Books on WINGS

Some crazy weather here on the east coast. Snow back in October and temperatures reaching 80 mid March. Go figure. One thing that Ellen and I do notice however, regardless of Mother Nature and unseasonal weather fluctuation, is that Butterflies are everywhere!

Snow White Buds Blooming

Margaret Zuccotti is one such beautiful soul who has given our book WINGS. Diagnosed with Stage 4 inflammatory breast cancer in 2006, she discovered a lump while nursing her infant son.  Thus began the path of surgery, treatment and advocacy for this wife, mother of 3, daughter, sister, friend, athlete (she was the first survivor to cross the finish line at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Philadelphia,  and now, butterfly.

Margaret and her kids

An educator by profession, Margaret created the Louise S. Mauran Book Fund in honor of her mother to support families in the Fox Chase Cancer Center community where she receives treatment.  Margaret contacted us after she found our book online and shared Butterfly Kisses and Wishes on Wings with other families facing cancer. We are honored to be a part of her fund and at the top of her list!

In addition, Margaret brought copies of our books, including our new Spanish edition to the recent C4YW conference in New Orleans last month as part of her brand new Reading for Reassurance initiative.  Hope you'll visit her Facebook page and click LIKE to keep on top of where she is taking this.

Thank you Margaret!

I feel that 'BK WOW' is a wonderful story because it touches on many of the challenges faced by families dealing with cancer. Why do you have cancer? Can I catch your cancer? Will you be ok? Is it alright that I am scared? These questions are asked by children of all ages and the book addresses them beautifully. It is great to find a resource that comforts the reader and the listener all at the same time. 

Margaret Zuccotti

Who is a butterfly in your life?  Who has helped you help others?

Just Like Me

This is from a card that was forwarded to us by someone who had gifted our book to a friend and her children following her cancer diagnosis.

Snuggle Me
Archival digital print
20" x 16"
from the book
Butterfly Kisses and Wishes on Wings

Thank you so much for the beautiful book. 


I had read a couple of books to the boys but the one you gave us was by far the most beautifully written and most appropriate in every way for Jack to identify with.  As I read it to him on every other page he would say "that's just like me, Mommy!"


                                                                                                                             Sally 

Sally went on to say " We are certainly in for the battle of our lives, but we are feeling blessed..."


Thank you for sharing our book.  Ellen and I also feel blessed to bring some comfort to others, as so many have done for me, and for us.
                                                         Nanci

Finding Balance

Nanci's cairn

Just a year ago I posted a Thank You Note to the Big C on my Art & Inspiration Blog.
It was also a kind of good riddance closure kind of thing. Not happening. Many of you know that two months later I learned that I had breast cancer again. Apparently many of my life lessons needed to be revisted.

Earlier this month the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center hosted their First Day of Hope. They offered a day of nteresting speakers, info and workshops. One workshop in particular resonated with me. It was cairn building using small river stones. The intention was to help us identify the various roles we take on in our lives and finding the right balance for optimum health.

Here was the process:
1. Choose any 5 stones from a large selection on the table in front of you. (this was done before knowing step #2.
2. Assign a role to each of the stones that you have chosen.  If you have more than 5 pick your top 5. Already that was a good way to limit how much we each take on!
3. Now try to balance them on top of each other.
4. If one of them just doesn't work- take it away. (stone for "community work" didn't fit)
5. If any of the stones needs to be switched out, trade it for another.
(VERY interesting- the stone I chose for artist was too big and had to be switched)

This photo was not the arrangement I came home with.  I had put the biggest stone on the bottom which was my "mother" stone.  I shared this story with a healer I am working with and she said "You have to feed the mother (a.k.a. self) first" which interestingly enough was the way my boys stacked them when they gave it a try. They intuitively knew that!

And now my stack is balanced with putting self/healing first. As we change and our lives change so will our stones. But for now this is the way it is and I am ok with that.

Hope you find balance in your life this holiday season!

Easing a Child's Burden at a Scary Time

Halloween aside, it's often scary for children and their families any time of year when they hear the word cancer.  

"Mom really likes it when I draw her butterflies!
She says they remind her of our butterfly kisses,..."
from Butterfly Kisses and Wishes on Wings: When someone you love has cancer... a hopeful, helpful book for kids

" Nanci, 

     I met you as I was passing through the Breast Cancer Event area at (Helen F.) Graham 

Center. You gave me a book and I brought it home and read it that evening. I was impressed with your beautiful illustrations and the way the story so wonderfully covered every aspect of a child's experience with Breast cancer at home... I ordered 2 more. One for a friend and one for the  Odessa library. It's my way helping in some way to ease a child's burden at such a scary time..."

                   Dolores Sebastian

Thank you Dolores for being a part of our Gift- it- Forward program and sharing our book with others. 

Sending you Wishes on Wings...

"the best book on this subject that she has seen yet"

Christiana Care Breast Center at The Helen F. Graham Cancer Center recently hosted a Fall Breast Festival. As part of this event, they generously made it possible that all of their patients and breast cancer survivors attending received a copy of our book Butterfly Kisses and Wishes on Wings: When someone you love has cancer... a hopeful helpful book for kids.

The staff at
The Breast Center Festival at
Helen F. Graham Cancer Center
set my signing table with
beautiful flowers, butterly garland and festive felt butterflies on the table

This except is from a wonderful email that I received following my recent book signing at the Breast Center  

"My mother, Ellen, would like to donate a book to the Tower Hill School library.  

Ellen (or Meghan and Jack's Nana) is a 29 year breast cancer survivor.  Last week, she attended an event at the Helen Graham Breast Center of Christiana Care Hospital.  During the event, she was given a book called "Butterfly Kisses and Wishes on Wings" signed by the illustrator Nanci Hersh.

My mother worked for years at the American Cancer Society in their Patient Services division.  She has realized that there is not a lot of information for young children when their parents are going through cancer.  It's a beautiful book for parents to read to their children...a resource about how to talk to a child about a parent's cancer diagnosis...the best book on this subject that she has seen yet!

She was delighted to have received this book and to be able to give it onto others."

Excerpts from an email from Christine, whose mom, Ellen attended the event.  

Thank you Ellen, and Christine for being a wonderful part of our Gift -it-Forward program!

Butterflies at the Breast Center Fest

That's right, there will be butterflies at this year's Breast Center Fall Festival at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center in Delaware.

Butterflies
©McVicker&Hersh,LLC

We are honored that our book Butterfly Kisses and Wishes on Wings has been selected as the featured book at the event.

We will have our art prints, as well as copies of our book in English and now in Spanish!  I (Nanci) will be there signing books, and am looking forward to seeing some of my dear friends who are truly butterflies in my life.

There will be Breast Health Education, tours (it is a beautiful facility!), Breast Health Education, Giveaways, Door Prizes, Pink Ribbon items on sale to benefit the Breast Center Special Needs Fund.

Hope to see you, too!

Who Wore it Better?

You decide...

no comment.   

Actually, I may have only worn it once or twice.  Itchy, hot, and it was summer after all.

Maggie on the other hand, has been seen out in her new "do."

This is my new look these days.

Now its onto radiation.  

As anyone out there tried aloe?