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NATAS Chicago/Midwest Chapter

@chi_natas

25 days ago

Posted On: September 21st 2026, 10:17 pm

ON WEDNESDAY – The second annual STARS FOR SARA benefit event will be bringing together some of Chicago’s most beloved musicians, media personalities and entertainers for one very special cause at the @desplainestheatre.

Created by @rozvaronabc7, veteran WLS-TV Traffic Anchor, Stars for Sara honors the memory of her daughter, Sara Janz, who passed away at just 29. Entertainment producer Ron Onesti generously donated the Des Plaines Theatre for this special evening.

The event will raise funds for the “Sara Janz Take Your Shot Memorial Scholarship” through the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), the producer of the Chicago/Midwest Emmy® Awards, ensuring Sara’s light continues to inspire future generations of media professionals.

Hosted by Chicago/Midwest Emmy®-winning journalist Val Warner and featuring performances by @amerengbeatles, @jessewhitetumblers, and more, the event promises to be an unforgettable night of entertainment and remembrance.

Get your ticket: https://desplainestheatre.com/event/save-the-date-stars-for-sara/

#starsforsara #fundraiser #americanenglish #jessewhitetumblers

First chemo session ✈️

Well, we’re finally off the ground with chemotherapy.

After months of delays, diversions and trying to get myself into the right place to start treatment, I’ve finally completed my first session. It’s a milestone I’ve been waiting for, although the circumstances surrounding it are far from ideal.

As many of you know, I completed all 33 sessions of radiotherapy earlier in the summer. Unfortunately, the results have been pretty devastating. The treatment has had minimal impact on the tumour, and the latest MRI has actually highlighted new, alarming areas of concern. It’s now lead to be having to be scanned every 6 weeks.

That’s a difficult reality to face, particularly after putting so much into getting through radiotherapy. It also makes starting chemotherapy feel that much more urgent, as I look for something that might make a difference where radiotherapy hasn’t.

The immediate challenge, though, is the fatigue. I’m absolutely shattered. This isn’t just being a bit tired or needing an early night; it’s a level of exhaustion that makes even the simplest things feel like hard work.

After 20 years in aviation, being alert, focused and ready for anything has been second nature. Having to slow down this much, and accept that my body simply hasn’t got the energy it used to, is a difficult adjustment.

I’m trying to be realistic about what lies ahead. There are no guarantees that chemotherapy will work, and with the latest scan results, I’m under no illusion about the seriousness of the situation. But it’s another treatment option, and I have to give it a chance.

For now, it’s about taking things one day at a time, listening to my body and resting when I need to.

One session down. A long way still to go. ✈️

Thank you to everyone who continues to check in, send messages and support me through this. If I’m quiet or slow to reply, it’s not that I don’t appreciate it. Sometimes I’m simply too exhausted to do much at all. ❤️

Kavga mı, açlık mı? İkisi de mamayı unuttu! 😂🐱
Fighting or hunger? They both forgot about the food! 😂🐱 #kedi #cat #animal #catlovers

He deixat el cor a Sitges❤️‍🔥🥀🩸
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@mutterthefilm 🔪❤️‍🔥

History remembers the samurai, but women fought to defend their communities too. ⚔️🇯🇵

Archaeological analysis of remains from several 16th-century Japanese battle sites, including Senbon Matsubara, found that many belonged to women. At some sites, researchers estimated that women may have accounted for 30–50% of those buried among the fallen. These findings came from bone analysis, not DNA testing.

Historical accounts also describe the onna-musha and onna-bugeisha—women from warrior families who trained with weapons such as the naginata and bow. They were prepared to defend their homes and communities when war came to their doorstep.

One remarkable figure was Nakano Takeko, who led a female fighting unit during the 1868 Boshin War and died in battle.

Their stories challenge the image of Japan’s warriors as exclusively male. These women were part of history all along; their stories deserve to be remembered.

History isn't being rewritten. It's being restored.

Follow @thefemalecurrency for more stories of women history overlooked.

#womeninhistory #japanesehistory

هاد البنت عليها هجوم و ما تستاهلوووش بالعكس خاص التعاطف معاها ❤️ طفلة صغيرة مشات ليها أمها و عائلتها و بقات بوحدها و داكشي لي دارت هو الحق و ربي ايجازيها عليه #العزية_الله_يرحمها

NATAS Chicago/Midwest Chapter

@chi_natas

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