I wrote this story for my A.W. Gryphon Bits & Pieces Blog on 11 September 2011. It’s strange looking back on that now. That date came four days after my fifth of six chemotherapy sessions ... and four days after I lost my dear friend and step-mom to brain cancer. I was bloated, bald, desperate … [Read more...] about Bronwyn the Brave by Allison Gryphon
Stories of Hope
My decision to focus this website on HOPE comes from my obsessive curiosity and fascination with the question of what it takes for a patient to defy medical statistics and survive and thrive, despite the severity of the diagnosis? What role does HOPE have in that outcome? What about a strong “will to live?” How does one prepare to face the challenges and the traumas of a cancer diagnosis and treatment? How does one deal with the angst to get through the fears and uncertainties? And then, how does a person cope with the enormity of the internal changes that have taken place on the cancer path … the physical, the emotional, and the spiritual?
I want to use the experiences of the authors and myself to bring a sense of hope, a sense of belonging to a greater community, to encourage my sisters and brothers to receive the blessings of those who have walked the cancer walk before. We hold your hand and your heart.
That is the spirit in which we share our stories and hopefully contribute to your healing.
The Things I Wish I Were Told When I Was Diagnosed With Cancer by Jeff Tomczek
Your relationships are about to change. All of them. Some will get stronger. They will probably not be with the people you would expect. The people you want to handle this well might not be able to for a variety of reasons. Some of the reasons will be selfish. Some of them will be entirely innocent … [Read more...] about The Things I Wish I Were Told When I Was Diagnosed With Cancer by Jeff Tomczek
Cancer Support Groups Weren’t for Me — Until … by Aisling Carroll
I exit the elevator at casino level and catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror wearing a black and baggy Stupid Cancer t-shirt. I feel a flush of hot regret in my cheeks for wearing this conference apparel just as dozens of doll-like women in neon bandage dresses teeter past. I yank my sweater … [Read more...] about Cancer Support Groups Weren’t for Me — Until … by Aisling Carroll
Enzo: The Cancer Warrior by Enzo’s Dad
He stands nearly two feet tall and weighs in at thirty-five pounds of lean, fibrous strength. His eyes are dark brown and project the wisdom of a battle-stricken Marine. His hands and arms bear witness to pain from which most adults would cower. His head is slick and bald with a sheen. His birth … [Read more...] about Enzo: The Cancer Warrior by Enzo’s Dad
How I Date After Cancer by Aisling Carroll
With an impressive amount of Cha Cha blush on my cheeks, I lie down flat on my hardwood floor. As I hoist my legs up against the living room wall, I admire my new skinny jeans. This pre-date pose ensures I won’t swoon around Scott, literally. It wards against blackouts. This is date number three … [Read more...] about How I Date After Cancer by Aisling Carroll
Survival Lessons by Alice Hoffman
I was not someone who got cancer. In fact, I was the person who sat by bedsides, accompanied friends to doctors’ appointments. Cancer isn’t so discriminating, of course, and when a lump in Hoffman’s breast turned out to be malignant 15 years ago, the expert soother and hand-holder found herself … [Read more...] about Survival Lessons by Alice Hoffman
Am I A Cancer Survivor? by Suleika Jaouad
It was the annual fund-raising event for the Hope Lodge, my temporary home after a bone marrow transplant. The host asked all the survivors to step forward from the crowd. I froze. I didn’t know if that word applied to me. What does it mean to be a survivor? I certainly didn’t feel like one. Not … [Read more...] about Am I A Cancer Survivor? by Suleika Jaouad
After Cancer, Everyday Miracles by Dana Jennings
It has been two years since I learned that I had prostate cancer, and a bit more than a year since I had any treatment for what I eventually learned was an aggressive Stage 3 cancer. Being from the sticks of New Hampshire, I’m reminded of a woods that has burned. There is still plenty of scorched … [Read more...] about After Cancer, Everyday Miracles by Dana Jennings