Blog

As we close out September, CSC CEO Debbie Weir reflects on the importance of highlighting National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Debbie also remembers her father, who died by suicide after 3 years of cancer treatments. And she shares information about our free support resources for people impacted by cancer, as well as national resources to help those in crisis.

This month, as part of our Advocate Spotlight series, we are highlighting Michael Kolodziej, M.D., a member of our Cancer Policy Institute Advisory Board. Read...

When Katie Phillips was diagnosed with a rare type of thyroid cancer, she went through a period of shock and despair. She began keeping an audio diary about her experiences with the help of her friend Clair. The recordings are now available as a podcast, "Talking With Cancer," that's entering its second season. Keep reading to learn more about Katie's diagnosis, the podcast, and why laughter can sometimes be the best medicine.

From the very beginning, CSC has been a dedicated partner and go-to resource for the Cancer Moonshot, the White House initiative to drive urgent progress against cancer. Cancer Moonshot Coordinator Danielle Carnival, Ph.D., recognized CSC’s contributions during a recent conference for our network partner leaders. We share highlights from Dr. Carnival’s presentation, including a call to action that you, your friends, and loved ones may be able to answer.

Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer among men. Men may find it a difficult topic to discuss with their healthcare providers and even with family and friends, but it’s an important conversation to have. There’s no better time than now, during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, to share facts about the disease.

“August, you get me every time. It’s that time of year…when my trauma triggers fire nonstop.” In the final installment of her blog series, Amber Havekost reflects on the difficult August, 5 years ago, when an advanced-stage cancer diagnosis changed her life. “Anniversary dates are complex,” she writes. “Some are amazing but now also tainted by pain. Some we wish to forget but then, if we do, what else would have to be forgotten?”

“Grief isn’t shameful and it isn’t cause for panic. It isn’t taboo, it isn’t unnecessary, it isn’t weak, and it isn’t wrong or dangerous. Rather, to grieve is to be authentic. To grieve is to be honest. To grieve is to be grateful. And to grieve is to be human.” In the latest installment of her 5-part blog series, Amber Havekost continues to trace her cancer journey, honoring both her losses and her gains along the way.

If your first thought now is “Wait, what are mesothelial cells?” you’re not alone. Keep reading to learn what they are and what they do. We also share ways to protect yourself and your loved ones from exposures linked to mesothelioma, a rare, fast-growing cancer that starts in mesothelial cells.

“Survivorship is in the whole cancer experience. It’s getting up and going to the next appointment, whether it’s appointment No. 2 or No. 282. It’s treatment. It’s surgeries. It’s putting one foot in front of the other even when the direction you’re going is unknown.” Amber Havekost reflects on the meaning of survivorship and the ways it has touched every step of her journey with cancer.

In part 2 of a 5-part series that traces her cancer journey, blog writer Amber Havekost unpacks the word cancer, stripping the term of its vague meanings and abstractions and laying bare the difficult, sometimes painful realities it has unleashed in her own life. In the process, Amber also reflects on what she has gained because of it all.