For those of you who are new to the Mahan Health practice, you probably never had a chance to meet with Hayley. She was our administrative lead from the first day Mahan Health started seeing patients in January 2020. At Mahan Health, we are more than a team, we are a family – our patients included.
Hayley was a bright light. She was bubbly, goofy, compassionate, kind, and empathetic, with a lot of spice. Though she was extremely kind and supportive of those she loved and our patients, she was also strong enough to advocate for herself and fought until the very end.
She was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer in November 2021. With this diagnosis, we all truly believed she would be one of the survivors. Unfortunately, by May 18, 2022, it had progressed and metastasized throughout her entire body, causing fluid buildup in her lungs and heart. She was rushed to the emergency room and was on a ventilator for 23 days before she passed on Saturday, June 11, 2022 surrounded by her loved ones. She left this world to reconnect with her mother and brother and she leaves behind her father, sister, and two brothers.
Hayley played many roles in my life. She was an essential part of our Mahan team, my doula and primary support system while I went through labor, and a dear friend of mine.
I am grateful to have had such a beautiful soul in so many aspects of my life. I will miss her dearly, and in her honor, I wanted to create a tribute on our website where her essence can live on forever within our Mahan Health practice.
Here are some of the ways she impacted others:
Hayley was such a bright light for this world, and her love for people and helping people shined through beautifully. She inspired me to dig deeper and question things and to take the time to do discovery! She encouraged the playful side of me to tinker and experiment with foods I otherwise wouldn’t have tried and to be creative with it. Hayley’s secret power is to get you to slow down and smell the roses and be in the moment, and that is priceless in a world that is always wanting to go at the speed of light. You truly mattered to Hayley and you knew it when you interacted with Hayley. Hayley’s love for adventure and exploration and learning is absolutely contagious and just gives you a feeling that there is a beautiful and wonderful world of possibilities just waiting to be uncovered. May God Bless you all.”
– Rodney (Hayley’s father)
I clicked with Hayley immediately at our first coaching session. I could’ve talked to her for hours! There was one piece of advice she gave me that I have held on to tightly, and I think of her often as it has made the single greatest impact in my life this past year. Hayley told me to “focus on pleasure and safety”. I felt like she was reading my mind and my soul, as those themes had been swirling around me and her affirmation of prioritizing them encouraged me to take it seriously. That shift has truly changed my life and opened up a whole new possibility for healing. I’m forever grateful for her. One small act of encouragement and positivity can change someone’s life. Thank you, Hayley. <3
– Lauren
I had the opportunity to work with Hayley on my nutrition program. She was so delightful to talk to and brainstorm on ideas to improve my health. Her energy and enthusiasm for nutrition made it so much easier to try to come up with strategies. We enjoyed a little social chit-chatting, and I always appreciated her way of encouraging me to be forgiving of my old ways and to just pick up with the new. It’s sad that she was called home so early in life, but I am thankful our paths crossed and that she enjoyed what she chose to do in helping others. Happy heavenly birthday Hayley!
– Sharon
Hayley was such a bright light. Talking to her you knew how much she cared about people and how invested she was in helping others invest in their best selves. I only had the opportunity to talk with her one-on-one one time but she made such a lasting impression with her joyful personality. Sending Hayley and her family a lot of love today.
– Morgan
She personalized the experience and empathized with my inadequate computer skills. She was so sweet in explaining and helping me navigate this new and different way of getting medical help.
– Sonya
Hayley was always so considerate, kind, and you could tell that she truly cared about the well-being of the patients she was reaching out to everyday. Unfortunately, I had never met her in person but through email she seemed to be a ray of light and the perfect person in her position! I saw a quote from one of my favorite poets Maya Angelou and I felt like it summed up Hayley perfectly! “A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us together again, and again.”
– Gabriella
Hayley was such a kind soul. When I first came to Mahan Health, I suffered from an inflamed gut. She came up with a plan food-wise as to what I should stay away from. Made me think outside the box. Pushed me to my goals. I am now eating more of a plant-based diet and my gut is appreciating it. I have more energy and am not in constant pain. Her enthusiasm and positive vibes were always brightening my day. So glad I was able to have Hayley as a part of my journey. She changed my life. Happy birthday Hayley, we miss you!
– Alyssa
I was fortunate enough to work alongside Hayley for a few months at Mahan Health. During that short time, she taught me things that will forever change how I practice and how I live my life. She was such a bright light with a fierce determined spirit. I am so grateful to have known her and learn from her. Thank you, Hayley.
– Dr. Rachel Heussner (former Naturopathic Doctor at Mahan Health)
Hayley was truly an incredible individual who touched the lives of so many with her positivity and enthusiasm. She will be dearly missed! I am sending all my love and positive energy to you all, and to Hayley’s family. May she rest in peace.
– Katie (Mahan Health Health Coach)
Hayley, although we’ve never met in the physical. I can see the touches of light and joy you’ve left behind. I can only imagine the radiant energy you had just being in your presence. One that people would be drawn to and safe to be around. Thank you for that – it’s so rare in today’s world.
– Nikkei (current Mahan Health administrative lead)
Hayley – thank you for not only impacting my life (and keeping it organized) but also impacting the lives of everyone you spoke to. Make sure to check out some of the other blog posts on the website as she has written many of them. Through those posts, she continues to support people on their health journey.
Today would have been Hayley’s 30th birthday. Her favorite color was pink, and she made that quite obvious. That is why this tribute is also in pink.
I continue to grieve her loss and hope to spread love and light everywhere I go in her memory. Mahan Health was a significant part of Hayley’s life and I know she was extremely passionate about supporting people on their health journeys. She also always dreamt of being a doula and supporting women through labor. I’m grateful I had the opportunity to receive that support, and she will forever be a part of my life through my son’s birth as well as the conception of Mahan Health as a practice.
Hayley – you are missed dearly. Happy Birthday! <3
