“My Voice” by Angie Sanchez
Cancer runs in my family, though not in first degree relatives. My grandfather died of lung cancer. My second cousin on mom’s side was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 45, and died at 49. Herceptin wasn’t around yet. She was brilliant and young, I miss her. Her mother passed not long after from breast […]
“My Voice” by Mark Porter
I was driving in my car on May 3rd, 1998 when I felt a dull ache in my groin. It felt like a bit of cramp, so I wasn’t too worried about it. The following day, when I got up, the ache was back. With every day that passed the pain increased. After about a […]
“Remembering a Friend, Mike Tufo” by Lynn Lane
I’m not going to edit this, these words are meant to be just what they are…my thoughts at this very moment….a stream of consciousness writing about a friend. Today I ask that we take a moment, not of silence but of celebration, to remember one of the most amazing ‘Survivors’ whom I have ever met: […]
“My Voice” by Kristin King
“Where do you turn when there’s nowhere to go Can’t escape the fear deep down in your soul It paralyzes your heart, stops you in your tracks No one can save you, your future looks black” *Lyrics from ‘No Surrender’ by Dichroic Glass, © 2007 I was 37 years old, happily living life with my […]
“My Voice” by Dorienne Plait
What in the world is a thyroid, anyway? I hardly understand anything my doctors are telling me. Thyroiditis? Nodules? Papillary Carcinoma? Excuse me, but I’m only 17. Can you put these terms more simply, please? And can you stop poking and prodding me and tell me what the hell is wrong with me? I feel […]
“My Voice” by Dr. Stan Steinberg
I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease in 1975 after accidentally swallowing a staple. I was a freshman in college and thought I had the flu, so I had stayed home from school for a few days. A fraternity brother had copied his class notes for me. On Friday afternoon I sat and read the notes […]
“My Voice” by Danielle Nealis
I never realized that I would have a story. It kind of came out of nowhere. About a year after my second daughter was born, I had gotten a hernia that needed repairing. During that repair, the surgeon found a tumor, which was biopsied and sent to Atlanta for diagnosis, since no one at my […]
“My Last Two Weeks” by Lynn Lane
I will preface this by saying that I’m writing this in a stream of consciousness with zero editing because that’s how I feel right now. I just want to see what comes out and be as honest as I can in the process. I’m writing this on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 after my day of […]
“My Voice” by Heather Dziczek
I was 31 years old, working out at the gym – something I had finally started doing regularly about 10 months earlier after a largely sedentary life – and had some trouble breathing. While this wasn’t normal for me, it was easy to dismiss since I was exercising. A few days later, when I had […]
“My Voice” by Elaine Koogler
I really truly hate cancer. I hate it because it has not only altered my life (and my body) as a result of four bouts with the disease, but because it has deprived me…and by extension, the world…of the wisdom, enthusiasm, talents and love of those I have lost to cancer. I have even lost […]
“My Voice” by Lisa Boylan
I can now add ‘cancer’ to the long list of things that have defined me. Other things, such as; receptionist for a world-renowned rock band; local television spokes-model; designer of surfing t-shirt’s – those things were much more fun … however they probably didn’t shape me in the way cancer is shaping me now. My […]
“My Voice” by Glenn Gleason
In April of 2007, I was a pretty busy 38 year old guy. I was running Sales and Marketing for a regional Pennsylvania homebuilder, putting in long days and burning the candle pretty hard. I was having some chest pains that I could not figure out and I went to see my Doctor and she […]
“My Voice” by Willette Northup
My cancer journey started Friday, March 13, 2009. I couldn’t believe it, yes Friday the 13th of all days. The month previously I went to my primary care physician and was told that the 4 day migraine that I was experiencing was simply just a sinus infection and was treated for a sinus infection. I […]
“My Voice” by Kim Ferranto
Being a two time cancer survivor before the age of 40 was not “in the plan”. My husband, Pete, and I grew up together. We’ve known one another for 30 years. We are best friends and soul mates, married since 1992. Our children at the time were 9, 7 and 2. Everything was moving along […]
“My Voice” by Nick O’Hara Smith
It was April 1988 and I’d just woken up mad as hell, because I’d failed in an attempt on my life. I’d not taken the decision to end my life flippantly. After all, I’d just survived Cancer, having just been declared Cancer free at the end of my treatment. Life should have been good, but […]
“My Voice” by Liz Strobel
I am no stranger to cancer. I have met it several times over the course of my 26 years. My first meeting was my grandfather, who was diagnosed with skin cancer, though it didn’t affect me and the people in my “bubble”. Cancer didn’t enter my world until 1992. My little brother was diagnosed with […]
“My Voice” by Debbie Thomas
My name is Debbie and I am 44 years old. Around Thanksgiving 2006, when I was 41 years old, I was getting undressed to get ready for bed when I had an itch on my left breast. I scratched and felt a lump. As I felt it I knew it wasn’t supposed to be there […]
“My Voice” by Valerie Finnerty
My name is Valerie and I am a breast cancer survivor. For more than 20 years, I often felt like I was just waiting for the diagnosis that had claimed my mother’s life when she was only 48, so it wasn’t a complete surprise when I was diagnosed with stage IIB invasive lobular carcinoma at […]
“My Voice” by Meghan Cheung
After an ultrasound, CT scan, gastroscopy, and MRI, I had an emergency appointment at the cancer centre. I met the doctor and the nurse who are both awesome. Fun Fact: My mom taught my doctor when he was in high school! The doctor explained that I had a tumour that was touching my stomach and […]
“My Voice” by Amanda J. Woods
Survivor: It is an interesting word and one that has many definitions depending upon circumstances. Mine is actually the story of my life and how I found hope and meaning through the process of surviving. It is a word that I have dealt with since birth. I was born two weeks late, not breathing and […]
“My Voice” by Kristin McQueen
My journey has been more of a roller coaster than I ever imagined. On June 27, 2003, metastatic thyroid cancer stormed into my life. It is still so fresh in my mind that I could give you a play by play of that day, down to the detail of what I was wearing and where […]
“My Voice” by Darren Neuberger
How many of you have ever had a cough? How many of you have ever had a cough that lasted longer than 7 months? A cough, a simple-stupid cough – who would have thought that it would have changed my life forever!! This annoying little pest started in January 2003. I was 34 years old […]
“My Voice” by Liz Solorio
On September 4, 2004, my mother called telling me she thought my father was having a heart attack. When I arrived, I found him in his recliner not breathing. I began CPR while my mother called 911. Little did I know this would be just the beginning of my new life. After four months of […]
“My Voice” by Britta Aragon
My first experience with cancer came when I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease at the age of 16. Back in 1992, the “C” word was rarely mentioned, spoken only in whispers or behind closed doors. Fortunately, I was young, and as they say, ignorance is bliss. I wasn’t aware of the severity of the disease. […]
