BOB FURNISS: ON TO BLUE

Join us as we welcome BOB FURNISS on THURSDAY, MAY 22 at 6:00 PM to celebrate the release of his new book ON TO BLUE

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Imagine being away on a work trip and receiving a phone call that turns your entire world upside down. Written from a father’s perspective, the reader will experience the journey of Keesha the Warrior Princess and her battle with Stage 4 Breast Cancer that began at just 30 years old. One of her close friends described her as “one of the purest souls he had ever known.” In these pages, you will learn why. And, through her dad’s eyes, you will be inspired by his daughter’s journey – gaining a new appreciation of life. Glean life lessons from stories of resolution and strength.

Each chapter includes “Keesha-isms” – truths that can only be learned through real-life experiences but apply to everyone:

• Learn to adapt to your limitations or disabilities and find out how those limitations can become your
  superpowers.
• Learn to focus on what you can change, and let go of things you cannot control.
• Learn to see the good in people, look for the positives in everyday situations, and never give up – no
  matter the difficulties in life.

“Words cannot articulate how much of a fighter Keesha was over those four years… She WAS the Warrior Princess. She had the grace of a princess and the fight of a warrior. But through it all, she DEFINED the word FIGHTER. Her attitude was, “I may not be able to beat this, but I am going to fight it for as long as possible!” I remember one time while taking a particularly nasty chemo, she had been throwing up for about 15 minutes straight. She sat back in the chair, wiped off her mouth, and said, “Well, that was better on the outside than on the inside!” That was her – always positive, always fighting… She WAS the warrior princess!” Throughout her illness, I asked her if she wanted me to stop writing about her life on Facebook. She said no – and told me, “Please tell others not to make the mistakes I made…” Once she was diagnosed at Stage-4, she knew how sick she was…. But she never gave up – and her “live-life-out-loud” story even created another hashtag among fiends:
#LiveLikeKeesha

We are very proud to share her story and our story – so others don’t have to experience the pain we have – and to inspire others to live life to the fullest!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Bob Furniss’s most important role in life is that of a father and husband. He and his wife Susan have been married for 45 years. They are parents to two children and proud grandparents to two grandsons and one granddaughter. As a dad, he thought he had faced it all in a 45-year marriage while raising two kids.

A late-night phone call while on the road working changed all of that when he learned his daughter, Keesha, was diagnosed with stage-4 breast cancer. This book tells her story through the eyes of her dad. Dads (and moms) are supposed to be able to “fix” any tough times in their kids’ lives, but this time was different. They had to rely on doctors, available treatments, and the support of friends and family.

In this book, Bob Furniss sets the foundation of a strong family story and shares how his daughter’s early battles with ADD became her superpower to focus on one thing as she battled cancer—the focus to live another day! He shares their raw feelings of grief and how he and his wife have had their faith shaken through his story.

Learn how his daughter’s wish to ensure no other women follow her path became the catalyst for him and his wife to launch a nonprofit, Keesha Warrior Princess (warriorprincess.org). The organization’s mission is to save lives by increasing early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer in women aged 25 – 45 through education and community.

Bob is considered a thought leader in the world of customer service and contact centers. He’s been a consultant for more than 25 years. He is a writer and a speaker, and he has worked with some of the top brands in the world. As a speaker, he often shares stories of his children, and one of his most successful sessions has been “10 Things I Learned from My Kids About Customer Service – and Life!” The International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) recently recognized Bob with its Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is given annually to “a person who embodies the spirit of customer service and has contributed to all aspects of the contact center industry—the people, the organizations, the technology, and the customers.”

Keesha’s story leaves an imprint on anyone lucky enough to know her – and her life touches everyone differently. How will her story – and Bob’s story – empower you?