Divorce.  Disease.  Discrimination.  Death.  The list of challenges faced by the 40, 50 and 60 something women in Cincinnati was lengthy.  But as each woman shared her story, the focus was clearly on how their friends had enabled them to break free of their past and create a present and a future full of promise and hope.

“These women have allowed me to become who I am today,” said one woman of and to her friends gathered around her.  Another woman shared how she feels like her testing time came later in life, and without her friends, she’s not sure how she would be able to handle it all.  “My friends are definitely on my side,” she said. 

“Life is full of many phases,” said one woman.  “We need to learn to love who we are and be comfortable with it.”  All agreed that friends have a way of seeing us both as we are and as we want to be.