Blogs

August is World Cancer Support month, and a time to honor the quiet strength of caregivers and the communities that lift them up.

During World Cancer Support Month, I’m remembering a moment in 2012 a group of teachers — especially Mrs. Reed — lifted me up with unexpected kindness.

I survived peritoneal mesothelioma thanks to the love, prayers, and support of family, friends, and strangers who reminded me I was never alone.

During my breast cancer journey, my sister Kelly’s love and support — especially the day she shaved my head — gave me strength, comfort, and control.

When my daughter had cancer, my other children carried our family with grace, compassion and strength I didn’t know I’d one day need from them.

After my cancer diagnosis, I planned to go it alone but found unconditional acceptance from the cancer community once I took the first step.

After joining a creative survivors’ group, I discovered that emotional expression, art and connection offered a profound kind of healing beyond treatment.

When treatment ended, people expected relief, but what I felt was loss, fear, and the weight of a life forever changed.

After my diagnosis, I found a healing balm in an unexpected place. I never knew art would become so vital to my healing.

After my cancer diagnosis, I built a strong medical team and support system that helped me heal; reaching out and accepting help made all the difference.

When my daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer, writing our truth helped me and others face the harsh realities and lasting impact of cancer survivorship.

Watching a true-life story about a woman’s battle with cancer has given me a new perspective on life.

Cancer changed my life and inspired me to guide other women in healing, self-love and rediscovering their strength through massage and coaching.

I never would have survived through 15 years of cancer without my two passions: faith and writing.

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I never dreamed I’d learn so many valuable life lessons along the way.

A dual cancer diagnosis rewired how I live, love, and show up in the world — with presence, purpose, and unapologetic passion.

Hiking helped to sustain me through cancer treatment, with its emphasis on fresh air, natural wonders, and the companionship of friends.

After ovary removal to prevent cancer, the sudden loss of estrogen reshaped my health and life, showing the need for better care and awareness for women like me.

I share my challenges and healing journey through colon cancer treatment, emphasizing mindset, self-healing and a newfound appreciation for life.

Living with Lynch syndrome, nature’s quiet resilience teaches me to accept change, find calm, and stay rooted through life’s unexpected twists and storms.

Keeping my part-time teaching job during breast cancer treatment gave me purpose, connection and strength — and it helped me rediscover my voice as a writer.

IV infiltration and extravasation remind this cancer patient of the constant challenges of speaking up and advocating for their own care.

After attending several cancer support groups, I reflect on what makes them helpful, inclusive and healing — and invite others to share their insights too.

Butterflies are believed to be a symbol of resurrection and hope. This is an inspiring story about this phenomenon.

When asked to choose a word other than “survivor” to describe myself, I chose “person” because cancer does not define who I am.

Cancer leaves deep emotional scars long after treatment ends, but for many survivors, honest, unfiltered writing can be a powerful path to healing.

A watercolor set gifted during my bone marrow transplant for acute myeloid leukemia became my outlet for wonder, creativity, and lasting joy in recovery and beyond.

Writing poems following my lymphoma diagnosis gave me hope and purpose as I endured chemo, helping me heal and share my experience with others.