Survivorship Series

"One day, I was advocating for a patient of mine and realized that I hadn’t been doing a good job of advocating for myself," shares Tony Christon-Walker, a longtime community advocate and activist. In our Q&A with Tony, he discusses his experience as a cancer survivor living with HIV. He also reflects on the importance of self-advocacy as a patient and facing – and defeating – stigma. Keep reading for more insights from Tony.

Just a few months after giving birth to her first child, Tamron Little learned she had peritoneal mesothelioma. Tamron’s love for her infant son gave her hope, and her husband was a steady source of comfort and support. Today, 15 years after her diagnosis, Tamron shares her story.

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.

“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.

“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.

When Amber Havekost learned she had breast cancer, her world turned upside down. “Time stopped,” she writes. “The picture of my life in my head suddenly turned blurry and void of color, now with the word ‘cancer’ in bright red, etched onto my mind’s eye.” Read on to learn more about Amber’s story and how she confronted the enormity of 3 words, “I have cancer,” with the belief that hope can permeate hardship.

"My cancer is real. I can deal with real," shares Terry, a laryngeal cancer survivor, in the next edition of our Survivorship series. In this Q&A, Terry discusses initial challenges with his laryngectomy surgery, ways he provides support to others with head and neck cancer, and the many passions that bring him joy.

Meet Alyssa, a 2-time pediatric cancer survivor who was diagnosed with leukemia at age 3. She experienced a relapse at age 9, and now in her early 30s, she shares her experiences with late effects of her cancer treatments. Of her cancer journey, she says, “It doesn’t define who I am, but it has made me who I am.” Read on to learn more about Alyssa.