Welcome to FancyBetty.com! Welcome to a place where the boundaries are wide, the topics are diverse, and the information provided is for your personal use. I am not a nurse, doctor, or counselor. I am a woman with a silly and sometimes off-beat sense of humor, more attitude than I am really aware of, and the desire to offer understanding, love and compassion to everyone, but especially individuals who are diagnosed with cancer and are trying to find a way to "keep on, keepin' on!"

The site name, Fancy Betty,

was born the winter of 2007 while snowshoeing with my best friend. I have had this woman in my life since 1981. Since the beginning of our friendship she has always been about 6 inches taller and definitely more athletic than me. I continue to be in awe at how gracefully she has aged.

Well, on one of our snowshoeing outings, I was trying to break the trail for her to follow, instead of me following her trail, as was usually the case. Just imagine having someone with legs six inches longer than yours, follow your tracks? It was really easy for me to follow her, but not for her to follow me. In fact I got so frustrated with her breathing down my neck that I just simply stopped and said something like, "Just make your own trail and I'll make mine." She smiled, as she ALWAYS does, and went ahead of me to the top of the hill.

This happened a lot! And everytime she would get to the top, I would still be halfway up the hill, looking up at her smiling down on me and I would be muttering some obscene words to describe her. And, because I have known her more than half my life and we have a long history, she knew that the obscene words I was calling her were not meant in an ugly way, it was just my way of communicating in my intense frustration to keep up with her!

The obscene words started with the letters F...... B....! After a couple months of this communication style I decided I needed a healthier, more intelligent way of calling her names. Thus, she became my "Fancy Betty." She appreciated it and I definitely felt better and we decided that was the most clever way to hide the obscene words. So I continue to always be behind her no matter what we are doing, snowshoeing, running, or any other physical activity... and all the while I am muttering, "Fancy Betty, make your own tracks."

Hopefully this has helped clarify the name of Fancy Betty and you understand that we all have Fancy Betty's in our lives. They love us, support us, comfort us, laugh with us, understand us when others don't, and they always help you find a way to Make Your Own Tracks!