“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.

Paul, a 3-time cancer thriver, has been walking a lot ― 6.7 miles a day, on average, to be exact. And the 71-year-old has no intention of slowing down. His goal is to walk 1,500 miles this year, and he hopes to far exceed that. Keep reading to find out why.

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.

Bladder cancer survivor Liz Hiles shares how an ostomy saved her life, clears up some myths about ostomies, and offers helpful resources for others who have an ostomy or may need one.

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.