Help Taruni triumph over Cancer

My name is Harsha Ravi, and I am proud to call Taruni Tan my dear and forever friend.

She is a passionate entrepreneur and artist with a thriving paper flower business that she launched two years ago. This adventurous spirit is what inspired her to become chef and proud owner of the first-ever vegetarian restaurant in Cairns, Australia, over 20 years ago. Taruni and her husband developed a large community of diverse members who were exposed to the many benefits of a plant-based diet, together with classes and workshops on holistic health practices like yoga and meditation.

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In 2006 when she and her business were in their prime, her husband was diagnosed with terminal glioblastoma multiform and passed three years later. Taruni lovingly cared for him through surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation therapy while also seeking cutting-edge and integrative medicine approaches. Tragically, just years later her brother Vincent had his own cancer diagnosis that Taruni endured vicariously.

Sadly, Taruni herself has now been diagnosed with Stage 4 Esophagus cancer, with extensive metastases to her liver and other organs. Her prognosis is non-curative, meaning that the best possible outcome is lifelong management of this disease. She has lost 28 lbs over three months and first needs to overcome her severe malnutrition before the necessary treatment regimen can begin.

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Taruni wishes to live with courage and determination to win this battle but is lovingly surrendered to what life and destiny have in store for her. In her own words, "fighting to live should never replace the act of simply living. I hope to achieve greater harmony within myself and the world around me and learn from the lessons of severe disease while remaining grateful.

"I dream of being able to revive this practice and continue again to create my one-of-a-kind and bespoke arrangements that serve to accent and enliven homes and celebrate the most special of life's moments and occasions. In practical terms, I wish to dedicate myself to creating an animal shelter for the strays in my local community on my property. I am a passionate animal lover and have been a vegetarian for 30 years. I want to give defenseless animals the chance to live free of danger and harm and with love."

On behalf of Taruni and her friends and well-wishers, we wish to raise her outstanding balance of USD30,000. This fund will help pay for her outstanding hospitalization costs and help ease the significant financial burden that is sure to come with the necessary ongoing treatment.

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Taruni is a relentless giver and has touched the hearts and minds of countless souls over her journey. She has been my dearest friend and trusted confidant for over 15 years and has lent her warm, healing presence to many of my life's celebrations and turbulences. I frequently sought refuge and guidance in Taruni's 'old-soul' energy when I was a fledgling spiritual seeker. Over many years she engaged her effortless wisdom to calmly and patiently counsel me through periods of personal stress and has been an inspiring voice of encouragement, care, healing, and love. Such talents are rare spiritual gifts, and Taruni's one-of-a-kind character is a healing force for which I am eternally grateful. It is also precisely what our troubled world desperately needs.

Taruni's is a living example of the rewards of natural giving, and circumstances in her life are now opening up an extraordinary opportunity for her to be given to. Now is the time for us to reciprocate with her endless shower of love, and I am convinced that our financial contributions - no matter how humble - will help carry her through this time of deep healing.

Here are some testimonials from others whose lives have been deeply impacted by Taruni's care and love :

Craig - Yoga / Meditation

Back in my early 30’s my life was at a crossroads, I had traveled the world, experienced what the world had to offer but I always felt empty in my heart. So I had that moment which all inquisitive souls come to. You ask yourself, there has to be more to life? Who am I? What is the purpose of life? And so on.

This began a journey of self-awareness and transformation, I began to see and relate to my feelings, emotions and needs. I became a vegetarian and gave up the party scene as well. I wanted to become the best version of me I could be. I made this my life’s goal, and after some time I felt I was finally getting somewhere.

Being vegetarian at that time in Australia wasn’t as popular as it is now, and to find somewhere to eat out was not easy. A friend of mine mentioned a Hare Krishna restaurant that was vegetarian, so I went to check it out not knowing the impact this visit would have on me.

As I walked in the first person I saw was Taruni, with a smile she welcomed me and showed me what meals were available.

