Survivors Speak Out by Sharing Knowledge, Hope, and Inspiration
Coping® with Cancer magazine is proud to be celebrating its 38th year of providing knowledge, hope, and inspiration to people whose lives have been touched by cancer. Cancer survivors share what they’ve learned, what gives them hope, and what inspires them.
Hope is the name of the game when you’re given unsettling news. Surround yourself with positive people and positive energy.
– Yolanda Brunson-Sarrabo, author
Multiple myeloma survivor
Here’s the thing, I wasn’t interested in becoming the anal cancer spokesperson. […] I really think to destigmatize it is the way to go. It’s just silly … We all have one.It’s nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of.
– Marcia Cross, actress
Anal cancer survivor
Instagram.com/ReallyMarcia
You can let it make you bitter or better. I choose to be better.
– Katie Parker
Breast cancer survivor
Rapid City, SD
I made big plans for the future that I HAD to live for.
– Michelle Burleigh
Acute promyelocytic leukemia survivor
Georgetown, Ontario, Canada
SoYouveGotCancer.ca
[What got me through cancer was] taking each day at a time, knowing it was temporary.
– Jessica Pace
Endometrial cancer survivor
Chandler, AZ
Today is yesterday’s tomorrow. That’s
why making plans for the future is important. Be bold and courageous and shape your future as best as you can.
– Dr. Marc Büdenbender
Adrenocortical cancer survivor
Aarau, Switzerland
Laughter and positivity spilled into every aspect of my journey, and I held onto my sense of humor as cancer challenged my sense of self and my sense of identity. It was certainly the hardest time of my life, but in the end, a hefty prescription of tumor humor is exactly what the doctor ordered.
– Kimberly Tronic, author of Dear Diary, Does This Cancer Make My Ass Look Fat?
Ovarian cancer survivor
KimberlyTronic.com
Instagram.com/KimberlyTronic
Through it all, I’m still me, and I didn’t allow cancer to take away who I am or what I stand for. I’m a survivor, and I can go on and still look and feel beautiful and shine brighter.
– Karen Rice
Breast and colon cancer survivor
I believe that positive energy trumps negative every time. When circumstances – like cancer – are out of our control, then the only option we really have is choosing how we want to go through that experience. I’d rather make something miserable more fun than stay in a mental state that makes the experience feel worse. Practicing positivity, in both little and big ways, can make any outcome a better one. Besides, it might even create some smiles along the way.
– Rex Jones, writer and photographer
Hodgkin lymphoma survivor
Instagram.com/RexGoesHiking
Trying to live up to that “keep it positive” expectation often put on cancer survivors is exhausting and, quite honestly, fake. However, when I “keep it real,” it allows me to actively grieve over how my life has changed since cancer, and helps me move closer to accepting those changes.
– Val Jones, writer
Breast cancer survivor
Facebook.com/VictoriousValBreastCancerCrusaders
[I see] Absolutely everything [differently]. The list is endless!!
And once I know what I want, I let nothing stand in my way.
– Mia Tardive
Breast cancer survivor
Le Mars, IA
Cancer diagnosis has taught me that life is un-predictable. I have started appreciating my life more and learnt to be more compassionate and empathetic for others who are suffering. It keeps me more humble, as nothing lasts forever.
– Rashi Kapoor
Synovial sarcoma survivor
New Delhi, India
[My secret to getting through treatment was] Not changing my everyday life … kept working, etc. Wanted my life to be as normal as possible … not allowing cancer or treatment to dictate it for me.
– Connie Franks
Bilateral breast cancer survivor
Wooster, OH
Continue to work, helping others, and determination to keep my daily routine [got me through treatment].
Benny Morrow
Prostate cancer survivor
Susanville, CA
Cancer does not define me. I define IT!
– Cora Fahy, breast cancer survivor
Seal Cove, ME
The happiest of people are those who enjoy the scenery while on the detour.
– Karen Blazejewski
Hodgkin lymphoma survivor
Green Bay, WI
There are moments in all our lives that can be painful and humiliating, but as a cancer survivor, I’ve come to realize those moments are the ones we look back on, appreciate most, and sometimes, even laugh about.
– Amelia Frahm, author of Tickles Tabitha’s Cancertankerous Mommy
Breast cancer survivor
AmeliaFrahm.blogspot.com
Instagram.com/Amelia_Frahm
Anytime the word cancer comes up, it’s hard not to conjure worst-case scenarios. I think the more we can tell stories about these good outcomes, the more people realize there’s hope.
– Matt Iseman
Tv host and comedian
Kidney cancer survivor
MattIseman.com
It taught me that sometimes you have to fight through the bad days to earn the best days of your life.
