
The Teal Diaries
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The Teal Diaries is Jacqueline Chartier's blog, offering readers a deeply personal exploration of her ongoing cancer journey. Her battle with the disease began in late 2011 when she was diagnosed with both uterine and ovarian cancer.
The Teal Diaries
6d ago
Over a decade has passed since I last underwent surgery or had chemotherapy, in many ways my ordeal has become a distant memory, a blur of hospitalizations, trips to the cancer centre and having my life completely upended. Only about half of women with ovarian cancer live beyond five years, fewer still become cancer free ..read more
The Teal Diaries
1M ago
As we welcome 2025, I’m not going to use this blog to give a lecture about New Year’s resolutions or to suggest that you make elaborate promises to yourself. I realize that living with cancer often renders such gestures trivial and that your life is probably being planned week-by-week or month-by-month. Instead, I’ve chosen to share some ..read more
The Teal Diaries
2M ago
I am devastated by the results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election; I’m gravely concerned about what a second Trump administration means for that country and our already turbulent world. I’m worried about the impact a Trump presidency will have on the sick, the disabled and the marginalized. As a survivor of ovarian cancer, my ..read more
The Teal Diaries
3M ago
Cancer isn’t our fault. One of the most disturbing revelations for me after being diagnosed with cancer was the amount of guilt and blame there is surrounding the disease. We still live in a society that subtlety, or even openly, tells cancer patients that it’s our fault. Two years ago, before she was Alberta’s provincial ..read more
The Teal Diaries
5M ago
For cancer patients in Alberta, and indeed for the entire cancer community, there’s a looming sense of dread—a feeling that the status quo is unsustainable and the system that provides care to us could soon collapse. The backlog of patients, due for the most part to the province’s shortage of oncologists, has become increasingly dire ..read more
The Teal Diaries
7M ago
You are the masterpiece, and your life is the canvas. Express yourself boldly, Live and breathe in full colour, and make every mark matter. It’s never too late to imbibe all you create with clear intention and kindness and enjoy the rewards of your courage. Lisa Azarmi I believe that nearly all cancer patients arrive ..read more
The Teal Diaries
9M ago
As a cancer survivor, who may face a recurrence at some point, I’m worried and outraged as I observe the looming cancer care crisis in Alberta. The Alberta Medical Association is warning that if the provincial government doesn’t take appropriate action soon, more patients will face delayed treatment or even die unnecessarily.
In a recent interview AMA president Dr. Paul Parks emphasized that wait times in the province have increased, delaying treatment. “Sometimes cancers that could have been curable are no longer curable because of the delays” he said. “They are seeing cases and exampl ..read more
The Teal Diaries
10M ago
I underwent several major surgeries as well as chemotherapy for my ovarian cancer approximately a decade ago, meanwhile I watch in amazement as I observe many of the new options that are available for patients today. In my opinion the speed at which cancer treatment and patient care have evolved is truly amazing.
One perfect example is that today many patients who are diagnosed with cancer are assigned a nurse navigator through their cancer centre. When I was going through treatment, I didn’t have access to one because at that time nurse navigators were still extremely rare. I believe t ..read more
The Teal Diaries
11M ago
A cancer patient’s age can influence their overall prognosis, but it’s also known to affect many diverse aspects of their cancer journey. I was just 46 when I was diagnosed with both uterine and ovarian cancer, however the median age of diagnosis in Canada is about 63. I now realize that age is one important factor in how the medical community perceives your risk.
Obviously my gynecologist was concerned when he diagnosed me with endometriosis and a medium sized mass on my right ovary. He wanted to perform surgery, but he still believed the likelihood was for my condition to be benign. About a ..read more
The Teal Diaries
1y ago
When I was younger and healthier, I remember how much I was always in a hurry. I often filled my days with endless commitments, I would typically rush through my day with goals to achieve or promises to keep. Living with cancer has forced me to slow down, it’s taught me to appreciate the quiet, peaceful moments and the simple everyday routines that enrich my life.
Canadian singer-songwriter and author, Jann Arden, recently wrote about why she has chosen to slow down and take her life more unhurriedly. She once kept up a frenzied pace of tour dates and other music industry obligations. While A ..read more