Breast cancer ISN’T pink..and other stories
When I first pinned a pink ribbon on myself, it was October 2004 and I had just been diagnosed with breast cancer. I felt that pinning on the pink ribbon was a symbol of… Continue reading
You never think it will be you. You go about your days making plans, imagining futures, dreaming ordinary dreams. Life feels steady, predictable. And then it isn’t. One phone call. One scan. One… Continue reading
In 1948, two French scientists noticed something unexpected in their lab samples: fragments of DNA drifting in blood plasma. At the time, the discovery seemed trivial, even puzzling. DNA, after all, was supposed… Continue reading
You’ve likely heard people talk about “chemo brain”—or maybe you’ve even felt it yourself. It’s that foggy sensation that can make it tough to find the right word, recall a friend’s name, or… Continue reading
So few grains of happiness measured against all the dark and still the scales balance. – Jane Hirshfield “The Weighing” I’ve been reflecting on these lines from Jane Hirshfield’s poem The Weighing and how its… Continue reading
In many cultures, greetings are often seen as polite and routine exchanges. However, in some Muslim cultures, there exists a profound dimension to these everyday interactions. When someone asks, “How are you?” in… Continue reading
I discovered that today, September 16th is ‘Tattoo Story Day’. While I am not sure if this is a day that’s universally marked, it gives me the prompt I need to tell the… Continue reading
Checking my August Awareness Day Calendar, I discovered that today, August 30th is designated as Grief Awareness Day. Sometimes I feel we are awash with grief in our community. Not just in our… Continue reading
Are you looking for a new job after cancer treatment? Perhaps you left your last employment after your diagnosis, or maybe you are still in your current job but want a fresh start… Continue reading
“In a society which is much more inclined to help you hide your pain rather than to grow through it, is necessary to make a very conscious effort to mourn.” – Henri Nouwen Grief… Continue reading
T for this week’s round-up of the best of the blog posts which I’ve read over the past week. These are the posts that have moved me, taught me something, inspired me, and which I’ve wanted to share with you. Don’t forget if you have written a post which you would like readers to see, just […]
The Thing Is to love life, to love it evenwhen you have no stomach for itand everything you’ve held dearcrumbles like burnt paper in your hands,your throat filled with the silt of it.When… Continue reading
The Butterfly Effect For Marie Ennis O’Connor So close and still Quietly far away From the company Who chose you The day you heard The word we all Heard. Echoes In a canyon… Continue reading
26 posts. 26 days. 26 letters of the alphabet, one blog post beginning with each letter. H is for Hair I started this blog a few years after my breast cancer diagnosis and… Continue reading
When I first pinned a pink ribbon on myself, it was October 2004 and I had just been diagnosed with breast cancer. I felt that pinning on the pink ribbon was a symbol of… Continue reading
According to the results of a study conducted at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, women who are diagnosed with breast cancer and treated with chemotherapy while pregnant have better disease-free survival (survival without a cancer recurrence or a new cancer) than women who are not pregnant at the time of diagnosis. Overall survival was similar in the two groups of patients.
This month, being breast cancer awareness month, many of you will be wearing pink ribbons, the symbol of breast cancer awareness and support we have all become so familiar with. But have you… Continue reading
It’s hard to keep track of the latest research on what’s good for you and what isn’t. But there are definitely strategies that will help you live a longer, healthier life. Check… Continue reading
Women who have estrogen (ER)-negative breast cancer may have more drug-treatment options than previously thought, a Creighton University study suggests. The study is reported in the Oct. 11 online version of the journal… Continue reading
Another autumnal recipe and a sweet treat into the bargain for you today. Baking these apples will fill your kitchen with the most divine smells of apple, cinnamon, toasted nuts and the scent of… Continue reading
And so as we come to the end of World Mental Health Week, I cannot think of a better way to round it off on World Mental Health Day than with the following… Continue reading
Today is my birthday. I am a real birthday person. I love to celebrate each year, not in any big way though; I much prefer the quieter simpler celebrations in life. Some birthdays… Continue reading
Do you like vintage fashion and decor? I have a real passion for it . This Sunday a Vintage Fashion and Decor Fair will take place in The Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin… Continue reading