Cancer in Your 40s Isn’t “Adult” Cancer Either
Reading Time: 2 minutesBy: Carolyn Trachtenbroit, 35, Nonprofit Professional I didn’t know the term “adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer” when I was a child—but I lived it. My connection to the AYA
Tag: Diagnosis
Coexisting Realities: When “AYA” Meets “RPCV”
Reading Time: 4 minutesBy Jo Dunne, 26, Synovial Sarcoma Early last June, I celebrated Eid at the family home of a good friend. I remembered walking up to the doorstep and being greeted
Managing the Unknown
Reading Time: < 1 minute Anthony, 32, Brain Tumor Anthony shared their story at the 2026 AYA Week Storytelling Open Mic Event in NYC. Anthony shares his experience with having cancer since he was 17 and the emotional distress of unexpectedly being re-diagnosed 2 years ago. His story balances both humor
Cancer is a Journey: Not a Finish Line
Reading Time: 4 minutesBy: Brittany Groover, 32, Melanoma The biggest lesson I have learned from cancer is that there is no finish line. Not in the way people imagine. You do not cross
Cervical Cancer Free Now!
Reading Time: 2 minutesBy: Mary Potter, 37, Cervical Cancer Hi, my name is Mary. I was 36 when I was diagnosed with stage 1B1 cervical cancer in 2024. For years before my diagnosis,
From Cybersecurity to Cancer
Reading Time: < 1 minuteLiz Jaluague shared their story at the CancerCon 2025’s Storytelling Open Mic. At 34, cybersecurity architect and military officer Liz Halwagay’s life takes an unexpected turn when a routine medical
Thank You, Mom
Reading Time: 3 minutesBy: Claudia Osburn, Breast Cancer I’m staring at my mom’s casket, and my mind is drowning in questions. How do I move on? Is she really gone? What are we
The Day the Bottom Fell Out From Under Us
Reading Time: 4 minutesBy: Abbie Sheffield, 32, Ductal Carcinoma 2024 was the year of infertility. It started on my 31st birthday, January 8th. I was eight weeks pregnant, so full of hope. But
Googling is a Bad Idea
Reading Time: 2 minutesBy Hannah Brown, 32, Ovarian Cancer Just because you have two masses, one on each ovary, doesn’t mean it’s cancer. When bad news appears, people tend to grasp the ‘what
Being Your Own Advocate: A Second Opinion Gave Me a Second Chance at Life
Reading Time: 3 minutesBy: Kassie Reynolds, 30, Pancreatic Cancer I never thought I would be the person who says, “Getting a second opinion saved my life.” Then again, I never thought I would