Living Life

Two dramatic events forced a heartland woman to re-evaluate things. In December's Health Check report -- how a life coach can help.

Barbara Hunefeld has a new job and a new lease on life. But it wasn't easy getting to this point. First doctors diagnosed her with breast cancer. Then, a few months later, she lost her job.

Barbara says, "I was going through chemo, had no hair, wasn't looking the greatest, wasn't feeling the greatest. So that's when I would say things became really complicated for me."

Hunefeld turned to Kris Wiley for help. The certified life coach with Alegent Health helps clients make changes in their lives

Kris says, "We just help them get really clear on what's really important for them, what their contribution is, what's the meaning for them and then help them start to take actions to get them there."

With Wiley's help, Barbara set weekly, achievable goals; learned how to look at life differently and decided to focus less on what she should be doing and more on what she wanted to do.

Barbara says, "I recognized things going through the life coaching program that I never would have realized. My passions and the negative things are not worth our time. Put them aside and really focus on the positive. What do I want to do -- where do I want to go."

To live her best life every day, Hunefeld no longer dreams about things like painting -- she does them.

"Once you get going you can't stop," she says.

Barbara Hunefeld received six free life coaching sessions through a special grant. It's for breast cancer patients 50 and younger who are getting treatment at Bergan, Lakeside, Midlands, and Immanuel Medical Center.

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Bergan Mercy Medical Center	Immanuel Medical Center
Lakeside Hospital	Midlands Hospital
Mercy Hospital	Alegent Health Clinic