Expert Voices

Sharon Whiteley

Starting/Managing a Business, Learning

A seasoned entrepreneur, Sharon is CEO of ThirdAge Inc. Earlier she was president of Contempo Colours, a $50 million manufacturer of partyware, which was preceded by her founding of Peacock Papers, an innovative manufacturer of stationery and contemporary gifts. Peacock's product line featured motivational and celebratory messages, many around milestone aging. Prior to her 14-year career in consumer products, she spent 12 years in the specialty shopping center development industry, where she was highly regarded as a pioneer.

SERENDIPITY OR PROCRASTINATION --- SURGERY POSTPONED

Posted September 02, 2005 10:00 AM

In my Agust 16th posting, I shared that the search for my voice was culminating in surgery scheduled for September 6th - now less than a week away. No question I am ready to restore some depth and tone to my flaccid vocal chord. No doubt that I want to be able to communicate regardless of my surroundings. And no illusions that after10 months I will wake up one morning having undergone a spontaneous recovery. So what happened, my friends are asking? (Their masqueraded way of telling me I’m procrastinating). Read more…

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IT'S NOT ABOUT A BIRTHDAY OR A CHRONOLOGICAL YEAR

Posted August 23, 2005 5:18 PM

Growing up in my family, birthdays weren’t big events, nor were they particularly celebrated. For all my younger years – and then some, mine was a shared occasion. I’m an identical twin and “we” had birthdays. We turned 57 last Friday. Sheila, my twin, called early. We never miss calling one another.

I never thought about my chronological age. Never dreaded the Big 30, 40 or 50 for that matter. Maybe 60 will cause some harsher stirrings but I doubt it. To the contrary, I’ve always been a celebrator of age. Read more…

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In Search of My Voice

Posted August 16, 2005 4:22 PM

A little over a year ago I had a partial thyroidectomy (half of my thyroid removed). What led me to the operating table was an innocent enlarged thyroid, which for many years - 12 that I was aware of - lay dormant. An early test showed it was benign.

The doctor told me thyroid conditions, particularly in midlife women, often develop as we get older. She tried to make me feel good and said it was sort of like with men and prostate conditions - if they lived long enough, most men would likely develop some problem. And she added, if by some chance my growth turned to cancer, not to worry. It would be very slow growing and quite contained. Not very consoling. Nor to be candid, very concerning. Life went on and I enjoyed robust health.

Last year when I went for a check-up things had changed. I didn’t need the doctor’s ruler pressed to my neck to tell me something was awry. The mirror told me the same. I had quite a protrusion on my neck. Read more…

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