“My Voice” by Heidi Saum
My story of survival begins on March 31, 2001. After suffering a seizure I was rushed to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center where I was given the diagnosis: inoperable brain tumor in my left frontal lobe. Scared beyond belief, soon after hearing those words I asked the male nurse if I was going to die. When […]
“My Voice” by Rick Linstead
My name is Rick, I am 54 years old and I am a lung cancer survivor. Stage III A small cell carcinoma. My journey began in June 2011 with a calcium stone in my salivary gland, 2 dentists, ENT and radiologist found nothing, when my tongue was swollen to where I could not swallow or […]
“My Voice” by Nancy Adkins
I wanted to share my story to give HOPE and a voice to Survivors! I had my first child in December 2005 and began having leg pain three weeks later. I was 26 years old and on maternity leave from my social work position. My pain gradually increased and I began going to the doctor […]
“My Voice” by Angela Garrett
D-day was April 11th, 2011. That’s when I was diagnosed with rectal cancer. My world would be forever changed from that moment on. My family’s world was changed along with it. I remember trying to wake up from the stupor you are in after having a colonoscopy. I could hear the doctor talking and I […]
“My Voice” by Mike Craycraft
My name is Mike Craycraft and I am a testicular cancer survivor. What does it mean to me to be a Survivor? Well, as I write this, it is approaching 6 years to the day that I first heard my doctor say, “It looks like it is cancer” so I figured it was a good […]
“My Voice” by Jean Geraghty
In late April or early May of 2007 I woke up one morning, and as I was getting out of bed I felt pain in my right breast. While I was showering I did a breast exam on that side and felt a large, diffuse mass. I honestly was pretty freaked out and knew it […]
“My Voice” by Jaime Needel
As you get older you begin to characterize yourself by your varied titles; mommy, wife, daughter, career person, but you don’t think at age 25 you will be a Cancer Survivor. The definition of Survivor changed shape for me over time. When I first heard the term when I was diagnosed in 2003 at 25, […]
“My Voice” by Ryan Joudrey
At age 21, in the fall of 2002, it seemed I was in the prime of life and had everything going for me – living on my own, lots of great friends and family, loving University life, a fairly active and healthy lifestyle, plus a girlfriend I’d been with for a year. That was, until […]
“My Voice” by Melanie Singh
It has been nearly 4 years since that awful day – the day I learned I had breast cancer. I was only 35 years old, and breast cancer does not run in my family. And silly me… I thought that the Universe was done doling out medical problems to me. After all, I had already […]
“My Voice” by David Lewis
March 30th, 2001, became a day that would change my life forever. It was the day I learned I had breast cancer. Just two days earlier I had a biopsy done in the office where I worked as a physician assistant in a general surgery practice. You can imagine my shock if you consider that […]
“My Voice” by Teresa Ward
My name is Teresa Brown Ward and I am a Survivor. Being a survivor to me means I am here to be with my family. My son was only seventeen when I was diagnosed. My husband and I had just celebrated our 7th anniversary. I have two stepsons and a grandson who need me too. […]
“My Voice” by Myles Blackwell
When I was fifteen years old, I thought I would be going to school and spending my time hanging out with friends. I never thought I would be spending hours in the hospital while chemotherapy dripped through my veins. When I learned I had cancer, I was not shocked. I did not have a full […]
“My Voice” by Christina Radzilowicz
I thought I earned my survivor status at when I was 16. At that time I moved out from both parents’ houses and embarked on the life of my choosing. Until my day of diagnosis, I never thought anything could happen to me that would be as bad as my childhood. My childhood was, by […]
“My Voice” by Brian Dowd
One night in May 2006 while Kristy, my wife, and I were sleeping our daughter Caroline tried to get into bed with us. Though she did this nightly, this night stood out from all the rest. On this night she accidentally kicked me in my groin. It was not an abnormal pain, just a pain. […]
“My Voice” by Robb C. Sewell
Lucky Man by Robb C. Sewell One of my all-time favorite musicians is Dave Koz. The man is a most amazing saxophonist — charismatic, and mesmerizing to watch. Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of not only listening to his music and attending his concerts, but also interviewing him for a freelance gig. The […]
“My Voice” by Ron Bye
Ronald K Bye Long Branch, NJ Diagnosed August 8, 1975 We all have a story to tell. A good story has a beginning, middle and an ending. My story has many beginnings and thankfully no ending as yet. My story is of survival, rebirth, finding my voice and finally healing. Just a few years after […]
“My Voice” by Pamela Grossman
I should have known not to go for the mammogram in January. Granted, that had not been the plan. I found the breast lump in November of 2007 and had been deep in negotiations with the cancer center since then in an attempt to get squeezed in (bad pun intentional; sorry) for an appointment when […]
“My Voice” by Lainie Schultz
My story is about Attitude. Being diagnosed with multiple cancers, I’ve found an attitude within myself that I never could have imagined…strength, courage, and endurance all became part of my driven mentality to defeat the big C. It’s comforting to know how incredible you can truly become when you’ve been diagnosed with a life threatening […]
“My Voice” by Bruce Blount
Hello there. My name is Bruce Blount, and I am a brain tumor survivor. Sixteen years ago I was treated for it, and by the grace of God, it has not returned. Statistics are grim for this type of tumor – so I don’t look at them! I had a prospering career in the U.S. […]
“My Voice” by Mickey Ferry
I was asked if I would consider writing something about my experience with Leukemia. I was asked at a good time because I was just about to travel to Belfast for one of my check-ups. When I was there I, as ever, met up with Susan Piggott, the Bone Marrow Transplant coordinator at Belfast City […]
“My Voice” by Kristen Franklin
Okay, so I have been given full permission to be open and honest about my cancer experience and my approach to survivorship. I’m not sure that is a good idea knowing my history of sarcasm. There is a word used to describe my feelings, I can’t quite place it…wait, wait. Oh yeah BITTER. Bitter party […]
“My Voice” by Kyle Lovering
My name is Kyle, I am twenty five years old. I am married to my beautiful wife Kaylee and we have two wonderful children. Kyler who is my son and is five, and Kylee who is my daughter and is almost three! In February, around my birthday, I started having some strange bowel symptoms and […]
“My Voice” by Dennis Clendennen
“The only thing we have to fear is the DRE itself.” Fear is the common or expected result to being diagnosed with cancer. Cancer only happens to ‘other’ people. The fear comes from not only being diagnosed with cancer but the possible effects it can have on one’s body, mind and relationships. In March of […]
“My Voice” by Karen Schueler
Five years ago I heard those dreadful words, “You’ve got breast cancer”. It was suppose to be a routine mammogram. I didn’t have any family history of breast cancer and I never felt a lump. At my annual exam my GYN pointed out I hadn’t had a mammogram in 3 years and encouraged me to […]