Trying to develop some good qualities in myself I could immediately see that she had what I wanted! She was friendly, open-hearted, gentle, peaceful and had an aura of wisdom and grace flowing through her. But I think the one quality that really stood out was, I felt this person doesn’t want anything from me, which is so rare these days. I sat down and started to eat my meal, it was one of those 'wow!' moments, I had never eaten anything like this before, it touched my heart as well as my tastebuds.

After that day I would visit regularly and would have amazing conversations about spirituality, Life, and many other topics with her and her husband. Her gentle, almost motherly approach broke down the barriers I had around certain topics and allowed me to go much deeper into the search for who I really was at my core. I started reading and began the practice of Bhakti yoga with her guidance, she was holding my hand in those beginning days just as a mother holds the hand of a child as they are learning to walk. With her wisdom and practicality she guided me with a sincere heart, and for the first time in my life that empty feeling in my heart was filled. The practice of bhakti has the power to transform everyone’s heart and I am the perfect example. It takes us from selfish to selfless, and I owe my strong and steady faith to Taruni. She was always there when I needed anything, although she was always so busy herself, she would always have time for not only me, but many others. Her determination and will power was very inspiring. She is one of those people who is just good at everything!

Taruni shows by example, she walks her talk with integrity and grace. And because of that people see her purity of heart and kindness. I just wanted to help her because she was so nice! Haha.

Through her guidance my life has transformed, I have a real purpose for everything I do now, I have an understanding of esoteric knowledge that is far beyond anything conceivable of our small minds. And an inner peace that is real, based on knowledge, love, and compassion.

We need many more people in the world like Taruni to show the light, right now she needs our help, please if you feel inspired by my story people help her how you can

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Acyuta-Bhava (Allison)

If there is someone you can depend on, it is Taruni. She is always extending herself to others, offering practical and emotional support. In the 20 years we have been friends, she has been through many ups and downs in life, but throughout it all, she consistently gives to others. I was with her in 2008 as she nursed her husband who died in her arms from aggressive brain cancer. To see her also diagnosed with advanced cancer is heartbreaking. Financial help is one way we can support Taruni, who has always given so much support to others.

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Vona Shodja - Yoga teacher training

They say that if we can count the friends who truly know and love us on one hand, we are very lucky.

For me, Taruni is one of those. And for that, I feel EXTRA lucky.

Some might call it divine intervention, others might say it was God’s prewritten plan, but we found each other about 12 years ago during a pivotal time in both our lives.

She began as my yoga teacher, but as it turned out we both learned from each other.

After some time getting to know one another, Taruni boldly asked me if I would consider not walking behind her as her mentee any longer- and asked if I would walk beside her as her friend instead.

I was both shocked and honored. If you saw the two of us together you would understand.

Taruni is the epitome of elegance, poise, timeless beauty and endless wisdom. She wears all black and though she’s tiny, her aura is enormous. I am the girl next door, with a sturdy build who laughs loudly, is always learning, and I am quite clumsy.

But our souls are intertwined and have been for thousands of years.

I said Taruni’s signature look is all black. But her bright light shines for many miles.

She’s seen me through beginning and ending careers, and encouraged me just enough to give me the confidence to make big moves.

She was there when I crossed the threshold from dating to marriage, (in fact she was the priestess officiate). What a wild transition it has been!

She prayed and chanted for hours on end to bring me protection through three pregnancies and some very intense childbirths, and loved my babies as if they were her own.

She witnessed as I’ve lost important family members. When I felt like I would never crawl out of the darkness I felt from the loss, she gently guided me back to life.

She has loved me through every ounce of pain that comes with growing through the highs and lows of the human experience, and I'm eternally grateful.

Through our deeply (and sometimes brutally) honest conversations, I have flourished and gained so much confidence in myself, a new sense of knowing who I am, a greater joy in my heart, and more passion for my relationship with God.

But it’s not just been me…

Taruni has been the selfless caregiver, as her young husband left his body. She gave all of herself to make him as comfortable as she could. After he was gone, she turned her own pain and suffering into blessings for others who experienced similar devastation, dedicating herself to provide extra love and counseling as even strangers leaned on her for support. For some, she was all they had.

