80: Second Chance with Tara Notrica

Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling

Tara Notrica is 57 years old and a mother to 2 children, Jared, age 21 and Samantha, aged 17.

She’s been married to Barry for 24 years and they live in New York

Prior to becoming ill with a rare disease called Mast Cell Disease, she was a Special Education Teacher/Administrator. Her disease causes her to have anaphylactic episodes from multiple triggers, which can cause anaphylactic shock

Since there is no cure and very few medications for her disease, her transplant doctor and Tara decided to proceed with having a transplant.

In July 2015, she had an autologous stem cell transplant using her own stem cells. In June 2018, she had an allogeneic bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor.

However, due to various complications, she was hospitalized extensively at MSKCC in New York City.

Her story has been made into a documentary called “Second Chance” featuring all original music co-written and recorded by Samantha

The full documentary will be available to the public in Spring 2022, after it has finished completing the film festival circuit

Some key points from our interview:

· How despite feeling that her body is semi broken, she feels that her spirit, courage, and resilience remains unbroken

· How whatever is going on with her health she always tries to persevere

· How it took five years before she would receive her diagnosis

· How her resilience developed by her determination to be here for her children and desire to watch them grow up

· How despite her many health conditions she still finds time to lobby for changes in the law to offer transport to children whose parents are unable to take them to school due to ill health

· How she’s determined to raise awareness about rare diseases and stem cell transplants

· How her daughter Samantha has recorded nine separate songs for the documentary “Second Chance” which reflects all the different topics they went through as a family

https://www.instagram.com/taranotrica/

Instagram-TaraNotrica

Trailer Link/Film Information

www.4thcoastproductions.com/secondchancedocumentary
"Unbroken: Healing Through Storytelling" features individuals who have all triumphed after adversity and have not just bounced back in life, but forward and are now making a difference for others.
Hosted by Madeleine Black, the show will share stories of all the amazing people Madeleine has met on her own journey as an author/speaker and these stories will heal, motivate, inspire and bring hope when they share their wisdom and knowledge with her.
She really believes in the power that comes when we share our stories, that in fact we are not story tellers but story healers. Tune in to discover what helped them to stay unbroken and together we will discover that none of us are broken beyond repair.
You can find out more about Madeleine, her story and her memoir, Unbroken, from her website: https://madeleineblack.co.uk
Watch edited highlights on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineBlackUnbroken

Short of time but want to tune in?
Watch Short Vlog Versions on our You Tube Channel HERE