Today is a good day. Today I choose joy and gratitude. It has been 23 years of living beyond cancer. In that time, I cleared three cancers, too many surgeries and ridiculous amounts of chemo and radiation that battered my body. I still face side effects, physically, emotionally and mentally. But I am alive! So
The other day I looked at the calendar and was surprised to realize that it’s almost been two years since finishing treatment for breast cancer. Some days it seems long ago. Maybe because a devastating, global pandemic slid in shortly after treatment ended. Or maybe because I fiercely cleared that cancer, preparing for the next
It’s an undisputed fact – cancer affects everyone. With almost 17 million people living with and beyond cancer in the U.S. today, and more than 43 million cancer survivors worldwide, everyone knows someone whose life has been touched by cancer. People often ask how they can be there for someone going through cancer. So I
I always get excited when Michigan’s weather starts warming up and I can be outside more often. Of course, as a melanoma survivor, I’m cautious about being in the sun. It’s a great time to focus on sun safety during Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Keep reading for 6 skin cancer prevention tips. Know your skin
I have a confession: I’m tired. Mentally and emotionally. It’s been a long two years. I barely regrouped after finishing treatment for clearing a third cancer when the coronavirus pandemic swept across the world. And it’s still sweeping, back and forth. So some moments, I’m doing okay. And others, not so much. But I’ve realized
When we’re facing a big decision, challenge or goal, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Sometimes that might even lead us to freeze up or want to run the other way. This can be especially true when facing a serious illness, like cancer, or major life-altering decision, like a new job, relationship change or relocation. But
The coronavirus pandemic led to a drop in health screenings in the past year due to safety concerns of spreading COVID-19. Many health centers have implemented safety protocols to protect patients and encourage health check ups, including cancer screenings. These screenings have come a long way in detecting early stage cancers, leading to higher long-term
Health and physical fitness are top priorities for me, especially as a three-time cancer survivor. I’m participating in a workshop that encourages different monthly goals throughout the year. March’s goal was creating a positive habit. So I decided to focus on 31 days of physical activity. My goal was a minimum of 15-minutes of physical
More than 150,000 people of reproductive age are diagnosed with cancer each year. Many cancers and treatments can cause infertility issues in women and men. Facing infertility after cancer can be a devastating outcome from trying to save your life. Picture being told you have cancer. And your chance of having a family, whether now
An estimated 1.8 million Americans will hear ‘you have cancer’ this year. Approximately 606,000 will die from the disease. One is too many. Fighting cancer is an issue that I’m passionate about and I like to share opportunities to support cancer survivors while fighting the disease whenever I can. So I want to share 5
