Most of us expect to feel jubilant and overjoyed when our treatment ends. But many of us find that it’s not that easy to transition back into “normal” life. People who haven’t experienced cancer firsthand, either as a patient or caregiver, don’t realize that just because we’re not taking medications does not mean that our cancer care is over.

Cancer survivors have a “new normal.” We are cautiously optimistic while acknowledging our fear of recurrence. Our values may change – we may isolate...

When you ask cancer survivors what their worst fear is, they will tell you, “Fear of recurrence.”

There is no way to guarantee that cancer won’t come back. Every person’s cancer is different. Genetic mutations, the stage when diagnosed, other health problems and current lifestyle all play a role in one’s risk for recurrence.

However, there are a few concrete lifestyle changes that have been proven to help reduce the risk of recurrence. Many times, we feel like we have no control over what...

WhatNexter CindiT85 ringing the bell after finishing treatments.

It’s the day that you’ve looked forward to since you first learned that you had cancer. You counted down the radiation sessions. You marked off the weeks between chemotherapy sessions. You waited the allotted time, after chemo or radiation, until you could have surgery. You waited for genetic results. You waited for the pathology report. You waited to finish adjuvant chemotherapy or radiation. You marked every event in your...

Have you caught yourself stopping for a moment and thinking to yourself, "wow, I could have missed this"?  Cancer survivors all have these moments, it might be simply sitting on your porch watching the sunset. Or seeing a new Grandbaby for the first time. It might simply be waking up one morning and enjoying a quiet cup of coffee. These are "Survivor Moments", breath them in!

After having three diagnoses of two types of cancer covering 30 years, I appreciate these survivor moments more...

National Cancer Survivors Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of June. This holiday recognizes the growing number of cancer survivors who integrate themselves back into a productive and fulfilling life. National Cancer Survivors Day serves as an inspiration to people who are currently in treatment, recognizes the importance of caregivers and reminds the community at large of the increasing number of cancer survivors.

This is “Our Day” – a day for each of us whose lives have been touched by...

As cancer patients, we hear our fellow patients proclaim, “I’m still NED.” They seem happy to be NED so we nod in agreement and ask ourselves, “What is NED?”

NED is the acronym for “No Evidence of Disease.”  

On a related note: It's also the name of a Band, A unique band of six gynecologic oncology surgeons from across the country, N.E.D. is taking healing and the arts to a new level. Created as a cover band to entertain their peers at a medical conference, they saw the...

My life with my wife Debbie, and our three-year-old son Russell was wonderful before cancer. Our memory building times together included family dinners, the days we spent swimming in our pool, taking trips to the San Diego Zoo, and enjoying extended vacations. Leading up to my first cancer diagnosis I was serving as a police officer with the City of Manhattan Beach, California. My wife was working in the animal healthcare field.

I STOOD OUTSIDE IN THE POURING RAIN. As the water washed over...

There's something about survivorship that leaves you wondering about what's next. Should you just move on with your life? Do you need to take different steps to stay healthy? You may feel a sense of confusion and loss after a doctor tells you that you are cancer free or ready to move past treatment. The challenge is moving into survivorship and taking the next steps to enjoy your life.

Getting Support

We've all gone through a transitional period with our emotions after cancer. When my mother...