How a breast cancer diagnosis inspired Jodeen Revere to create a RaDiAnt skin treatment for everyone
By Liza Long
When I met Jodeen Revere at Push and Pour Coffee in Garden City one Monday afternoon, I knew I was in for an interesting conversation. A cursory Internet search revealed that this multifaceted woman is the daughter of legendary rocker Paul Revere (of the popular 60s band); a beloved former yoga instructor; current actor and Thai massage therapist, writer of the blog That’s Me in the Corner, and a self-described “kitchen witch.” I also read about Revere’s experiences with breast cancer, which would lead to a new passion: RaDiAnt Body Butter.
“I do not like the violent language around cancer: ‘Kill it. Destroy it. War on cancer,’” Revere told me. She’s a petite, glowing 58 years young, with a quick mind that is open to new experiences. “Of course, I do not want to have cancer, and I wish to live, but I see it as a visitor that is here to teach me to see my life through a new lens. Living with cancer give me a new perspective.”
Her first two diagnoses and treatments coincided with her father’s brain cancer, which ultimately ended his life in 2014, while she went into remission. Then, almost five years later, she found another lump.
“The body butter was born from my desperate response to radiation therapy side effects,” Revere said. “My skin burned, cracked, and peeled—and all that the medical world could give me was this horrible petrochemical jelly—like a toxic oil spill–that did nothing to nourish and heal my skin.”
Revere decided to turn to nature for a better solution. She concocted a silky nourishing skin treatment from all natural, sustainably sourced coconut oil, shea butter, and a variety of essential oils—including the traditional Christmas gifts of frankincense and myrrh. Revere named her new body butter RaDiAnt “because it’s glowing and healthy, of course, but also as a reminder of my radiation therapy.”
This body butter truly is magical. Revere told me that it treats a multitude of skin conditions, from scarring to eczema to acne. Like many transplanted Idahoans, I experience drying and cracking skin in this high desert climate, and my husband has eczema that has resisted most over-the-counter and prescription therapies. After meeting with Revere, I headed straight to Vervaine, the all-natural apothecary located inside Roots Zero Waste Market, where I bought an unpretentious small glass jar of RaDiAnt Body Butter for $22. The product is also available at Remedy Skin Care and Pulse Holistic Health, and Revere sells directly to clients from her Facebook page and through pop ups—you can follow Jodeen Revere Creative Yogic Arts for more information.
RaDiAnt is a true treat for the skin. A little bit goes a long way as it practically melts into my hands, with a faint scent of pine woods on a snowy evening. After just a few days, both my husband and I can tell the difference. My normally cracked hands are smooth, and the angry welts on his hands have almost disappeared.
Jodeen Revere is extraordinary—and she also represents one of the best things about living in Idaho: our people. Like many Boiseans I know, Revere lives a brave and beautiful life, and she’s not afraid to “find the wonder” even when she faces difficult challenges. She is working with an editor to turn her blog into a book about her experiences going through cancer treatment, and she is actively exploring ways to bring RaDiAnt to more people who can benefit from nature’s time-tested skin treatment. “I tell women to use the experience of going through cancer to help you live a more fearless, true life and to fall deeply in love with the world around you, now that it has your attention,” Revere said. Really, is there any better gift than an authentic life?
