Our community recently lost a great friend and a true veterinary icon, Kim Ellis. Kim impacted so many in such a positive way, from her 32 year-long career as a CVT and equine nurse, to her passion for teaching students, her previous episode on PAV, and the words and actions of compassion she extended on a daily basis.  Please join us as we revisit Kim’s previous episode and find new inspiration in her message and strength. Learn about Kim’s fixation for draft horses and promoting the term ‘equine nurse’, the importance of never being satisfied, and why you need to stop and smell the roses before life forces you too.  Kim was an open book who was dedicated to spreading the message of being kind to yourself, persevering through the bad times, and making as many memories as possible. Kim held the true secrets to longevity and connectivity and embraced the lessons cancer taught her. Someone who touched the lives of everyone she met, Kim will be greatly missed and her words of wisdom will continue to live on through this podcast and all of our listeners.  Are you ready to lean into the collar and join the fight to stop breast cancer? Donate to the link below and share how Kim or her message impacted your life in the comments on the episode page.    In This Episode Lessons after diagnosis and words of advice to others struggling with cancer The importance of advocating for yourself in the veterinary tech field Why you should be embracing meditation throughout your career How to find a better balance in life and take time for yourself and the people you love Discover the secret to marriage longevity and finding the right person   Quotes “You just lean into the collar and go. And that is the way I have been through anything I do in this life, is just lean into that collar and go.” (14:33) “It has never crossed my mind, since the day I was diagnosed, of ‘why? Why me?’ Never. I’ve always said ‘why not me?’. If this cancer will allow me to take 10 children’s cancer away; if you lined up 10 kids in front of me and said ‘she’s gonna take your cancer for you?’. Let me have it.” (18:13) “Don't be satisfied, keep branching out and become specialized, that is the only way you are going to get out of that $15-$16 an hour.” (40:00) “I just everyday found excitement in learning something and knew that I was in the right place because I wanted to teach. And I kept myself learning something or developing something or creating something, just go, just kept myself going. I never settled, I just wanted to keep expanding.” (46:14) “I’m still learning, every day I'm learning, but I'm learning to take care of me.” (53:27) “Make memories and be kind to yourself, that's my tag line. You have to be kind to yourself first before you can be kind to other people. And that is where I have learned to take anything negative and to find the positive.” (55:01) “It took cancer for me to get like this, unfortunately. So that's why my message is out there, to start now before something like this makes you start thinking that way.” (55:46)   Links PAV 045: Kim Ellis Donate to the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation  AAEVT Calm App   Enjoying these stories? Consider supporting Podcast A Vet on Patreon & check out our awesome patron-only perk Find the full show notes here  Keep up with everything Podcast A Vet Follow Podcast A Vet on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Join our free community of dedicated vet professionals looking to improve their practices and lives in our free Facebook community! We'd love it (and you) if you would take 1 minute and leave us a review on iTunes!