Blogs

I wish “Pinktober” was more about saving the people who will die from breast cancer and less about pink ribbons and sexualizing the disease.

It’s easy to question treatment choices patients with cancer make, but my job as the mother of a patient was to be supportive.

Walking has played a key role in my cancer experience, as it helps my mental and physical health.

The truth is I stagger back and forth between the two camps — tell it like it is or walking on sunshine. It depends on the day, my treatment regimen, the lab or scan results, the losses and the gains.

The switch from private insurance to Medicare was a struggle — especially considering my need for cancer care — that was not solved by numerous phone calls, but by Twitter instead.

Of course, I want the best cancer care, but I realized that the beauty of the environment where I get it is important too.

It’s been 20 years since my cancer diagnosis, and in that time, I’ve changed significantly.

I grew up in a society where mental health was stigmatized, but cancer made me realize that it helps to speak up about these issues.

Writing about my cancer was cathartic for me, but my loved ones had a tough time reading it.

On the same day that I learned of my cancer progression, I also found out I had COVID-19. Here’s how I handled that dark period of life.

I'm suggesting a new medical discipline called "previvology" that is dedicated to the detection of genetic mutations and the prevention or early detection of cancers that are associated with them.

I’m surviving cancer while getting older, too — that means I can no longer do some of the things I did when I was younger.

When talking about cancer, it’s OK to use profanities sometimes.

I used to love October, but after being diagnosed with cancer on Oct. 12 — twice — I dread the month.

It’s good that celebrities with cancer raise awareness about the disease, but I think that they can do more.

When my husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer in his mid 40s, we opted for a more aggressive treatment strategy, which led him being cancer-free and able to enjoy a healthy sex life.

I never thought I’d admit experiencing fear of cancer recurrence, but at a recent medical appointment I realized that I struggle with this fear daily.

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.

Here’s how I plan to handle sadness, anger, loneliness, regret and guilt that comes with rebuilding my life after cancer.

My new cancer treatment hardly has any side effects, making me wonder if researchers are focusing on making their drugs more tolerable for patients.

As “Pinktober” approaches, I’m spreading the message that breasts are not needed to live a full life after breast cancer surgery.

As National Previvor Day approaches, I’m getting back on my soapbox to discuss genetic testing and family histories of cancer. After all, these discussions could save lives.

When going through treatment for advanced-stage lung cancer, people would often talk to me like I was a child, or ignore me altogether and speak to my husband.

When my daughter first started cancer treatment, she was brave, but after she understood how difficult it was, she was courageous in continuing.

When celebrities are diagnosed with cancer, they wield great power to bring awareness to the disease but being in the public eye must be extremely challenging, especially when facing a personal health crisis.

I’ve channeled my cancer-related anger into advocacy, and made a “living list” of things I want to accomplish.

I recently came across a shoebox full of cards sent to me after I was diagnosed with cancer. The love expressed by others was uplifting to me.

There’s a flip side to the trauma of cancer — a better appreciation of the small things in everyday life.