There's something about Shelly

No matter where we go, people open up to Michelle, and tell their stories.

By Michael Ertel

August 26^th, 2025

It starts with Michelle

As a journalist, Michelle was trained to listen, enlist feedback, then inform. As beautiful as her big blue eyes are, it's her ears which made her such an effective reporter and fact disseminator.

While she's no longer a professional journalist, she still is a listener first, then an informer.

The funny thing is, she doesn't even know she's doing it. Shelly is simply a natural.

So, when she meets new people, it's no wonder they open up to Michelle; it's like they know she cares.

"So, when she meets new people, it’s no wonder they open up to Michelle; it’s like they know she cares."

Nowhere more perfect

Recently, we travelled to Florida's panhandle and stopped off at the Nowhere Grille in Keaton Beach.

Immediately, Shelly struck up a conversation with the staff and some "regulars."

Like many of our chats, what initially is a pro-forma "tell me about yourself," discussion, becomes something much more involved, personal, and enlightening.

Wherever we travel in our trips with the No Cure Caravan, Michelle sees it as an opportunity to tell people about her super-rare cancer diagnosis. In the few months we've taken trips, not a single person had ever heard of Neuroendocrine (NET) Cancer.

And just like every chat along our journeys, Shelly's openness begets openness and a flood of personal stories from others.

When we were at the Nowhere Grille, one of our chats was with someone dealing with a family crises. Shelly listened, and they had a lengthy conversation about life choices, priorities, and the future.

Thus, two random people traveling to their community, became an opportunity for someone to air their issues with someone whom they could tell wouldn't judge them, but listen. And help.

There have been a host of other new friends we've met along the way, who had never met us, but opened up to Shelly, and I believe, were better for having their chat with her.

"...just like every chat along our journeys, Shelly’s openness begets openness and a flood of personal stories from others."

Shelly's ready to listen to you, too.

If you are someone with neuroendocrine cancer, are a family member of someone with NET cancer, Michelle is a caring, gentle ear for your story.

If you simply are going through something in your life, Shelly can not only provide you a good outlet, but be a friend, too.

One thing we've learned in the No Cure Caravan, is that the cancer may have impacted her health, but it also opened up a whole new world of friends, and opportunity to listen.