Julie S. Brokaw

Sometimes difficult experiences like cancer can come with blessings in disguise.

Sometimes the steps I take leaving the hospital make me feel like I’m flying if I received good news, but other times, I’m walking quickly to my car before I begin to cry.

I’m coming up on my 10-year cancer anniversary, and it feels bittersweet.

I have many things to be thankful for regarding my ovarian cancer: from my recent CT scan results to an excellent oncology team.

I am still here fighting, fighting hard and I will continue to do so to make sure I have more graduations, more weddings, and more everything that I can squeeze into my precious time left here on earth.

There are many people in my life who made my cancer experience far easier. I call them my "cancer posse."

The year 2022 has already been filled with obstacles and heartache — as well plans for a new cancer treatment — but I’m putting away the bad thoughts to get ready for the fight ahead of me.

Today is my birthday, and while I’ve had some unforeseen changes in my cancer treatment lately, I’m grateful to still be here to celebrate.

The season of spring represents new awakenings for me, and this year, I’m determined to bring an air of positivity to my life and my cancer experience.

While a recent health scare ruined a family vacation, I vowed to keep making plans and always look ahead to brighter days.

As I sit here watching the Winter Olympics, I am immediately reminded of all the ways in which my grueling and stressful journey with cancer feels akin to the struggles of these Olympic athletes.

A patient with ovarian cancer describes how she enrolled in a clinical trial, and how it has given her a renewed sense of hope that she may find a successful treatment option.

After a challenging year due to COVID-19 and rising blood test numbers, a woman living with ovarian cancer shares on what she’s learned and how she’s approaching 2022.

An ovarian cancer survivor describes the changes her body endured after treatment and explains why she chooses to laugh at them.

A woman with ovarian cancer explains why she was reluctant to get a port put in and why she ultimately went forward with it. “Somehow, I felt that if I got the port, I was giving in to the cancer,” she writes.

When the road ahead is unclear due to cancer, the best thing you can do is look for a new road to offer hope, a cancer survivor explains.

A woman with ovarian cancer describes how blood work numbers play a key role for patients with cancer and often dictate their thoughts and worries.

An ovarian cancer survivor explains how attending her 50th class reunion was an emotional experience as she learned of fellow classmates’ cancer experiences and struggles.

A woman writes a poem to thank the doctors and nurses who treated her ovarian cancer and changed her life.

An ovarian cancer survivor shares what it was like to be her late husband’s caregiver when he had prostate cancer, years before her own diagnosis.

A survivor describes the small joys in life and how she avoids letting cancer get in the way.

A survivor makes a comparison between cancer and a game. "Our bodies are the box the game comes in. How we deal with our cancer is the game we play," she writes.

An ovarian cancer survivor shares her experience receiving a radiation treatment on her lymph nodes.

Being creative has helped this ovarian cancer survivor during her journey. She recommends that people use their energy in a positive way and do something that will make a difference in their lives.

An ovarian cancer survivor shares that although she’s been frustrated and mad about a recent recurrence in her lymph nodes, she still celebrates the life that she’s been blessed with.