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Introducing: #ThriverThursday, a New Initiative to Spotlight 'Thrivers'

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Hi, Mighty Family!

I’m Robin Roberts. Good to be with you for a moment.

I want to tell you about #ThriverThursday. It’s a new digital series I created just a short time ago because I really wanted to profile people who are not just surviving — they are thriving.

Six years ago, I underwent a bone marrow transplant to treat Myelodysplastic  Syndrome (MDS). I was blessed that my sister, Sally-Ann, was a perfect match, and her stem cells saved my life. During my journey back to health rebuilding my immune system, my doctors required me to be home in New York with limited contact with the outside world. Hand sanitizer and face masks were handed out to all visitors, and even hugs were not allowed. Every solitary day was another tick towards the 100-day mark.

100 days passed, and I had reached a critical point in surviving MDS, five years after facing breast cancer. I had fought off two life-threatening illnesses. Now what?

I had a choice: let my illnesses define me and give into my difficult circumstances, or embrace my experience as a “rebirth.” I refused to look back and only looked forward. Like many others, I chose to thrive, not just survive.

There are so many thrivers in this Mighty community, and in my digital series you will meet people just like you. They’ve experienced everything from a catastrophic diagnosis, unexpected loss, unemployment, divorce, or personal betrayal. These are people who were faced with a choice and they chose to thrive.

So, I hope that you’ll head to ThriverThursday.com, check out the stories that we’ve already posted, and let us know your story or about somebody you know who’s crossed your path and you know that they are a thriver as well.

I look forward to hearing your stories.

Robin

Click here to answer Robin’s question on The Mighty:

robin roberts asks a question on the mighty about thriver thursday

Originally published: January 24, 2019
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