ThriveWell is lucky to have some fantastic board members, who give their free time to serve ThriveWell. One of them is Stacy Buck who you may remember as one of our speaker’s at last year’s luncheon. Married to Ryan Buck they are proud parents’ to three beautiful children Masie (16), Katie (12) and Gunner (10). Stacy and her family have a menagerie of animals, including steers and goats that they raise for local 4H and FFA programs.

They’ve most recently added two horses, Beau Baby Buck and Missy Prissy, to their barn. Stacy is an advocate at Embrace Hospice where she educates and advocates for patients needing end of life care. She hosts a “Lipstick and Lunch” for those diagnosed with stage IV cancer and in her spare time loves to be outdoors with her family and animals.

Stacy, tell us a little about yourself.
I’m a Texas girl! I grew up in East Texas but have spent the last 23 years in San Antonio. I’m married to a First Responder and have spent the last 17 years educating and advocating for patients needing end of life care. Lessons learned serving our hospice community help me to be present and available to those who love me most. Time is so precious and shockingly fleeting.

How long have you served on the ThriveWell Cancer Foundation Board, and what inspired you to serve in this capacity?
ThriveWell is the first board I have served on. I have been a member for 3 years and have grown tremendously from being surrounded by such brilliant minds who have incredible capacity to serve. Because of ThriveWell, I am able to advocate for funding, resources and community for those “in the trenches” of cancer treatment.

You run a support group for cancer patients. How have you seen cancer affect those around you?
Cancer is a brutal disease that doesn’t discriminate, wait for a convenient time or ask permission. A dear friend of mine, Wendy, was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer on her 10-year wedding anniversary. After the first year of treatment she told me she needed to meet other women with a Stage IV diagnosis. We have been meeting together for “Lipstick and Lunch” for several years now. They loving call themselves, “The Fab IV.” We’ve had lung, colon, rectal, ovarian and brain cancer represented at lunch over the years. There is no one else in their world that fully understands what it is like to be in their shoes except for them. I have been wildly blessed to know each of these fierce women who live amazing lives anyway.

When I first started as a ThriveWell board member the DIVA program was just for women with breast cancer. It is with the “Fab IV” in mind that we expanded the program to all cancers and added the DUDE program!

As a busy mom and professional how do you decompress? What are your hobbies?
My favorite way to decompress is in the barn with our animals and children. There’s something special about families working together that instills character and work ethic when other loving creatures are dependent upon you for food and shelter.

Another way I decompress is through the sport of Crossfit. I am always surprised how incredible I feel after a workout that I had to drag myself to. Let’s be clear…I’m in the Fit-ish category.

Name one of your most favorite memories?
One of my most favorite memories is the first year I got to speak at our ThriveWell luncheon. The entire experience changed me. To see a room full of people respond to a call to action will forever be in my heart. Generosity is contagious.

Name a person you look up to.
My mentor and long time friend, Joni Reyna has always been a standard of excellence in caring for people that I have spent my career trying to replicate. She taught me it’s never wrong to do the right thing.

Do you have a mantra, saying or prayer that resonates with you?
My business and life plan can be found in this: “Don’t grow weary in DOING GOOD, in due time IF you don’t give up, you will reap a harvest.” There is always good to do but honestly the hours can be long, the seasons demanding and weariness is always inviting. If you don’t give up on your goals (personally and professionally) stay the course, and do the next right thing. At the end of your life the gift of satisfaction will be yours and everyone who cares about you gets to be part of it.

The Buck family