really accessible. That's the thing. If somebody has a challenge and I can help, I want to. So there's no need for barriers. I'm right there. I answer messages and I really hope people reach out. I hope your listeners do
Shannon Russell: well. I'll link to everything in the show notes and I will share this in my email newsletter on social.
'cause I think it is important to know [00:27:00] that there's someone like you out there to help. I Think you, for everything that you're putting out into the world, I'm so glad we had this conversation.
Rebecca Bloom: Thank you so much, Shannon. I admire your work so much and this has been such a nice conversation.
Shannon Russell: Thank you.
Speaker: Thank you for joining me for another episode of the Second Act Success podcast. If this episode has you thinking about starting a business or growing the one that you already have, I offer free second act strategy calls. This is where we map out what makes sense for your business and your life. You can book yours now at secondactsuccess.co/strategy or grab the link in the show notes below.
As always, thank you for being here. Until next time, I'm your host, Shannon Russell, wishing you the best day ahead as you plan your second act. I'll see you on the next episode.