She’s earned the opportunity to love again, as she is presently married to the love of her life, and they have dreams of building their home, and visiting sacred places on the map.

But now she is experiencing serious illness in her own body, but I feel so deeply it is not time for her to leave yet. She has so much more beauty to sprinkle on this earth first. She deserves to be given many more years to finally fulfill the desires of her own heart now.

Taruni, my friend, my soulmate - my biggest wish is to find the treatment that will give her the time she needs to see her greatest goals and dreams through.

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Nikki Kvitky - Yoga Teacher Training

It is quite rare to encounter a person who embodies such beauty, talent, wisdom and tenacity, but this is indeed Taruni in every sense. Anyone touched by her brilliance is surely changed forever and for the better. I am lucky to call her my long-time friend, soul sister and confidante. I have sought her counsel concerning all facets of my life from business ideas to matters very personal and close to my heart. Her steady stream of compassion, her unwavering support, uncanny insights and spot on advise have helped me get through some very difficult times. I have witnessed her dedicate herself in loving, selfless service to others time and time again, providing guidance that elevates and uplifts the spirit. Now the moment has arrived to give Taruni the same unwavering devotion and support as she embarks on this path towards healing. It may be a very challenging one, but out of anyone I know, Taruni has the will and determination to overcome. She has a tremendous capacity to transform darkness into light, pain into strength and difficulties into golden morsels of wisdom. I have no doubt that the depth of meaning she derives from this experience - as with all experiences - she will share with others in such a way that her pain becomes a gift to all.

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Jim - Grief Support Group

In praise and gratitude for Taruni Tan

A few months after the death of my young wife, I was lost, unsure of what to do with all the love I still felt. I was grieving. But that word is too deeply layered with the texture of our lives. We assume the grieving soul is sad, or angry, confused, intolerable. Not exactly. It is all these emotions in the exact same moment. But it is also so much more. It is an unmooring, and I was cast adrift to question every experience life had brought me. This is not a journey to take alone, and friends and family kept encouraging me to join a grieving group where I could learn to navigate this new path with others. I was reluctant, feeling, as many who grieve do, that my journey was unique, distinct, incommunicable. I was wrong. On a whim I wandered into a group formed by Taruni Tan, a radiant young woman at that point rebuilding her own life after the tragic loss of her young husband. Taruni had drawn together a large eclectic group, each on their own grieving sojourns, and we would meet weekly to remember, share, rediscover. She became a powerful and essential guide, leading each of us individually, and all of us collectively to a place of acceptance and peace, while simultaneously building the foundation for her own recovery. She was a beam of brilliant light across an entirely new landscape. Her wisdom, patience, joyful reminders, and loving commitment to my renewal fully opened that landscape for me. Over time, Taruni became more than a grieving group leader, more than a guide. She became an essential friend helping each of us remember exactly what it is we are supposed to do with all this love. She is still, and will always be, my friend, but one of those unique friends who give meaning and purpose to live, who we learn from every day. As I get ready to leap into each morning’s work – a meeting for a new project, a call to my son, plans for another adventure with friend, work in the garden – it is easy to look back and remember how lucky I was to step into that room, meet Taruni, and have her join me in my own renewal journey. My life feels blessed, and she is a key source of that blessing in every possible way.

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Brian - Grief Support group

Taruni is among the most generous and kind people you could ever meet.  Ten years ago, Taruni opened her humble apartment in Manhattan to host a weekly grief support group.  She paid the MeetUp membership herself and never asked anybody for money. She offered her heart, wisdom, and life experience as a gift to the community. I attended for one year and derived enormous benefit. Thereafter, Taruni became my friend.   

Having been widowed herself in a land far away, she moved to the United States to start afresh. I was beyond thrilled when she re-partnered a few years ago.

The news of her illness this month has shaken me to my core.  

Today, I have the privilege and honor that no one wants:  to support my sweet friend in her season of need.  And to ask others who can do the same. 

From the other testimonials, you can read that Taruni is truly an angel on earth who has helped so many.

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