At LifeSpark’s October 15th “Touching Tomorrow” luncheon,
Maria Hoffman shared her personal journey of living with multiple myeloma and
the role Reiki has played in helping her navigate the physical and emotional
challenges of cancer. Her story is one of resilience, hope, and finding joy
even in the midst of uncertainty.
My name is Maria, and I am a six-year cancer thriver.
I use the word “thriver” deliberately. My diagnosis,
Multiple Myeloma, is a treatable blood cancer, but not a curable one. Yet even
in the midst of continuous treatment, I am thriving. I am finding joy in each
and every day and living my absolute best life.
When Cancer Changes Everything
My journey began in May of 2020, right at the onset of the
pandemic. At the time, I was an active, healthy 56-year-old wife and mom with a
career I loved.
Hearing the words “you have cancer” shook my family to the
core. It is something you never expect to hear—cancer is always something that
happens to someone else.
The hardest moment was telling my four children. As a mom,
you never want to be your children’s source of worry, and I knew I had so much
more love left to give them.
From day one, I decided I was going to come out swinging and
fight with everything I had. My husband, my kids, and an amazing network of
family and friends became my anchor, supporting me through every step.
Anyone who has been through this knows that the beginning of
a cancer journey feels like trying to drink from a fire hose.
You are suddenly flooded with medical appointments,
insurance calls, confusing terminology, and intense fear—all while trying to
manage the everyday obligations of work and family life. It is deeply
overwhelming.
Finding Calm in the Chaos
I was fortunate to find a wonderful therapist who introduced
me to Life Spark.
Through Life Spark, my weekly Reiki sessions gave me a
sacred hour just for myself.
It was a space where I could quiet the spiraling thoughts,
lay down my fears, and simply receive healing energy.
In the care of my practitioner, I found calmness in the
chaos, hope in the unknown, and true relief from the constant worry.
Four Beautiful Years
Shortly after my first Life Spark series, I underwent a stem
cell transplant and achieved a four-year remission.
During those beautiful years, I retired, embraced my hobbies
again—exercising, hiking, traveling—and received the greatest blessing of all:
becoming a “Mimi” to four wonderful grandchildren.
Eventually, the Myeloma began to creep back.
A year ago, I started a new combination of immunotherapies.
My doctor warned me that these medications “pack a punch”—and he was
right.
The good news was that I reached remission in just four
weeks. The hard news was that the treatment brought severe headaches and back
pain that lasted for months.
Finding Comfort and Relief
Once again, Life Spark was there for me.
During my second series of sessions, Reiki became my
sanctuary for pain relief.
My practitioner was incredibly kind and intuitive. She
created a space where I didn’t have to be strong. I could be completely honest
about my physical pain and how defeated I felt.
Through her care and the healing energy of Reiki, my body
relaxed and my spirit began to lift.
I found hope that the pain was temporary, and that I would
get back to the life I loved.
Today, that pain has abated. I am back to hiking, traveling,
and chasing my grandkids.
Healing Goes Beyond Medicine
True healing after a cancer diagnosis goes far beyond
medications and medical procedures.
“Complementary therapies like Reiki heal the body, quiet
the mind, and mend the emotional trauma that cancer leaves behind. Life Spark
gave me back my peace, my strength, and my joy.”
Your support ensures that the next person facing a scary
diagnosis doesn’t have to walk through the chaos alone. Thank you.
