Dear friends,

Before anything else, I want to say thank you.

The support you’ve shown for my Kilimanjaro climb has been overwhelming in the most beautiful way. Your donations, messages, and stories have moved me deeply. I’ve heard from so many of you about how cancer has touched your lives, your families, your friends. It’s a quiet reminder that this disease has far too many faces, and that none of us are immune to the vulnerability of being human.

And yet, what this experience has shown me is something else too. Humanity is kind. Generous. Open-hearted. As cliché as it may sound, I’m beginning to truly understand the truth behind the phrase, all you need is love.

The first phase of my healing journey wasn’t about figuring everything out. In fact, it required the opposite. I had to stop rushing to understand, fix, and control. That impulse, so familiar to me, was overriding what my body was actually asking for, which was presence.

Not necessarily less work, though that did happen, but more pauses. More moments of being with myself. More listening.

So I began exploring with curiosity instead of urgency. It felt like stepping onto a train, the doors closing, and having no idea where it would take me. I noticed that my energy felt dull and cloudy, like my creativity had gone quiet. Rather than forcing clarity, I chose to reconnect to my body and accept the confusion.

All I could do in that space was listen more deeply for what felt right.

My spiritual coach, Albert, calls this listening for your “zing zing.” It’s that inner spark that doesn’t always come with words or logic, but shows up as a subtle sense of expansion. A quiet yes. A feeling of aliveness. It’s something I had trusted in the past, but somewhere along the way, I stopped listening.

Albert reminded me that my body is always communicating. When I move toward something aligned, it offers a sense of openness. When fear takes over, everything contracts.

This cancer journey became a way back to my life’s flow, to energy, beauty, and magic, all for the simple purpose of feeling inspired again. Of feeling awake. Alive. Good.

The idea of climbing Kilimanjaro was a clear zing zing moment. Not obvious at first. Not fully formed. All I committed to was staying open and noticing what opportunities showed up, and whether they felt expansive or not.

In the past, I often said yes automatically. I’m a hustler. I believe in hard work. It’s given me a life I feel deeply grateful for. But now I’m wondering if life is asking something different of me.

So I’m practicing pausing long enough to feel the zing zing. Letting that be the guide.

All I can do is follow one stone at a time, trusting that eventually it leads out of the labyrinth. Even when part of my mind panics because it can’t see the whole path. Even when fear creeps back in. Trusting myself now looks like believing that the next small step is enough, especially when there’s a spark of life in it.

This fundraiser has felt nothing short of miraculous to me. Because of your generosity, I’ve surpassed my original goal. That alone has opened new questions. Could this become something I return to yearly? A cause that continues to unfold and evolve?

I don’t have answers yet. What I do know is that raising funds in this way feels purposeful. Meaningful. It’s given me reason to believe in something greater than myself. A shared vulnerability that, strangely and beautifully, has reconnected me to a deeper part of who I am.

I’ll leave you with a few questions to sit with, if you feel called:

What feels expansive in your life right now?
Where might you be rushing instead of listening?
What’s one small “zing zing” you’ve been ignoring, but can’t quite forget?

I’m eternally grateful for your support, your kindness, and your love. Truly.

With love and deep appreciation,
Patty

P.S. I’ll continue sharing this journey, the climb, the questions, and the unfolding on social media. If you’d like to stay connected and follow along, you can find me here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pattycontenta/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePattyContenta
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pattycontenta

P.P.S. This photo was taken on the Brooklyn Bridge over U.S. Thanksgiving weekend, a moment that symbolized connection for me, bridging where I’ve been with where I’m going, and when I decided to commit to the Kilimanjaro climb for cancer research.