A Woman WIth Passion

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) June 22, 2010 --

Candace Nadine Breen was told by her parents that she'd never amount to anything. Her parents divorced when she was in third grade and her mother surrendered full custody rights to her father. On the day after Christmas during Breen's sixth grade school year , she , her father and her youngest brother were sent out into the cold and took up residence in a rat and roach infested apartment in Providence's South Side. It was here, that Breen was repeatedly raped and verbally abused by her father . Breen sank into a deep depression and tried to committ suicide numerous times. Her classmates made fun of her and one student even accused her of willing sleeping with her father. It wasn't until years later, when Breen was a sophmore in college that she managed to flee and get away from her father's abuse.

" For many years, I was ashamed of what happened to me...I would always pray and ask God to deliver me from the mess, "Breen says. " I didn't know when it would happen but for some reason, I had faith. "

After graduating from college, Breen became an educator and stayed in the field for eleven years. One day, two of her male high school student cornered her in her classroom in front of the rest of the students who did nothing to help. Breen was instantly mentally thrown back into feelings of helplessness from her childhood. All of her efforts to push back theses memories throughout her years of teaching suddenly fell apart. The school building was in lockdown mode, police and detectives were called and Breen found herself in court in front of a judge retelling her story. Breen had to undergo therapy, and had been diagnosed with PTSD. She suffered many nightmares that only increased when she had her first child. Her husband would patiently endure her "night-walks" which entailed her double and triple checking all the windows and doors in the night.

Since Breen could no longer function as an educator, she decided to use the new free time to do things she never had the chance to do. After joining the RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network) and sharing her story on a radio show and at the Rhode Island State House for the "Walk A Mile In Her Shoes" event, Breen heard a voice within that told her she had found her niche. With her husband's support and encouragement, she began an internet radio show "Candidly Candace" which is an internet radio show on Blogtalkradio dedicated to women's voices and women's issues. This radio show developed into a business and she began to host public fundraisers for nonprofit organizations that advocate for women. She was asked to be a member of the Women's Media Center's SheSource. She was also featured in the October 12, 2009 edition of PEOPLE Magazine alongside the Mackenzie Phillips article.

Breen says that just because she still has nightmares at night and that just because she is may not go into an office or a building everyday doesn't mean she is insignificant. She continues to do things. She has a fully-functioning website dedicated to her business and the various things she does. She does crafts, her speciality being all-natural and organic body scrubs. This caused her company to branch out and develop an online boutique for other women to display and sell their crafts called The Empowerment Boutique Online.

Breen says she doesn't know where her interests will take her. "I am able to pursue my interests while, at the same time I am able to be a good mother and wife. More than anything, I want to be there for my family and doing this from home allows me to do so. I hope other moms can understand that they are not limited just because they choose to stay at home. I have sort of a disability and I am not stopping. Sure, there are moments when I have episodes and some have even gone so far as to call me crazy, but God saved me for a reason. I didn't have to be here."

Breen's husband, Peter says, 'it is amazing what she has done. She has proven that anyone can do anything if they put their minds to it and they don't have to be rich, either. Candace has reinvented herself with the use of a laptop and a desire."

Abuse Against Women     entrepeneur     woman of the year