Sally Obermeder understands first-hand the power of having people in her corner. Even people she didn’t know.
It’s a well-traversed story that The Daily Edition host, author and Swiish business founder, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer back in October 2011 – the day before she gave birth to her first baby – a little girl, Annabelle, whom she had been trying to fall pregnant with for many years.
“The lowest point for me was at the four-month mark of chemotherapy,” Sally recalls in the latest episode of ‘Finding Fearless with marie claire‘ podcast. “Initially they said I would only have to do three months, but it kept getting extended. I was experiencing pain like nothing I could assimilate it too: searing bone pain, crippling nausea, my nerve endings are on fire, my hair has fallen out. I remember just howling in the shower. It was so loud that my husband Marcus thought I had fallen over. I was really saying `I can’t go on’.”
Luckily Sally found the strength to continue and in the months of recovery, she had time in the chemo chair to reflect on the big question: `If I survive what do I want to do with my life?’ The answer was lifechanging.
“I realised I was the beneficiary of a lot of goodwill from many people during my recovery. People I didn’t even know. But I could feel it. I realised then that it’s my duty; my mission; my calling to give that back.” And the idea for Swiish (founded with her sister Maha) was born.
Not only has Swiish expanded beyond its original premise of a wellness hub to become a growing lifestyle brand of fashion, beauty and nutrition lines (boasting a six-figure turnover too thank you very much), but more importantly Sally has surpassed the all-important five-year, cancer-clear milestone and is well and truly thriving, radiating her beaming optimism to all.
And really, anyone who lists her spirit animal as Dolly Parton is someone you need to get to know. Today. Listen above, or on your podcast platform of choice for Sally’s words of inspiration.
