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
I have just been reading the results of a new study which shows that about three-quarters of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer have a friend or family member with them at their… Continue reading
I am back on my pet subject again! I believe so strongly that because depression often lingers long after treatment has ended, the psycho-social aspects of a cancer diagnosis must be addressed from… Continue reading
I woke this morning to the sad news that Patrick Swayze, an actor who attained iconic status in my teenage years as the star of Dirty Dancing and Ghost, died last night after living with pancreatic… Continue reading
Tomato, eggplant/aubergine and feta linguine Ingredients (serves 4) 1 medium aubergine/eggplant, cut into 2cm cubes 1 red onion, cut into wedges salt and cracked black pepper 3 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into wedges… Continue reading
I’ve just been reading a post on the Social Media Today blog which points to “a fascinating piece in today’s NY Times Magazine, Is Happiness Catching. The article describes an innovative study by Nicholas Christakis… Continue reading
Cancer Warrior Coalition is creating a powerful unified collaboration of citizens and organizational entities to pool resources, talent, information, research and efforts in order to effect necessary change in the way we… Continue reading
Cholesterol-lowering statins may help to prevent breast cancer build up resistance to the gold standard treatment, a study has found. Laboratory research carried out in the US suggests tumours are shielded against the… Continue reading
Many women who find a lump in their breast delay seeing a doctor because they believe that only women over 50 or those with a family history develop breast cancer, a new study… Continue reading
Today’s poem was written for Poetry in Pink Breast Cancer fundraiser by Jani Rosado. On her website Musings and Scribbles, Jani states so eloquently that she writes ” to connect, to understand… Continue reading
As cancer survivors, I reckon we are all very tuned into what our bodies are telling us. Perhaps too tuned in at times, when every slight ache and twinge can lead to fears… Continue reading
