Felicia Mitchell, retired from college teaching, is a poet and writer who makes her home in southwestern Virginia. She is a survivor of stage 2b HER2-positive breast cancer diagnosed in 2010. Website: www.feliciamitchell.net
Nudes and Breast Cancer: Personal Documentary and Art
June 13th 2018Sometimes breast cancer invites us to look closely at our own bodies the way we might look at famous nudes. Creating visual art can be therapeutic, whether it involves photography or digital. Watercolors, sketches and collages could be empowering, too.
The Poetics of Prosthetic Bras
May 23rd 2018Even if being asymmetrical or flat is a valid choice for women who have undergone mastectomies, and that is how I usually feel best, there are no rules that say we should not wear a prosthetic bra now and then, or every single day, if it makes us smile or forget for a fleeting second that cancer can be disfiguring. There is no reason to feel self-conscious.
Experiencing a Breast Cancer Diagnosis After a Benign Tumor
March 6th 2018A complex fibroadenoma, even if it does not become cancerous, can correlate with a family history of breast cancer and an increased risk for cancer. Seeking more information from your doctors about how to proceed can offer peace of mind.
Journaling About Cancer: A Positive Practice
February 7th 2018Keeping a journal during cancer treatment is great for perspective. While it can give you insights into symptoms as well as a record of treatments and reactions, it can also give you documented proof of how strong you can be, even years later.
Wishing Cancer Survivors a New Year With Fewer Fears
January 2nd 2018Some cancer survivors are good at getting on with life. Some of us remain timid about the prospect of life, even when a prognosis is good. A new year is a good time to try harder to seize the day, whatever the future is likely to bring.
Relay for Life: A Volunteer Opportunity for Survivors
April 17th 2017As survivors, sometimes we step outside our comfort zones to help groups that raise awareness about cancer along with funds for research. Representing survivorship at a Relay for Life event can be as important as donating funds or decorating luminaries.
Dolls and Cancer: A Christmas Reverie
December 12th 2016When my mother was given a teddy bear after her mastectomy, I was mystified. How could hugging a teddy bear help? When people started giving me doll figurines after my cancer diagnosis, I started to understand. Hope begins not just with medical intervention but also with the power of the imagination.
Meltdown in the MRI: Don't Do What I Did
November 17th 2016Routine checkups can rattle us with technology and subconscious fears that tiptoe to the surface, even five years out. Perhaps going alone to important screenings is not the best idea. Taking a friend if you do not have a partner, even if you can do it all alone, is never a bad idea.
Breast Cancer and Dementia: One Caregiver's Story
October 11th 2016In October, as we recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month, let us not forget women with dementia. The mammogram, and related cancer treatment, can be controversial for elderly dementia patients. A care team will help with decision making. In my case, with my mother, we chose to follow-up on a very late diagnosis of breast cancer, with no regrets.
If "Cancer" Is in the Fine Print, Run the Other Way
July 18th 2016There are so many choices on the market to confuse us about healthy living. Let us be thankful that many products come with warning labels to alert us to potential cancer risks, even if they are sometimes so small we overlook them at first glance.