Sarah Louden: Ten Years, One Country, Five Moments

Sarah Louden, Founder and CEO of Total Health Oncology, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Ten Years, One Country, Five Moments

To mark the tenth anniversary of Total Health | Oncology, I took my family, my team, and their plus ones to Rome, Italy. Not just for the food or the beauty – though both were wonderful – but because it felt like a magical place to pause and take it all in. Ten years of building a business, of the ups and downs of leadership, of balancing work with home life – through a diagnosis of autoimmune disease, a pandemic, raising kids, and becoming a grandmother! We had a few days of work and planning, and many days of adventure and discovery. Along the way, there were five moments that quietly wrapped themselves around me – each one unexpected, deeply personal, and impossible to forget.

Tucked into a quiet side street, this little leather shop – no more than twenty feet by twenty feet – felt like it had been waiting for me. The moment I stepped inside, the scent wrapped around me like a memory. It was his smell – my dad’s. Rich leather, warm and worn, the kind that clings to time.

The walls were lined with beautiful goods – wallets, bags, journals – and in the back, a tiny engraving station. I stood there, still, almost reverent. I could the see the well-worn leather things that marked his life so clearly: his doctor bag, his briefcase, the wallet the doctors handed me the morning he died. It didn’t feel like coincidence. It felt like invitation straight from him. Like he was saying, Come in, birdy. I’m here. I want to gift you with something that will celebrate that I was here with you too.

It is of the utmost importance to me that my life be lived like his was – in pursuit of purpose and always in service to others, including and especially, the people I love. This moment was one I will never forget!

The Aventine Keyhole is set into a door belonging to the Priory of the Knights of Malta. When you look through it, you’re standing in Italy, hand on the door peering through the sovereign territory of the Order of Malta and gazing out toward the dome of St. Peter’s in Vatican City in the distance – three distinct places, perfectly aligned.

We went late at night. No crowds, no lines – just my family. I placed my hand on the door and felt completely grounded. Present. There’s a prayer in the Bible said by Nehemiah that came to mind, Lord, strengthen my hands. I thought about how I got here. Not just to this hill, but to this exact season of life – ten years of building, growing, learning. My feet were planted beneath me as if to remind me, ‘You are here now.’

The business is strong. My team is steady. My life is one I am deeply proud of. And yet, as I leaned in and looked through the keyhole, it felt like I was looking into the future. What lies ahead for me and Total Health will take focus, clarity, and the same determination that brought me here. Opportunities, challenges, innovation are all coming. I want to be ready. but I never want to miss the moments in between!

It’s tradition to throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain and make a wish. Millions of people do it every year hoping for love, healing, adventure, a return to Rome.

I stood there with a coin in hand, knowing exactly what I wanted to ask for. I didn’t wish for something new – I wished for more of what I have built. More time. More purpose. More love and laughter. More meaningful work. I want the next seasons of my life to hold the same depth, the same joy, and the same commitment to doing things that matter. I want to keep growing with the people I love, to keep learning, and to keep showing up with everything I’ve got, even if different days I have different energy to give.

I wished for the next ten years. Then ten more. And ten more after that.

I’ve been lighting candles in churches for as long as I can remember and usually for someone who’s sick, or someone who’s passed. It’s always been about others. A quiet gesture of support or remembrance.

But this time, I lit a candle for something else. I stood there and gave thanks – for my blessed life filled with love and provision, my work that has been so fulfilling, my family and friends who have been with me every step through highs and lows, and even for my struggling health that I am always able, even when I think that I am not. And then, for the first time, I lit a candle for my own hopes and dreams. I wanted to honor all of it!

My little Joe snapped the pic of a quiet moment that I won’t forget.

Toward the end of the trip, my team played a surprise video for me. It was a tribute filled with short clips from about fifteen people who’ve been part of the last ten years of growth at Total Health. Some recorded messages on their phones and others were filmed by my son Isaac during meetings over the last year.

One by one, they talked about how we met, what it’s been like to work together, and what Total Health has meant to them. Behind me, my entire team sat watching. I was smiling ear to ear, laughing as old memories were brought up, and at a few points I was holding back tears. I just felt proud. And really, really grateful. Not only for the business, but for the people I have been blessed to meet along the way. We have spent a decade building something that actually matters to so many! It was surreal for me to take that all in.

I didn’t go to Italy looking for meaning in every moment. But when I slowed down, stepped back, and really thought about what was all around me, certain things hit differently. This trip wasn’t just a celebration of ten years of my life – it was a reminder of why my life matters, and how far I have come with Total Health by staying focused, grateful, and together.

Here’s to what’s next. Ten more years. And ten more after that. Saluti.”

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