Balloons of various colors are taped in a row across the wall. Twenty yards away, 8-year-old Dylan Berio announces “yellow,” pulls back the string of his bow, then releases – smiling as he hears the “pop.” His arrow successfully pierced the yellow balloon. Archery requires focus and precision – something Dylan has in ample quantities. … Read more
For Anna Heard, the fall of 2002 was a season of change. Set to move to Boston in September to begin a master’s program at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Heard, then 29, had a routine physical in Washington, D.C., before starting the academic year. Although her bloodwork looked “a bit funny,” … Read more
When Cathy McCue, 44, tried to find words to tell her 8-year-old twin boys about her cancer, she turned to books like “Mom Has Cancer” and “Nowhere Hair.” Her own story began in June 2015, when she felt a pain in her right breast while at the gym. After finding a lump later that night, … Read more
When Emily Coughlin complained of a sore knee in May 2009, doctors initially suspected Lyme disease. After antibiotics failed to relieve the pain, the girl, who was just shy of her fourth birthday, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a cancer that begins in nerve cells outside the brain and usually affects children under 6. Though rare … Read more
By Tara Baysol I was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2013 at the age of 27. Just prior to my diagnosis, I had started a new, exciting chapter as a Yale graduate student. My self-confidence was at an all-time high as I had survived my chaotic early 20s and was beginning to really figure things … Read more
By Jen Cunningham Butler I began riding the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) in 1996 in honor of my mother, Sheila Driscoll Cunningham. Twenty years prior, in 1976, Mom became Founding President of The Friends of Sidney Farber Cancer Institute (now Dana-Farber), raising funds for cancer research and patient care. Mom was a gift shop volunteer with … Read more
By Kathleen Barton When you get diagnosed with cancer, it kicks your butt – both the physical aspects of chemo and the general inertia that comes with this new thing you’re living with. Before my diagnosis, I was active – working, volunteering, exercising, and spending time with friends. Then some bruising and fatigue led me … Read more
It was a warm day in November 2013 when Gabby Spear found out she had breast cancer. But even in the midst of the difficult news, her responsibilities as a mom, wife, professional, and community member remained; she knew she still had to pick up her two daughters and make it to temple service later … Read more
This post was originally published in July 2016. “What should I bring with me to chemo?” It’s a common question. For many cancer patients, the answer is books, puzzles, or a good movie. For Monica Wright, it was her “chemobuddies.” Wright, 44, was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2015, and quickly found how comforting … Read more
Five hundred miles from her hometown in northern Virginia, newlywed Jeannie Choi, 30, and her husband were settling into to Massachusetts and their new careers in July 2015. Just three months later, their wedding vows – to support each other in sickness and in health – would be put to the test with another transformative … Read more
After more than a year of chemotherapy and radiation, Pamela Gasek was finally cancer free. She had completed treatment for breast cancer, but now she had to decide how to move forward. Breast cancer remission brings new challenges such as managing relationships and dealing with lasting side effects from treatment, and Gasek needed some guidance. … Read more
By Lyndsay McCaffery When you find out you have cancer, your mind goes to a million different places. You have an endless amount of questions, an overwhelming sense of panic, and life as you know it is changed forever. I was diagnosed with parosteal osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, right after I gave birth … Read more
Christine Jaworek-Lopes was moved when she believed her 9-year-old son, Zachary, was writing a school paper about her experiences as a stage IV colon cancer patient at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center (DF/BWCC). Upon learning what he was really up to, she was stunned. Unbeknownst to his parents, the third-grader spent a month organizing a … Read more
Tim donated platelets a few times during the first two years he worked at Dana-Farber, but his commitment to the life-saving procedure took on new meaning in 2014.
Chris Potter was not a fan of flying, until a group of pilots he had never met transported him to his life-saving care team. Potter, then 42, was struggling through a relapse of acute lymphocytic leukemia in 2011. His cancer was not responding to treatment, and he required at least a temporary remission to handle … Read more
By Stephen Perez Cancer has a way of putting your life on hold and making you prioritize your health, treatments, and your best attempts to not feel sick through the process. While there’s never a good time for this interruption, my diagnosis came at a particularly difficult time: the second semester of my senior year … Read more
By Chelsea Smith Don’t take life for granted. Each day you wake up is an amazing gift. Even though I’ve felt a lot of pain in my life, it’s made me stronger. I’ve always been hopeful for tomorrow, and sometimes that hope pays off. My roller coaster started when I was 15 months old and … Read more
Evan Lavigne was part of tight-knit units, both as a high school hockey player and a member of the United States Coast Guard. And when the 24-year-old learned in January that he had lymphoma – just one week before entering the police academy – teammates were there to support him. Lavigne, already a conditional member … Read more
By Patrick Steele Elaine needs a caregiver? That’s outrageous. She is a very independent and courageous woman. But as her husband and partner, I had to step into this role when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. When Elaine and I first met in 2005, we stayed up late, telling stories. She showed me the … Read more
From understanding medical jargon to experiencing “scanxiety,” entering a cancer center for the first time can be overwhelming. For young adults starting to establish their independence, the experience can be especially intimidating. Having a care team you know and trust, and seeking psychosocial support in the form of counseling or support groups, can help many … Read more