– Annette Crabtree
Ewing sarcoma survivor
Instagram.com/TakeTheRideXO
Life can get back to normal. It’s even better after. That’s hard to see at the moment, but that’s how it was in my case.
– Jake Gibb, beach volleyball Olympian
Melanoma and testicular cancer survivor
JakeGibb.com
Through my journey and faith, I discovered who I could be in spite of my medical circumstances. The lessons I have learned from my cancer experiences and my circumstances do not dictate my future. I look at my adversities and know I am a survivor and overcomer. My future has limitless possibilities.
– Jearlean Taylor
Author and speaker
Rhabdomyosarcoma survivor
JearleanTaylor.com
Keep learning and adapting. Be kind to yourself. And remember to do the best you can, one day at a time.
– Steve Rubin
Osteosarcoma survivor
OtherCWord.com
Twitter.com/OtherCWord
When it all gets too overwhelming, be still and know.
– Kim Albarelli
Breast cancer survivor
Glens Falls, NY
Are You Dancing Today?
Amidst the avalanche of emails, texts, and bills … the calendar laden with meetings, deadlines, and other responsibilities … the cacophony of traffic jams, parking tickets, and a constant stream of distressing events on the nightly news, it can be a continuous challenge to remember what is truly important in life. What matters. What brings joy. What brings music to the soul. While each person’s list will vary, if you start off with family, friends, health, meaningful work, and fulfilling, creative play, you’re in pretty good shape. I hope that you will continue to find ways – even small ways – to bring your passions into your daily life. And dance on!
– Chris Ayers, illustrator and author of The Daily Zoo
Acute myelogenous leukemia survivor
ChrisAyersDesign.com
As cancer survivors, we possess a drive and a sense of urgency to accomplish what we want. We know the value of our health, the importance of our time, and the preciousness of each breath. We no longer take for granted the days we feel healthy and strong because we have experienced what it feels like to have our bodies disobey and our minds pushed beyond discomfort.
– Wade Brill
Hodgkin lymphoma survivor
WadeBrill.com
It’s ok NOT to be a warrior and to be scared. The strength will come.
– Sheila Weiss
Breast cancer survivor
Instagram.com/SheilaCWeiss
Emphasizing the positive does not minimize the seriousness of cancer, but it does shift our focus. I found much to appreciate as my list of positives grew.
– Beverly Bradley, writer
Triple-negative breast cancer survivor
SilverLining.vegas
Cancer placed limitations on what I could do, but that didn’t stop me from forging a new path for my life. Let yourself be open to new things. Try things that you have never thought of doing before. Enjoy them. And enjoy yourself.
– Francine Brokaw, writer
Breast cancer survivor
FrancineBrokaw.com
I fully appreciate the kaleidoscopic mo ments that marked my cancer journey. It was difficult – YES; but it was also meaningfu l and transfor mational.
– Paige Davis, mindfulness and meditation teacher and author of Here We Grow: Mindfulness Through Cancer and Beyond
Breast cancer survivor
HelloPaigeDavis.com
When treatment ends, there’s an expectation that everything in your life will suddenly revert to normal, but everything doesn’t return to normal right away. Realize that recovery is not a straight line. You may feel better one day but worse the next. That’s normal.
– Bob Riter, author of When Your Life Is Touched by Cancer: Practical Advice and Insights for Patients, Professionals, and Those Who Care
Breast cancer survivor
Don’t compare yourself with other cancer survivors. Treatment plans, energy levels, and medication responses are very individual. One person may be able to train for a half marathon du ring treatment. Another may be lucky to get up and out of bed each morning. Both are doing what they can to battle this beast. Try not to judge yourself, or others.
– Sara Nelson O’Brien, author
Endometrial cancer survivor
SaraNelsonOBrien.com
Cancer is a bully. If we cower in the corner, we help it win. But if we tell the proper authorities (doctors), stand up to it, laugh at it, and use weapons like healthy foods and positive affirmations, we swing the odds in our favor. I will do everything to not leave my kids without a mom and my husband without a wife. I will continue to fight, continue to laugh, continue to sit and experience life. Without this and all its lessons, I would have merely lived. Now I thrive!
– Heather McCollum
Ovarian cancer survivor
Facebook.com/SHOUTagainsttheWhisper
I will never consider cancer a gift, although others say they see it that way. I do have to acknowledge that it has made me live a more rewarding life. I wish I could have done that on my own, without this scare, but it didn’t happen that way.
– Patricia Prijatel, author of Surviving Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Triple-negative breast cancer survivor
HormoneNegative.blogspot.com
Life is too precious and short, so get out there and go explore. Take advantage of the second opportunity, the second chance, the second life that w e – cancer survivors – have. Don’t be afraid to take chances and try things that you may have been scared to do before but now you have a second lease on life. Go out there and do something.
