By Marissa Haislip They look at you, in the eye, holding your gaze,  Trying to show comfort and understanding,  While saying the dreaded words, “I’m sorry, it is cancer.”  But those words don’t bring any comfort.  Instead, they plunge you into darkness.  Others look at you with a slight smile on their lips  Attempting to mask the pity behind their eyes,  Trying to be a friend the best way they know how.  “I’m sorry,” they say. “But you got this. You are a warrior.”  But these words feel hollow. Am I?  Some don’t even look at you;  They ..read more

A collaborative poem by the SBC Poetry Society This journey of life is for the brave of heart Cancer transformed love into a test, a bar to hit,  a threshold to prove depth of feeling I fight with all my might I have discovered a sleeping knight I hold my spirits bright I have entered a tunnel… now searching the light Where will this new path take us? Make a pact to lift me when I’m down Trust yourself, you have an inner light that will illuminate your path forward. When sadness and desperation arise Have the courage to open your eyes. Look for the hands reaching out to support,&n ..read more

By Olivia Smith Content warning: death and dying Grief comes in waves, and the waves can get bigger around important dates. I am still in my first year of “firsts” after the loss of my mother, and a lot of important dates in my life were overshadowed by her cancer diagnosis and death.  Two days before my wedding ceremony in Italy, my mom’s husband pulled me aside and told me that they thought she had cancer again. He said there was a rash on her breast and it was swollen, and she was having back pain. I was angry because I was supposed to be excited about getting married and now ..read more

By Dani Romano I took a picture of my healing body today. I had my medi-port (IV port) taken out three mornings ago. (I thanked my port in pre-op before it was removed.) The picture I took just now shows a multitude of colors as the bruising spreads from where the port used to be. Much of it is hidden under the suture cover, which is also covered with medical glue. It is an interesting array of colors. It would probably gross some people out. To me it is beautiful. It is my time to heal. Cancer “recovery” (for lack of a better word) is a difficult time and most would probably say, “You h ..read more

By Brookshire McDonald I thought I didn’t have words for a poem But found out I was wrong. That would have been true If I were writing a song. The “Write a Poem Month”  Is now upon us; So with pen in hand I’ll begin Without a fuss. SBC has grown rapidly As the years passed by. Now it’s time to reveal Just exactly why. William and Laura had a dream They wanted to come true, So they embraced many avenues For me and for you. Their plan expanded  Along the way Until it overflowed As recently as today. Thousands have a brighter future As they wasted not a second to spare. Through educat ..read more

By Mandy Richardson My diagnosis came as a shock, as I think it does for many people. I was still young. I was actively breastfeeding. And I was relatively healthy. I remember, a couple of times, being told by someone that they wished they could take the cancer for me. As moving as that sentiment was, I didn’t wish that.  1. I wouldn’t wish a cancer diagnosis or treatment on my worst enemy. 2. I knew I was in what you could probably call the best position to fight and beat it.  I had my “youth” and “health” going for me. And I think you could see that in how my body handled t ..read more

By Jacqueline Edwards You came in uninvited You never took the time to introduce yourself Even when another stranger announced you You took it upon yourself to be silent As I moved forward as instructed I was not sure you were still there But I trusted the strangers who guided me on how to extract you from my fears My life became chaos while you made my health unclear You came in uninvited So I knew you couldn’t stay here So I prayed for your departure while I took the meds that dared To rid you from my presence despite the dramatic wear and tear it would take to distract you so you’d no long ..read more

Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis can evoke a complex array of emotions. Initially, you may feel shock and disbelief. Those feelings can quickly give way to fear and anxiety, sadness or grief, anger and frustration. It can seem unfair and have you questioning, “Why me?” In addition to the mix of emotions, you’re also trying to absorb mind-boggling mountains of information.  The combination of emotions, urgency, and the perceived authority of medical professionals cause many people to feel locked into the first opinion they receive, making them reluctant to seek a second opinion ..read more

By Jerilyn Young My body is a vessel  Navigating ocean waves  Pushing  Pulling  Flowing sensations of unknown  Preparing for rough seas ahead  No land in sight  No anchor to drop  I must become the waves ~  Living in their movement  Their swells  Their surges  I pray to rest in the breeze of their ripples Washing away the internal sludge Only to be morphed back into the surf Rising  Falling  Embracing the current I become a wavelet ~ Gently tossed to shore  I feel my hands grasp tightly  What wasn’t there  So ..read more

By Joanna Kreisel I thought I couldn’t bear any more Then I expand Time slips away, slowly Awake with grief I dig deeper, heart heavy Mine, scars His, wounds Lean on me, I will take you through I tighten my grip, but it continues to take A strength stronger than before I wish I didn’t need to be Moments of deep despair We share tears You are home, where I need to be I am yours I long for before or after But there is only now About Joanna: I am a breast cancer survivor and caregiver to my partner who is undergoing treatment for a rare kidney cancer. Connect with Joanna on Instagram ..read more