Teresa Suarez has the need for speed. That’s evident to her coworkers each morning when she arrives at Vanderbilt in her bright red convertible Porsche Boxster, which she affectionately calls “Lola.” “Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets,” said the media services specialist for the Leadership Development Center at Peabody College. “Anything she needs – tires, batteries – and only the best.” Suarez loves the attention she gets while driving her luxury ride. Lola also has served a more important role: a source of inspiration during Suarez’s breast cancer treatments. “There were times when I would be going through an exam, test or therapy session, and I just wanted to not be there, dealing with the ‘C’ word,” she said. “Then I would think about living long enough to get to that perfect spring day when I could put the top down and enjoy the wind in my hair and the sun on my shoulders.” Life, Suarez said, is a dying proposition, but her motto is to have fun while you can. "Put the top down, smile at everyone you pass |
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