– Sean Swarner, speaker, author, and performance life coach
First cancer survivor to summit Mt. Everest
Hodgkin lymphoma survivor
SeanSwarner.com
Allow yourself to feel ever y emotion that will come. You are allowed to be scared, confused, sad and angry. You are allowed to be left alone. You are allowed to tell people you don’t want to keep repeating what the doctor says over and o ver. You are fighting for yo ur life, you are allowed to be selfish and take as much time to yourself as you need.
– Michelle Campbell
Brain cancer survivor
Instagram.com/_southern_snowflake_
I actually rode my bike to and from each of my chemotherapy sessions.
And that was my way of getting a little victory and a little activity every day.
– Kikkan Randall, Olympic champion skier and speaker
Breast cancer survivor
Kikkan.com
There was no way I was going to let something – anything – keep me from the life I had envisioned.
– Sabrina Shelton
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivor
Sahbrynuh.wordpress.com
Losing my hair forced me to assess the entire package. I want to gracefully accept my wrinkles, my uneven breasts, and my new hair. I think I’m doing a good job of liking the new me.
– Felicia Carparelli
Breast cancer survivor
What is more manly than facing your biggest fears head on? To all those men out there, I say this: make health your priority.
– Nathan Adrian, Olympic champion swimmer
Testicular cancer survivor
NathanAdrian.com
Along my journey, I realized I didn’t fight alone. Though I was alone in chemotherapy, alone in the radiation machine, I had a team of people cheering me on.
– Debbie Tackes
Speaker and coauthor of It’s Not About You, It’s About Those You Love Colorectal cancer survivor
Am I lucky? Yes, I am. I’m alive. Does my ‘luck’ discount my experience? No, it doesn’t. The fact is, I faced down a life-threatening disease.
– Michelle Burleigh
Acute promyelocytic leukemia survivor
SoYouveGotCancer.ca
How we choose to fight our fight matters. There is a deep and powerful shift from fighting against something to fighting for something. Once the latter is fully embraced, everything changes. It transforms how w e nourish ourselves and the thoughts w e choose to hold, and it summons our instinct to turn inward for answers, even as we seek outward help.
– Alyssa Phillips
Large-cell neuroendocrine cervical carcinoma survivor AlyssaPhillipsInc.com
Know that infinite patience is required. While we all hope for a good outcome and an end to dealing with this illness, there are millions of us who continue to live with cancer. Like with any journey, storms come up, detours are taken, and you may feel lost for a while. Patience and flexibility are almost mandatory. Look for opportunities to rest and restore your spirit. Know that your experience with cancer can indeed be a journey of healing.
– Carole O’Toole, Smith Center for
Healing and the Arts
27-year advanced cancer survivor
SmithCenter.org
Even since I was first diagnosed, I’ve been able to separate myself from my illness.
– Jennifer Lukowiak, author of Does This Outfit Make Me Look Bald? How a Fashionista Fought Breast Cancer With Style
Breast cancer survivor
TheFashionistaFights.com
When you allow yourself to be open to a good cleansing cry, you will reap a nice reward – a kinder, more compassionate you.
– Ron Cooper, author of A Grateful Survivor:
Tips &Tributes for Cancer Caregivers
Prostate cancer survivor
RonCooperAuthor.com
I realized that my reaction to my own testicular cancer surgery was an indicator of a larger societal issue: men don’t want to talk about anything that might make them seem less … manly.
– Justin Birckbichler
Men’s health advocate, writer, and speaker
Testicular cancer survivor
Founder of aBallsySenseOfTumor.com
My life was irrevocably changed by cancer. But it is also changed by getting out of bed every morning and tackling whatever comes down the pike. I just have to remember to embrace the lessons with gratitude, alongside everything else on my gratitude list.
– Mary Dunnewold, author of Fine Thanks: Stories from the Cancerland Jungle
Breast cancer survivor
I pledged that we would get through this one the same way we had gotten through all his other challenges. After all, this is what love looks like.
– Carol Gee, MA
Cancer caregiver
VenusChronicles.net
Every day I remind myself, “Be present.” It’s so easy for me to race ahead to the next mountain to be climbed that I am not present in the present.
– William Ramshaw
Author of Gut Punched! Facing Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer survivor
Courage comes in many forms. It takes a special kind of daring for us as survivors to step beyond our comfort zones, allowing others to see not only our strength but also our vulnerability.
