Survivorship Series

"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.

Liz Hiles spent months trying to get answers from medical providers about her unexplained urinary pain. When she was finally diagnosed with bladder cancer, surgery results revealed she had stage 3B cancer. Read on to learn more about Liz’s survivorship story and her work to dispel stereotypes around bladder cancer.

Our survivorship series continues with a Q&A with Evelina, a breast cancer survivor who has been sharing her experience — both the gifts and the challenges — with others. “One of the toughest challenges I faced throughout my journey was losing my father right in the midst of treatment,” she says. Read on to learn more about Evelina’s story.

“As deep as my pain goes, so does my gratitude," reflects Amber, a breast cancer survivor. Gain insight and inspiration from Amber's story.

In our special blog series on cancer survivorship, we get to know Marcia Donziger, whose journey as a stage 3 ovarian cancer survivor inspired her to create an online community for others impacted by cancer. "Don’t do cancer alone," she says. "Advocating for others — and just being there as a friend who listens — are my ways of coping and moving forward." Keep reading to learn more about Marcia's story.

As part of our special blog series on cancer survivorship, we are featuring this Q&A with cancer survivor, author, and survivorship advocate Judith L. Pearson. Read on to learn more about Judy’s story, her new book, and a grassroots movement that continues to improve life for countless cancer survivors today.

Shannon Miller is a 7-time Olympic medalist in gymnastics. She’s also a mother, an author, a dedicated health and wellness advocate - and an ovarian cancer survivor. An unexpected cancer diagnosis, and the treatment journey that followed, forced her to discover a new normal and has further fueled her passion of empowering and educating women around health and wellness. She’s partnered with TESARO and Our Way Forward to encourage patients, their loved ones and healthcare providers talk about ovarian cancer. Learn more, and read other blog perspectives at https://www.ourwayforward.com/.