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
Could you protect yourself against cancer by choosing wisely what you put on your plate? This is the question posed today in the Irish Times Health supplement. As we are only too aware, there… Continue reading
Today’s recipe is a simple vegetarian curry, full of Indian flavours. It has a delicious aroma and not only does it taste great when fresh but it reheats perfectly from the fridge or the… Continue reading
I am captivated by the tagline of Amazon Heart which asks the question What if breast cancer is just the start of an incredible journey? Amazon Heart was founded in 2004 by two young… Continue reading
“The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives” – Albert Schweitzer This quote from Albert Schweitzer is one of the mottos I try to live by. In those… Continue reading
A report from the National Cancer Registry has revealed the extent to which geography affects a person’s risk of developing cancer. The report, Atlas of Cancer in Ireland 1994 to 2003, links cancer… Continue reading
Scientists have tracked the spread of breast-cancer cells “live” for the first time in an advance which it is hoped will lead to new cures. The team tagged cancer cells with a protein that… Continue reading
A frittata is a type of Italian omelet, either simple or enriched with additional ingredients. It is prepared in a frying pan like a traditional omelet however, whereas an omelet is cooked on… Continue reading
Women who have been treated for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) tend to stop following the recommended guidelines for mammography screening over time, despite the fact that they still have a higher-than-average risk… Continue reading
The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are. You trade in your reality for a role. You give up your ability to feel, and in exchange, put on… Continue reading
An interesting article in this week’s Irish Times Health, reports that Swedish doctors will soon be able to prescribe singing lessons, pottery classes or art appreciation as part of a new public healthcare initiative. Sweeden… Continue reading
