Audacious

The entrance to the auditorium at the Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center has a plaque with the definition of the word "audacious."

Audacious:

1. bold or daring; fearless
2. not restrained by a sense of shame or propriety; rudely bold; brazen

As soon as I walked through those auditorium doors, I knew that I ran the risk of being branded as "audacious."

Instead of simply reading "Pole Dancing," I performed in a hospital gown and red feather boa with my trusty IV pole dance partner. We strutted and gyrated to Robert Palmer's "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On" and "Addicted to Love."

I was in a "fight or flight mode" for the entire 36 hours before the performance. But, once I got on stage in front of an audience of 300 who'd come to see "The Big C," I realized I was having fun. When the audience started clapping and whooping, I really got into it.

Best of all, I witnessed some amazing performances and met some passionate, positive people.

I had "met" the beautiful model and "actorvist" Sharon Blynn online at her
"Bald is Beautiful" website before meeting her in person at the Big C event.

Michael Goldberg, Sharon, Susan and talented writer Beverly Ward

Our producer, Christian Meoli, with Michael


I finally got to meet the delightful Christine Pechera ("Saffron Butterfly"), the CoH
patient who met her bone marrow donor at the 2008 Celebration of Life.

I was so happy to find out that Cindy and George were proud,
not embarrassed, by my audacious behavior.

Someone was videotaping the event, so I hope to receive a copy.