I have a 9-year-old son and an 8-year-old daughter. When I was young my parents always made my sister and I write thank you cards after receiving gifts for our birthday and Christmas. I am truly embarrassed to say my wife and I have been very slack about making our kids write thank you cards. 

Maybe it is because it feels so old school, the kids don’t want to take time out of playing to write, we never have thank you cards when we need them or maybe it is because our kids don’t...

For all of us cancer patients, we have certain things that immediately send us back to a spot in treatments, or sitting in the exam room when you got the news about having cancer. There are other things like songs that will spark a memory and give you a flashback to sitting in the chemo chair or you might go back to being half naked sitting on the side of a bed, wearing nothing but a paper gown, in the holding area getting ready to go back to surgery.

But what about a word? After...

The Holiday Season is in full swing and most of us are thinking of things to give your friends and loved ones. Some of us are even making last minute changes to our wish lists. And then some of us cancer survivors and caregivers have an urge to do more, to give back in some way. After going through a life-altering event like cancer, many of us feel a need to help others, in whatever way we can. 

So how can you give back? Here are 5 easy ways to give back during this season of...

When you're diagnosed with cancer people are shocked, they don't know what to say, some people won't say anything, while others will say things that are rude or insensitive. Try not to take it personally, they are just trying to come up with something to say. We have found that a large number of our WhatNexters would appreciate loved ones checking in on them by text as good as a telephone call or even as much as stopping by.

A text is quick, and it eliminates that awkward moment when the...

WhatNext was formed to allow cancer patients, their family, friends, and caregivers to connect and share their personal cancer experiences along the way. Have you ever heard someone say "you just wouldn't understand since you haven't been through it"? Well, it's true in the case of cancer. A cancer patient will understand and have empathy for you when you tell them about the side effects you're having after chemo. 

They will understand when you tell them about nausea that the radiation...

WhatNexter Dan Dickinson "Dan7264" is giving back to others fighting cancer and going through chemo treatments at the facility he was treated at. He came up with an idea to go sit with some of the patients while they are having treatments, which is great in itself, but Dan kicks it up a notch by taking some custom made shirts for chemo patients with some funny, witty and edgy quotes on them. He might even be carrying a box of doughnuts. 

Dan says that his purpose in doing this is not to...

If only I knew then what I know now. Have you ever said that? This applies to cancer too, we have found that most cancer patients can find several things that they wish they would have known  like how long will it take to recover, what is chemo like, will radiation hurt. Here is a sample of what many wished they had known. 

Hussy - Chemo often has to be postponed for any number of reasons. I was totally unprepared for the many "detours" my husband has had to take during the...

At times, it can feel like everything is crashing around you. Whether it’s problems with your health, family, work, or something else, the phrase “When it rains, it pours” can sound all too real. You wonder how you’ll find solutions, and how you can move forward.

You call your closest friend about what you’re going through, and after a brief silence on their end, they respond: “Well, everything happens for a reason.” …Does it?

We asked the WhatNext community how they felt when they heard “...

Cancer can often be the first thing you think of when you see or think about a person. Loved ones might not mean that in a harmful way, it just happens because it is in the forefront of everyone's mind. But, if you love someone with cancer, here are a few things you might want to remember. Feel free to pass these on to anyone you think might be touched by them or who is closely affected by cancer.

1. People with cancer are still normal and want to talk about normal things.

"It feels good...

No one enjoys waiting. But, the waiting game gets more serious when you are waiting on cancer. Whether you are waiting for news of your diagnosis, scans, or waiting to be done with this whole business - waiting can be hard. Here are a few ways to deal with the waiting part of cancer from WhatNexters themselves. 

"I'm scared to ask "What next?" but it's all I can think about. All I can hope for is that things get better when you know I'm in treatment." - Rosina 

While you are ...