Ep109. Choose Extraordinary: Love, Loss, Grief & Growth with Vashti Whitfield

Leaders Lane by Monica Kade

Welcome to Episode 109 of The Monica Kade Podcast. Today’s episode is a special one. It sits close to my heart, and behind the scenes this conversation has been a personally transformational one. Meet Vashti Whitfield. She has over twenty years experience in facilitating the transformation and development of human potential as an executive and performance coach, teacher and international speaker. However, she’s most widely known for choosing to turn her own personal loss into a catalyst for inspiring millions of people. Her late husband, actor Andy Whitfield was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2010 just after he’d landed the role of Spartacus in the TV Series Spartacus: Blood and Sand. This was a huge role for Andy and shot his acting career into lights, which he had been so tirelessly working towards for many years prior. He’d finally “made it”—and so very quickly this dream career and life, he and Vashti had invested so much energy into was pulled from beneath their feet. Both Andy and Vashti decided to make a documentary, BE HERE NOW, which chronicles Andy and the family’s journey with cancer and the battle to overcome fear, loss and letting go. The story is a heart-wrenching emotional rollercoaster. We see Andy beat Cancer the first time around, but not for good. It returns. Eventually, on September 11, 2011 Andy’s battle came to an end. Leaving behind his incredible wife Vashti, their extraordinary life and his gorgeous two young children, Jesse and Indigo. In 2017, along with the films Director, Oscar Nominee Lilibet Foster, Vashti toured worldwide premiering and speaking about their award-winning feature film documentary Be Here Now. If you don't already know of Vashti, you'll fall in love with her candid nature, her big heart and incredibly strong mindset. Her energy and fervour for life is infectious. Her words deeply empowering. A conversation that will open your heart and remind you of what’s truly important: THIS MOMENT NOW. Learn About Vashti’s incredible upbringing living all over the world as a young little girl What has fostered Vashti’s strong mindset The idea of ‘fitting in’ and how her mum raised her differently Her perspective around ‘inclusivity’ of men and women, not just women Who Andy was to her, what he was like and what she loved about him How Andy and Vashti built a beautifully strong relationship What made them decide to film the Be Here Now documentary How the film got its title and the experience of filming something so personal What it’s like for Vashti having to fill the shoes of both parents How she supports Jesse and Indi as a parent Follow Vashti Here Her website Instagram | Facebook Be Here Now Documentary Website