Survivors' Journal I was diagnosed at 34 and refused to let breast cancer beat me. I had ran marathons, gave birth to a son, and done many of things that people told me I would never do. I looked at breast cancer as just another challenge. I do wish though that I had your book my first journey; however, I found it during my second journey. I found your book so uplifting and knowledgeable I bought out our local Borders and gave it to other women. Until my stock ran out, I included it in gift baskets that I gave to other women challenged by breat cancer. As I now prepare to walk 60 miles for breast cancer; I will once again track to Borders or Barnes & Noble for the 3rd edition. Cynthia Dixon I have wanted to read this book for so long, I unfortunately cannot afford anything. It is do hard to get help from anyone while you are going through breast cancer. I am supporting 2 boys on my own and fighting stage 4 breast cancer. I have lost my left breast and cannot afford to have surgery to rebuild my breast so I have decided not to. I am 40 years old and have been fighting cancer since last Christmas, it was my Christmas present for 2008. This Christmas is going to be a very hard one. I am barely paying my bills and have to rely on my church to feed my kids. I am still going through Chemo then on to radiation. Sometimes I feel like I want to give up and then I look at my kids and say NO WAY!! I help other patients by building gift baskets and taking them to the hospitals for ladies that do not have family or anyone in their life. I have called all the companies that supply things like deodorant and creams for cancer patients and they have sent me boxes of product, to help what my dream is to do. HELP OTHER BREAST CANCER PATIENTS Dava Spears This year - October 17th - is my 37th year as a breast cancer Survivor! I had a radical mastectomy at the young age of 30 with four children under the ages of 11. This surgery, and radiation treatments (before and after the surgery), seems like the dark ages compared to what's available today. This is due to the public having been made aware of this disease. My thoughts for all the women today is to CELEBRATE each and every day. If you have to lose a breast, it's of little consequence given that you can then live a long life and enjoy each day with those you love. Recently I walked in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, along with me were: my elder son, my younger daughter, my grand-daughter, my niece and a dear family friend. So, love and enjoy each day and celebrate life! Batrice Flannagan Beginning this week, I am initiating a free online writing experience called WriteAway for people who have been through breast cancer and everyone is invited. The WriteAway concept is based on the use of writing as a healing art.  I have been facilitating writing workshops for about five years to support people in healing their thoughts, beliefs, and fears around issues like breast cancer. Now I am bringing this work to the online community in the form of the WriteAway!   At 9 AM each weekday morning for 40 days, I will post a writing prompt that offers you a vehicle for exploring their thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and experiences around breast cancer. Prompts will be available through my website, Twitter, and Facebook.  My suggestion is that you spend approximately 20 minutes each day on this activity.   Because the questions are designed to help you dig deep and move forward in the healing process, it is important that there be a place for participants to support each other.  At my website there is also a WriteAway Forum where you can post what you’ve written, read other people’s writing, discuss your feelings, challenges and victories, and support each other through the process of healing. Participating in the forums is not required; they are simply available as a place to share, learn, and grow.   About once a week, I will blog in response to what I am reading on the boards.  My primary interest is always in maintaining and promoting an atmosphere of healing and forward movement.   The first writing prompts will be posted on Wednesday, November 18 at 9 AM.  You can join the process at any time, and everyone who has been completed treatment for breast cancer is welcome.  I will be running a divorce WriteAway concurrently.   Prompts can be found each morning at: My website - www.leahcarey.com/writeaway Twitter – www.twitter.com/leah_carey Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/WriteAway-with-Leah-Carey/174131584874?ref=mf If you have friends who you think would benefit from this work, please share this with them as well. The more people who participate, the more effective our community can be. Please join me at my website for more information: www.leahcarey.com/writeaway. I wish you the very best in your healing journey, Leah Leah Carey Just wanted to say 'thank you', your book was extremely helpful throughout my treatments and surgeries. Recently a very dear friend was diagnosed and I purchased a copy of your book for her, I hope it brings her the hope and peace it gave me. As we told our 3 daughters upon my diagnosis, we were going on a journey we didn't choose and it wouldn't be fun but we would make it. And we have. Family, friends, neighbors, so many people helped us with meals, rides, support. How many of us find out how truly loved we are, until something like cancer happens, so I feel very blessed. The women I have met on this journey, courageous, giving, what a bond. My daughters and I participated in our local 'Relay for Life', just 3 months after my completing treatments. This year we will have our own team, as my sisters, brothers and neices all want to do this now too. My advice, laugh often, find the humor in the situation, it will get you through the tough days. I am now 8 months past my last treatment, and in a 5 year drug trial, but already the worst parts of this journey are fading, kind of like childbirth, you only remember the prize at the end, a beautiful child, a healthy body. The only subject not covered that you may want to add next time is lympedema. Massage therapy, physio. start these as soon as possible, join exercise classes to help with mobility and lymph drainage before the damage is permanent. I am very lucky that a group called, 'breast cancer action' offers exercise classes with instructors taught specifically to help women recovering from breast cancer. Watch for the signs, it doesn't always start in the arm, mine started in the breast. Keep positive,stay strong and may we all see the day that brings a cure. Trudy McLellan An old friend gave me your book 'Uplift' after I had surgery for breast cancer this past summer. I would read it a portion at a time, and re-read some parts when I needed the extra reassurance. I am thrilled now to finish my radiation treatments this week and looking forward to regaining some energy. Since I work full-time, the energy thing and the emotional ups and downs have actually been the hardest part of all of this. I feel like the cancer has been beaten (not just survived) and I'm ready to get on with living. Good luck to everyone reading this website-- we all deserve it !! Sue Rich Having had breast cancer twice, first in 1996 at 43 and again in 2003, I can identify with all these stories. Journaling our emotions and thoughts is so incredibly important as we trudge our way through treatment and beyond. I wrote my own breast cancer story called 'Mourning Has Broken: Reflections on Surviving Cancer,' published in 2008. Kudos to you for collecting these wonderful accounts. Jan Hasak I was diagnosed at age 36 in 2006. After realizing I wasn't going to die, I was determined to remain 'normal'. I would have chemo on Tuesday and was coaching my daughters soccer team on Saturday. I didnt want to be known as the 'lady with breast cancer' so I wore fake hair and kept my routine the same. I am so thankful to belong in a sisterhood of women who are not only survivors this but have come through even stronger on the other side. Jackie Lewis I had a mastectomy & lymph nodes removed on my right side on 12/5/08. Afterwards, washing under my right arm was difficult since I felt 'deformed.' I dreaded getting a shower & washing that area until one day I decided I was 'reformed' - changing that one letter from a 'd' to an 'r' helped change my attitude about ME! My first grandchild was born the week after I started chemo - Ryan was my best medicine and best incentive for recuperating!!! I highly recommend it! Thanks for your wonderful book - it helped me tremendously & I've recommended it to others too! Joanie Casey At 32 I was diagnosed in 1996 with stage 3. I had great doctors guiding me to do everything I needed to do. Chemo first, bilateral masectomy, then stem cell replacement, followed by 7 weeks of radiation. Through months of treatment and prayers from all over the country I was clear for 6 years. Till it showed up in my hip bone and treated with radiation. Two years later found it in my lymph node on my neck. From 2004 till 2008 I was treated with oral and not so strong chemos till this year when it came back strong in my hip bone on both sides. I am so thankful to have the medicine available and the doctors who are so knowledgable available for me to survive this many years. My son graduated this year. Yeah! My daughter will graduate in 2012 and I plan on being at her graduation too. Now with my sister diagnosed with breast cancer I plan on sending her a copy of UpLift which helped me stay strong. Thank you Carla Ley

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