This series is just growing as I think more and more about issues that come up when addressing research and how it applies to the progress towards a cure for cancer. If you are interested, you can access Part I, II, and III to get caught up. Just so we're on the same page, there … Continue reading Chasing a Cure; Part IV: Causation vs Correlation
Author: Abigail Johnston
I'm a daughter, a wife, a mother, and I've been living with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer since March, 2017. All of the words I publish are my own.
QUOTE from Chameleon Aura by Billy Chapata
A dear friend from Twitter, Mia a/k/a @BSBreastCancer, recently gifted me with the book, Chameleon Aura, which is amazing. I love this quote from the back page ... know that you are magic.you are not meant to be the person that you were yesterday.you are meant to be an extension of all the beautiful things … Continue reading QUOTE from Chameleon Aura by Billy Chapata
Chasing a Cure, Part III, staying abreast of research
Recently, in June of this year, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) had their annual meeting. This annual meeting, always held in Chicago, is the largest cancer conference in the world bringing tens of thousands of health care professionals, patient advocates, pharmaceutical representatives and all those vendors and companies that are connected to the … Continue reading Chasing a Cure, Part III, staying abreast of research
See ya Later Miami, Hello Orlando
When we moved from Orlando to Miami in October of 2017, we thought it was forever, or at least I did. I expected to die at some point while we lived in Miami. In 2017, I'd recently been diagnosed with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) and had learned that the median life expectancy was … Continue reading See ya Later Miami, Hello Orlando
Book Review: Holding Space, on Loving, Dying, and Letting Go
I've written before about Holding Space and how much I suck at it. From an early age, I was socialized to be a caregiver, a problem solver, a person who jumped in and helped. This idea of sitting in solidarity, of holding space, has been such a huge learning experience since my diagnosis in 2017 … Continue reading Book Review: Holding Space, on Loving, Dying, and Letting Go
Quick Medical Update
When we discovered that the cancer in my body had spread to my liver back in January of this year, we had to make a lot of decisions rather quickly, which always seems to be the case in this experience with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC). No matter how much we prepare or research … Continue reading Quick Medical Update
National Cancer Survivor’s Day, 2022
According to the website, NCSD.org, National Cancer Survivors Day® (NCSD) is the first Sunday in June each year and is set aside as: a CELEBRATION for those who have survived,an INSPIRATION for those recently diagnosed, a gathering of SUPPORT for families, and an OUTREACH to the community.https://ncsd.org This organization, as many others do, define a "survivor" as follows: A survivor is anyone living with a … Continue reading National Cancer Survivor’s Day, 2022
Chasing a Cure, Part II, evaluating legitimacy
In Part I, I laid out some of reasons why finding a cure for cancer is a really big deal. A REALLY BIG DEAL. So many people's lives are riding on medical innovation and creativity, mine included. And so it's important to be able to evaluate whether a "source" or a "study" is something to … Continue reading Chasing a Cure, Part II, evaluating legitimacy
Chasing a Cure, Part I, a PROBLEM
No one wants there to be a cure for cancer more than me. A cure for cancer would mean that instead of knowing that I will leave my boys with a gaping hole in their lives, I might get to see them grow up, dance with them at their weddings, meet my grandchildren. The list … Continue reading Chasing a Cure, Part I, a PROBLEM
Who am I?
Who you really are is the result of many many things. How you deal with fear. Who you surround yourself with. And how you show up when it matters”Meredith Grey on Grey’s Anatomy, Season 18, episode 12 Recently, in a support group that my Dad and I moderate for those who are living with Stage … Continue reading Who am I?
No Half Measures 