Suzann Wade
What makes Suzann Wildly Capable?
“Suzann embodies ‘glass half full’ in a way many people can’t even imagine. She’s faced unbelievable circumstances but never lost joy or perspective. She’s a true inspiration.”
HANNAH SCHMITT
Why do you think you were nominated for this list?
The thing that makes me exceptional is my perspective on life. I survived brain cancer in my late 20s and woke up after an eight hour surgery as a neurodiverse person thanks to a hole in my brain. It was being open to listening to all sorts of people that literally saved my life in the midst of that. So, I now interact with everyone as a person of sacred worth and wisdom who has something to teach me if I am open to listening to them. I’ve also experienced and navigated life both as a neurotypical woman and a neurodiverse one. So, I am a huge advocate of making spaces as accessible and accommodating as possible for the needs of every brain.
What makes you feel proud?
My family: my kids, my dog and grandpups, my husband, parents, siblings and nieces and nephews. I am proud of the way I treat people and empower people. I am proud of the fact that I am just me. Living with a brain injury, I don’t really have a filter. So, what you see is what you get. And the fact that I love and respect people the way I do makes me happy.
What keeps you up at night?
Sensory overstimulation. The struggle is real. Because the hole in my brain is in what was the sensory processing part, I can’t really turn my senses off. I do sometimes worry at night about whether I did or said the right thing. I try not to do that, but like many of us, I don’t process at my best in the moment and will sometimes think of how I could have done things better, or whether I messed something up by being weird.
Who is the biggest influence in your life? Why?
The biggest influence in my life are my kids. Madeline and Sean are both adults now, but I have learned more from them than anyone else. Watching two completely fresh perspectives on the world up close as they develop and grow is just magical. I’ve learned the most from the kids in my life. They inspire me to make the world a better place, to have more fun and to not take things too seriously.
What’s been the biggest obstacle in your life so far?
The weight of surviving cancer and living with a brain injury continues to be my biggest obstacle. Every day is a crapshoot as to how my brain is going to show up., which makes life fun and unpredictable. Also, I look and sound totally fine, so people don’t realize how easily I can get sensorily overwhelmed or overloaded. Sometimes I wish I had a tattoo of my brain MRI where everyone could see, not to pity me or judge me as less than, but to recognize my reality and not assume I am totally okay. My kids (and nieces and nephews), and a few friends I made since my injury are the people who can most easily look at me and see when I’m struggling.
One year from today, how do you hope you’re different?
I hope I am more confident in my abilities to build a successful model for making a transformative impact in the lives of female business owners. I hope I am calmer in my mind and healthier in my body. I hope I am actively having more fun each and every chance I get.
