Martha lives in Illinois and was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in January 2015. She has a husband and three children, ranging in age from 12 to 18, a dog and a lizard.
4 Tips for People Newly Diagnosed With Cancer
I felt like I had to come back to life after hearing the word “metastatic.”
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Learning to Live With New Unknowns in Cancer
Wait for the other shoe to drop, or grab each day for all it’s worth?
Winterizing Exercise With Cancer
This year, as winter approaches, I’ve been thinking about how I winterize my life and my exercise so that I am ready for more when spring arrives.
Saying Goodbye to a Cancer Patient Advocate
Losing someone to cancer never gets easier.
Collaborative Cancer Care
I’ve been having a wonderful (well…maybe challenging is the right word) growing season this past year, learning how to be a better collaborator.
October No. 9 With Metastatic Breast Cancer
Nine years of Pinktober while living with metastatic breast cancer.
Opening The Door on Rapid Autopsy After Cancer
I like to think that I always checked off the “be an organ donor” box on my driver’s license forms, but of course that just may be the way I remember it.
Living Longer in the In-Between of Advanced Cancer
Here’s a new term for me: Response shift.
Adjusting to Incorporate Cancer Into Life
After being diagnosed with cancer, I experienced the fear of missing out, but eventually replaced it with the joy of missing out.
The Cancer Test Not Taken
Genetic testing is the norm for cancer patients with familial history. How did I let it slip through the crack?
Prioritizing Mental Health With Metastatic Breast Cancer
Integrating a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis with the life you have takes time and effort.
Good News or Guilt: Living With Stage 4 Cancer
Is it always one or the other? Can good news in one person’s cancer experience do good for the community?
The Big White Cancer Binder
Sometimes, hundreds of pages of cancer information still just doesn’t connect with the person who needs it.
Sometimes You Can Prevent Cancer
I’ve had three colonoscopies within five years and am still colorectal cancer-free.
Early Aging and Cancer
Research backs up my personal experience regarding aging and cancer.
Eight Years and Counting Up: A Reflection on Life and Lessons of Cancer
The new year brings reflection on living fully with cancer.
My Dog Was by My Side Through the Toughest Cancer Days, and Now I’m Returning the Favor
After I was diagnosed with cancer, some people “ghosted” me, but my dog, Iris, never did.
Take Action on Prior Authorization
Having cancer care denied or delayed is not a harmless situation when your life is on the line.
Changing Cancer Clinical Trials Through Collaboration
It isn’t enough to say that cancer clinical trials need more diversity and patient support; we must take action.
Every Day Financial Toxicity: Even With Good Insurance, the Smaller Costs of Cancer Care Add Up
When people say. “It’s just $35 to see a specialist,” they miss the entire issue of cancer-related financial toxicity.
A Month of Pink Is Not Enough to Prevent Breast Cancer Deaths
I wish “Pinktober” was more about saving the people who will die from breast cancer and less about pink ribbons and sexualizing the disease.
Extra Years Together Meant We Aged Out of a Free Vacation for Families Affected by Cancer
Extra years with my family meant missing out on a free trip granted to patients with cancer who have children under the age of 18 — and I’m OK with that.
I’m Not a ‘Cancer Warrior,’ But I Am a ‘Joy Warrior’
I’m giving cancer’s “battle language” an update and focusing my survivorship plan on emotional wellbeing and honesty.
Patient Advocacy at ASCO 2022
This year, I returned to the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting, where I heard about the latest advancements in cancer care, as well as met with fellow patients and advocates.
I'm a 'Cancer Long-Hauler'
I typically don’t use cancer labels, such as “survivor” or “thriver,” but when I heard about COVID-19 “long-haulers,” the term resonated with me.
After Receiving a Cancer Diagnosis, I Didn’t Think About Oral Health, Though I Should Have
Cancer and its treatments can affect oral health, though when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, the thought of seeing the dentist slipped my mind.
Cancer is Hard, and I'm Not Keeping Quiet
I’m not going to worry that I’m changing my own health by saying out loud that this cancer stuff is hard and scary and kills way too many people every single day.
The 6 Words My Oncologist Said That Gave Me Hope
When I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, I was comforted by a simple phrase my oncologist told my husband.
Cancer, COVID-19 and the Choices We Make
When it comes to both COVID-19 precautions and life with cancer, I feel like I have to sacrifice some privacy to gain understanding from the people around me.
A Metastatic Breast Cancer Conference Helped Me Connect With Hope
When I was first diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, I did not know there were so many other people like me until I attended Living Beyond Breast Cancer’s Conference on Metastatic Breast Cancer.