Connecting with Nature and Other Patients after Leukemia

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

‘Chemobuddies’ Help Breast Cancer Patient Heal

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

Facing Forward After Breast Cancer

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

Nine-Year-Old Raises Colon Cancer Funds – and His Mother’s Spirits

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

First Day of Cancer Treatment: Young Adult Shares Her Experience [Video]

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

Super Bowl Champion Joe Andruzzi Shares His Cancer Experience

With six surgeries, multiple injuries, and many knee problems by the time he was 31 years old, three-time Super Bowl champion Joe Andruzzi was no stranger to doctors. But when the former New England Patriots player started experiencing stomach pains in May 2007, everything quickly changed. He and his wife, Jen, recently shared their experience … Read more