Calm Waters

Jan was successfully living her dream as an artist. Although she had become an accomplished musician in her twenties, Jan's artistic endeavors evolved as a writer. She enjoyed endless days of creating new characters for her children's tales and, often, composed musical scores to the rhythm of her stories. As her art came to life, Jan most enjoyed time in the recording studio where she laid tracks of character voices, sound effects and music. She felt gratified and delighted as her dreams of fulfillment never seemed to end.

Her health and fitness were top on her list of importance, so, despite her busy schedule, she insisted on making time for annual check-ups. In what seemed to be a successful physical in 1998, the unexpected result of a simple blood test shook her very foundation. Her safe balance of life was shaken by the fragility of the unknown.

How can a healthy, vibrant thirty-seven-year-old woman be diagnosed with failing bone marrow? Invasive tests, performed by experts in their field, confirmed her life-threatening condition, offering no explanation and little treatment choice. She faced a grim prognosis. Jan longed for her life as a healthy woman and yearned for her carefree days of artistic expression. Desperate to fight for her life, she clung to her faith and bravely strayed from Western medicine, the only culture she'd ever known. With hope for survival and healing, Jan delved into an alternative medicine and distant culture, one she never dreamed would touch her life so dramatically.

While desperately seeking answers to the cause of her condition, Jan unearthed life-changing news about the seaside town of Toms River, New Jersey where she'd spent much of her happy childhood. Her unexpected discovery surrounding Toms River's infamous groundwater contamination, which was designated a Superfund Site, led her to the answers she sought about her failing health and her childhood years.

Jan's powerful story of faith, survival and incredible discovery of a distant culture led her on an unforgettable journey.