“It’s been almost seven years since I made the decision to stop taking aromatase inhibitors and I’m happy to report I’m feeling great,” writes a cancer survivor. “There are no more unwanted side effects. The decision to stop taking the medication was right for me.”
A patient discusses her experiences with long-term side effects from cancer treatment and details her frustration with the lack of focus on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in patients with advanced cancer.
Finding the balance between offering support and guidance while at the same time not overwhelming people going through health scares isn’t easy, writes a cancer survivor. He notes that although it may take some practice to get right, it is an important skill for cancer thrivers to get down.
A cancer survivor describes what “chemo fog” is and writes how many people are now experiencing a double whammy — “pandemic fog.”
For the patient with a rare cancer, such as sarcoma, finding hope can be especially problematic, writes a cancer surgeon. Making patients hopeful, he writes, about their medical journey is as important as the medical components of treatment.
The month of March has not been kind to this person living with metastatic breast cancer. Here, she recalls what it has been like to become the caregiver with cancer.
A wife pens a letter to her husband on the first anniversary of his death from cancer about all the things he’s missed — from the big dates to the boring days, such as just watching TV with their dog.
A cancer survivor and former military service member writes how he used to be short with people, demanded things be done his way and often made others feel little — that is until his cancer diagnosis. Here, he shares how his experience with cancer taught him to be kinder to others.
Navigating medical leave and insurance forms can be nerve-wracking and feel high stakes for some, writes a cancer survivor. Here, he offers advice on how to manage that stress.
No matter how far you think you’ve gotten away from them, cancer’s side effects are always in your rear-view mirror, writes this caregiver.
A person living with metastatic breast cancer shares a poem regarding how her life changed in an instant, and how she continues to push forward even though her disease is extensive.
A cancer survivor recalls an experience from early on during the COVID-19 pandemic and reiterates how more than a year later, she thinks about those little things.
Some cancer survivors mark the end of their treatment by getting tattoos, but could that body art cause potential health risks? Here a cancer survivor — who has more than 10 tattoos — shares her perspective.
Survivor’s guilt is not just felt by individuals who overcome a deadly disease like cancer, writes a cancer caregiver. She explains how she has experienced it too but knows that not all caregivers are as lucky as her.
Sorting out symptoms as survivors age can be challenging, writes a cancer survivor. She notes that survivors have special needs that they need to be aware of to make the most of their “new normal.”
It makes sense to take stock of cancer treatment — its physical, emotional, and spiritual cost, and what people want out of life going forward. Here, a patient with cancer writes how It’s OK to say, “Cancer treatment sucks and I hate it, even when the big prize, our buddy NED, has taken up residence in our bodies.”
A person with metastatic breast cancer writes about how she just wants to be “normal” again and for people to stop pitying her.
A cancer survivor writes about all the little things she has missed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Those little things — such as going to a diner and connecting with friends — are now appreciated more than we ever would have imagined, she writes.
What happens when health is affected by an unexpected illness such as cancer? Does their quality-of-life decline? Here, one survivor writes how she used the gift of recording the details of her journey to better her life after a cancer diagnosis.
A playwright with male breast cancer examines some beliefs that may influence our survival.
A patient with metastatic cancer writes about how the unknowns of her disease have shaped her life and health experiences, and how she has learned to live with that uncertainty.
A cancer survivor recalls some experiences he had along his journey and reminds others to be the CEO of their care team, as it’s their life on the line.
A prostate cancer survivor recalls a time when the cancer center’s staff helped him realize that its OK to have fun while receiving cancer treatment.
A woman who is living with metastatic breast cancer pens a tribute to a late friend and fellow patient, Penny, who continues to send her signs that help her keep going.
A cancer survivor yearns for the “touch starvation” brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic to be over. She writes about how just one hug can make a huge difference for people.
Many cancer survivors may feel the urge to use their disease as a convenient excuse for avoiding unpleasant situations, writes a survivor. However, she urges others to avoid giving into that power.
The old saying is that spring is the season of hope, and this cancer caregiver writes how it feels like this spring has a bit more bounce in its step.
A patient with metastatic cancer writes what it has been like to face the dilemma of receiving an effective cancer therapy that may put her heart at risk.
Instead of using the cliché of calling the story of her and her husband’s relationship a classic “love story”, this caregiver who lost her husband to glioblastoma after just 26 months reflects on why she prefers to focus on the fact that they weren’t superhuman – they were just lucky enough to find each other.
It’s time to smile and give thanks as people can start to emerge from their bunkers to rejoin society now that there are multiple COVID-19 vaccines, writes one cancer survivor.