– Chris Frey, MSW, ACSW, LCSW
Stage IV throat and neck cancer survivor
Author of I’m Sorry, It’s Cancer: A Handbook of Help and Hope for Survivors and Caregivers
Twitter.com/ParishAuthor
I know that I can be basking in the glory of survivorship one moment and falling deep into the bleak crevice of recurrence the next. I also know that it won’t do any good to spend my life worrying about those opposing realities. Instead, I’ve had to learn to live fully despite the “what-ifs”.
– Jill Weiskopf Brufsky
Acute myelogenous leukemia survivor
Let’s honor those who have passed, by living the best life we can for as long as we can. Live your story as true as you can. This is how we can make our survival worthy.
– Kathryn Davis
Metastatic breast cancer survivor
By finding humor in the events and oddities I’ve faced during this struggle with cancer, I have been able to make the enormous small and the unmanageable manageable.
– Jeff Neurman
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia survivor
ItsInMyBlood.blog
There is a moment after a cancer diagnosis where most people are enveloped in extreme fear. Then, with most cancer survivors I have spoken with, there is this awakening that comes unexpectedly. You almost instantly become more courageous, powerful, focused, and alive than you’ve ever been. You stand up to fight back this disease with a strength you never anticipated. I am grateful for my cancer, because I now know the value and gratitude of being alive. It changed the course of my life for the better, and I will always remember my cancer as a fork in the road that took me to where I am today.
– Scott Hamilton
Olympic champion figure skater
Testicular cancer and pituitary brain tumor survivor
ScottHamilton.com
The human spirit is precious and deserves nourishment. Look in the mirror every day, think of one thing you like about your life and yourself, and voice it out loud. Ask yourself, Am I doing what I want with this life? Am I influencing others in a positive way? What small steps can I take that will lead me to be my best?
– Jan Ping
Emmy Award-winning makeup artist
Breast cancer survivor
JanPing.com
Instagram.com/JanBPing
Here’s the thing – cancer doesn’t care how old you are, how much money you make, or how good of a person you are. Cancer can happen to anyone. But it doesn’t have to be the end of your story. You have the power to move your life in any direction you dream.
– Morgan Thompson
Hodgkin lymphoma survivor
Instagram.com/MorganThompson04
You’ve got to fall back on your strengths and forget about your weaknesses when you’re going through something like this.
– “Fast Jack” Beckman
World champion drag racer
Stage III non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivor
GoFastJack.com
I had learned that a successful life meant noticing, enjoying, and reveling in the small moments. Simple joys are relative; they are different for different people and for where they are in life … Life isn’t one big thing; it’s several tiny moments.
– Ryan Hamner
Author and singer songwriter
Four-time Hodgkin lymphoma survivor
Yes, your life will be forever changed, and yes, your life will be turned upside down for a while, but even during this unplanned tumultuous part of your life, you deserve – no, you need to make your plans. Maintaining your will to live and your ability to put one foot in front of the other is, in my opinion, just as important as what medical science can do for you. Both must work hand in hand.
– Lynda Peterson
Lymphoma survivor
Once I stopped fighting and resisting what simply was, once I surrendered, I opened myself to worlds of experience and insights I had no idea even existed.
– Michael J. Russer
Speaker and thought leader
Prostate cancer survivor
Some people view the storm as a profound spiritual experience that proves life changing. I have to confess, I had no such experience of enlightenment during cancer. I did however have an abundantly clear understanding of what constitutes my quality of life, and a dogged insistence upon having it.
– Amy Bryant
Breast cancer survivor
If you bury your head in the sand, you won’t see the real threats coming, and that is what leaves you the most vulnerable. To overcome trouble, you must acknowledge it, understand it, and address it at the earliest possible stage.
– Jonathan Passley, founder of PDR Web Solutions
Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) survivor
ChristiansBattlingCancer.org
Traveling, no matter how far or near, helps me focus. I call it my therapy.
– Bisa Myles, writer and photographer
Breast cancer survivor
MylesToTravel.com
I believe we all have many things and people and dreams in our lives that help keep us fighting. You know yours, just like I knew mine.
– Larry Cockerel, speaker and author of It’s Not About Cancer, It’s About You and It’s About Those You Love
Head and neck cancer survivor
LarryCockerel.com
I see everything differently! The biggest difference is that I feel like I can do anything I set my mind to. If I can beat cancer, everything else is a piece of pie!
– Christina Parrish
Founder/chair of Purple Iris Foundation
Pancreatic cancer survivor
PurpleIrisFoundation.com
More inspiration coming soon!
Everyone has a unique story or message to share. Do you want to share your survivor story or inspirational quote? We consider a cancer survivor to be anyone living with a history of cancer – from diagnosis through the remainder of life. Here are our submission guidelines.
