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
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
The year of 2020 will be described in various terms in history books. Unprecedented. Life-altering. Dumpster fire. Worst year. No matter the description, it’s been quite a year. As 2020 comes to an end, I reflect on all that’s happened. And I realize it’s been a year of clarity for me. It was supposed to
As a three-time cancer survivor, it would be easy to let the negativity surrounding cancer define my life. As a cancer survivor whose dad died from cancer, it would be just as easy to let survivor’s guilt lead my life. And for a while, these things did hold me down in negative emotions and indifference
November kicks off the lead in to Thanksgiving, when many people start talking about gratitude. And while I believe we should focus on our gratitude every day of the year, this is a great time to pause to reflect. Especially this year with so much upheaval and uncertainly pressing on society. So I’d like to
Ah, October. When pink takes over our view almost as much as black and orange for Halloween. As the second most common cancer among American women, conversations about breast cancer are important. And beyond the coloring of this month in pink, there are opportunities to push back against this disease. I wanted to share four
I received my results from recent cardiology tests. Let me share why my heart test matters to you. Ever since chemo for bone cancer treatment 20+ years ago, in which I took the max dose of a chemo drug that can cause long-term heart issues, I’ve seen a cardiologist and get annual heart tests. Last
