Mary Sansone

As a cancer survivor, I overcame alcohol addiction and urge others to seek support, safe detox and sobriety to improve their treatment and recovery.

As a cancer treatment waiting room volunteer, I’ve discovered a unique community of shared experiences and unexpected connections.

We, survivors, often express our gratitude for life, love, support and research, but what about the patients who do not experience positive outcomes from treatment?

During this holiday season, I wanted to take a moment and reflect on how my dog Payton stayed by my side during acute myeloid leukemia.

During the holiday season, overwhelming feelings are OK to have, whether you are a patient with cancer or a caregiver.

As a survivor of acute myeloid leukemia, some things are no longer going to be normal, but who wants to be normal?

Before receiving treatment for acute myeloid leukemia, I made it a point to take advantage of all the resources that were available to me.

While spending weeks in the hospital for acute myeloid leukemia, I tried eight fun things to keep me busy.

After receiving cancer treatment and leaving the hospital, sometimes it feels like a safety net has been pulled away and loneliness sets in.

It’s easy to fall into depression and anxiety during long hospitalizations for cancer, but creativity helped pull me out of those negative feelings.

Being able to live independently and enjoy life’s beauty summon feelings of gratitude and euphoria more often now.

When I was diagnosed and treated for a recurrence of AML, I was given an abundance of statistical information through required medical expert orations and accredited literature.

What it’s like having a “second birthday” after receiving a bone marrow transplant for my AML.

I recently heard a story about a patient's personality change because of cancer, and it reminded me of the hyperactive delirium I experienced.

When people tell me I "fought cancer," I disagree. I believe I endured cancer.

As a comfort care companion for Moffitt Cancer Center, I sat vigil next to a dying patient with cancer with no family.

A great gift for a patient with cancer during the holidays is to create a positive memory.

Patience is key when supporting a patient with cancer.

My donor is at war.

Somehow, despite our best intentions and efforts, life throws us curveballs.

Sitting vigil next to an end-of-life patient.

I had acute myeloid leukemia in 2016 and tackled it with chemo. I had a recurrence in 2020 and tackled it with chemo and a bone marrow transplant.

Enjoying things right in front of me.

After recovering from a bone marrow transplant to tackle a recurrence of acute myeloid leukemia, I started to volunteer.

I couldn't believe that I would benefit from some of the side effects of my cancer treatment.

I have a confession: I daydreamed of a “last hurrah” should my cancer treatment not work.

After two diagnoses of acute myeloid leukemia, intense chemo and a bone marrow transplant, I’ve learned some things that helped me along the way.

Lasting guilt gets no one anywhere — especially when it comes to cancer.

Looking back on my experiences with leukemia and with alcoholism, I realized that the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous can be applied to life with cancer.

Throughout my cancer experience — and my entire life — there were many people who came in and saved my life.