When Hayley Holroyd looked into the mirror, she saw a healthy woman. It was not the reflection of a person who had Hodgkin lymphoma.
Living with Lymphoma
When Hayley Holroyd looked into the mirror, she saw a healthy woman. It was not the reflection of a person who had Hodgkin lymphoma.
But as Holroyd’s hair began to fall out as a result of chemotherapy treatments, she was forced to face the reality. Holroyd’s hair had become her identity. But that was stripped away.
“I had to face the real me, the me without that false identity. The stripped down version of Hayley,” she says. “Sometimes that’s scarier than cancer.”
Holroyd’s hair loss was a defining moment in her lymphoma journey. She says that losing her hair forced her to see what was actually important—feeling good about herself and life.
Holroyd’s treatment plan consisted of one surgical biopsy and twelve sessions of chemotherapy stretched over a six-month period.
But Holroyd’s treatment plan didn’t stop there. She changed the way she ate and the way she thought.
“When I was diagnosed, I knew that the best thing I could do for my body and mind would be to stay positive, focus on the blessings in my life, and do things that make me happy,” Holroyd says.
She implemented a Positive Mental Attitude (PMA), a self-empowerment philosophy developed by Napoleon Hill. Hill wrote motivational books including Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude, which was published in the 60s.
For Holroyd, implementing a positive mental attitude meant changing her perspective. She focused on the positive, eliminated relationships that didn’t work for her and laughed more.
“After weeding out all the things that were holding my life back, I felt the true healing begin,” Holroyd says.
On November 23, 2011 Holroyd received great news—she was cancer-free.
“I wouldn’t say that PMA alone cured my cancer, but it was definitely a major contributing factor along with a few other crucial lifestyle changes. I believe that one of the biggest killers is stress,” she says.
“If we could eliminate stress from our lives, whether it be through mental attitude, environment, or eating habits, we could all [be] healthy and happy.”
Holroyd, now cancer free, wanted to give back. A positive mental attitude helped her and she wanted to instill the same positivity in others.
Holroyd decided to do this through P.M. Art—her own apparel and art company.
From t-shirt designs to quotes on canvas, the goal of P.M Art’s products is to make people feel good. Holroyd’s design aesthetic is characterized by vibrant colours and comic-book style graphics. They are simple daily reminders to stay positive.
I had to face the real me, the me without that false identity. The stripped down version of Hayley… sometimes that’s scarier than cancer.”
“My goal with P.M. Art is to inspire positivity in others,” she says.
“Whether they’re wearing a t-shirt or visiting the website, I want them to be reminded about the power of positivity and how a simple shift in perspective can change your whole life for the better.”
A positive mental attitude helped Holroyd and she hopes to spread positivity all over the world.
To learn more about P.M. Art, visitwww.positivementalart.com. You canalso follow the company on Twitter:@_PMArt.
