The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 68

Saved by
stories

68

JULY/AUGUST 2019

Hunsaker has also been working
with nonprofits like United Way
of Roanoke Valley, coaching those
who've received services from the
organization to tell what it means to
them.
Hunsaker has been reborn as a
story midwife.
"It's been a crooked path to get here.
But this feels exactly right," she says
of the work she's doing now. "And I
never dreamed that I could have that
feeling."
Yet not even her success, or her 10
cancer-free years, have completely
erased the worry that her cancer
might return. Whenever she sees her
scars, it takes her back.
"They're like Frankenstein scars,"
she says. "It's just such a physical
reminder. There's always a little bit of
a distrust there, you know? My body
turned on me."

JONATHAN SHAFFER

If Knight leaned in to her diagnosis,
LEE HUNSAKER ran in the opposite
direction.
She was 38, living in Austin, Texas,
with a new husband, a 19-month-old
baby boy and a successful career in
movie costume design.
But after her cancer diagnosis, after
months of chemotherapy, surgery,
radiation, after being too overwhelmed
and afraid to show up as wife and
mother, everything about her old life
felt too connected to the cancer.
"I started associating all of the
roads with the road to the doctor. My
bedroom reminded me of being so
nauseous I couldn't sit up," Hunsaker
remembers. "I felt like I had to get out
of there. Immediately. Using whatever
means possible."
So she fled. To her hometown. To
the beauty of the mountains.
She arrived in Roanoke in 2011 with
no idea what she wanted to do with
the life she had fought so hard to keep.
It was storytelling that saved her.
Hunsaker had been invited to be
keynote speaker at a breast cancer
event in Austin before she left. She
found that sharing her truth became
an important part of her healing.
"It gave me some power back, to
have a voice," she says.
She led a few workshops with
cancer survivors where she asked them
to write love letters to their bodies and
then read their work aloud.
Nurturing those women encouraged
Hunsaker to start a live storytelling
event she called Hoot And Holler:
Our Stories. Out Loud. The concept
was to reach out to everyone and
encourage them to speak their story.
She held the first at Sweet Donkey
Coffee House in October 2016. Three
years later, monthly Hoot And Holler
shows regularly sell out the Grandin
Theatre and 5 Points Music Sanctuary.

TheRoanoker.com



http://www.TheRoanoker.com

The Roanoker - July/August 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Roanoker - July/August 2019

The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - Intro
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - Cover1
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - Cover2
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 3
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 4
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 5
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 6
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 7
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 8
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 9
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 10
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 11
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 12
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 13
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 14
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 15
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 16
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 17
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 18
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 19
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 20
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 21
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 22
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 23
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 24
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 25
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 26
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 27
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 28
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 29
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 30
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 31
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 32
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 33
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 34
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 35
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 36
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 37
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 38
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 39
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 40
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 41
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 42
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 43
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 44
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 45
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 46
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 47
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 48
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 49
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 50
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 51
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 52
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 53
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 54
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 55
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 56
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 57
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 58
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 59
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 60
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 61
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 62
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 63
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 64
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 65
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 66
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 67
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 68
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 69
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 70
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 71
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 72
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 73
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 74
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 75
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 76
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 77
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 76
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 79
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 80
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 81
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 82
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V1
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V2
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V3
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V4
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V5
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V6
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V7
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V8
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V9
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V10
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V11
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V12
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V13
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V14
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V15
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V16
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V17
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V18
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V19
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V20
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V21
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V22
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V23
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V24
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V25
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V26
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V27
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V28
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V29
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V30
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V31
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - V32
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 83
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 84
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 85
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 86
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 87
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 88
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 89
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 90
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 91
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 92
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 93
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 94
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 95
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 96
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 97
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 98
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 99
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 100
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 101
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 102
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 103
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 104
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 105
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 106
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 107
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 108
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 109
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 110
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 111
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 112
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 113
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - 114
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - Cover3
The Roanoker - July/August 2019 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/the-roanoker-march-april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/the-roanoker-january-february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/RKRND21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/RKRSO21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/TheRoanokerJA2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20210506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20210304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20210102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_2020_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20200910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20200708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20200506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20200304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20200102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20191112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20190910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20190708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20190506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20190304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20190102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20181112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20180910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20180708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20180506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20180304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20180102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20171112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20170910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/TheRoanoker_JulyAugust2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/TheRoanoker_MayJune2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20170304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20161112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20160910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20160708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20160506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20150910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20150506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20150102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20141112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20140910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_201402
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com