Cancer Takes A Village
Reading Time: 3 minutes My name is Elena Del Carmen and I am a mesenchymal chondrosarcoma survivor. At the age of 25, in October 2020, between my son’s fourth birthday party and my daughter’s
Tag: 20s
Now I Know My IBC
Reading Time: 6 minutes Trigger warning: Suicidal Ideation “I’m sorry but this looks like stage III, Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC).” Those were the words that sprung out of my doctor’s lips that ordinary November
Am I Struggling Enough?
Reading Time: 2 minutes I’m scared to share, because I don’t struggle enough…but maybe there are others who feel like an imposter as well. Back in 2019, I was finishing up college, waiting tables,
From Survivor to Inspiration: My Journey to Infinite Motiv
Reading Time: 3 minutes I never thought that one day I would be sharing a story like this, a story of resilience, survival, and transformation. Only a few years ago, I was living a
No Coincidences
Reading Time: 6 minutes My journey with cancer began in 1993 at the age of 23 when I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. My first words after the initial diagnosis were : “Am I
From White Coat to Hospital Gown
Reading Time: 4 minutes There was a little over a year left until I was to graduate as a doctor. I had made it this far, and any ill feelings were brushed off to
Cancer Survivorship and Disparities Among AYAs
Reading Time: 4 minutes I am an early-stage investigator in the Department of Health Disparities Research at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. I have been trained in the fields of psychology
The Chapter is Only Part of the Story
Reading Time: 2 minutes If someone used a book as a metaphor to describe living with cancer and cancer survivorship, I think many adolescents and young adults (AYAs) would suspect the book is full
Diliara’s Research Story
Reading Time: 3 minutes As a doctoral health communication student, I have always been interested in conducting applied research to translate my findings to develop interventions to help individuals in need in healthcare settings.
Vulnerability is Healing
Reading Time: 4 minutes For starters, I feel extremely overwhelmed with gratitude that I have an amazing support system. Many of my friends and family have been super understanding, loving and compassionate during my