- By Marla Rosenblum
- Posted March 21, 2018
A Mother's Letter to Her Daughter After Waiting 16 Years for a Diagnosis
Unedited. Untouched. Raw Emotion. Raw Love. Dear Aubree Bella, My Rare Girl: Ahhh sweet 16. And what a journey. You entered this world so very sick. Beating the odds and surviving. Looking into your eyes as I held you for the first time in the NICU, there was something about your eyes. My “mommy heart” knew they held the answers.…
- By Britt Ochoa
- Posted March 14, 2018
My 100th Round of Chemo and How it Touched my Soul
The news of a cancer diagnosis can demolish the reality in which you currently reside. My reality was spent at twenty-seven-years-old when I was diagnosed with Stage IV Colon Cancer. It was an upheaval to the life that I had so customarily taken advantage of. It was taking a health crisis to shake up the frozen patterns of my former ways. Of…
- By Bill Rotter
- Posted March 16, 2017
Why I Liquidated my Business to Advocate for Male Breast Cancer Awareness
Several years prior to my breast cancer diagnosis, I started to think about the right time to liquidate my business and sell the real estate. At the time, my brother and I owned two Ace hardware stores in the Milwaukee area with approximately 100,000-sq. ft. of retail space, warehouse and offices. I knew it would be a physically daunting undertaking…
- By David Dubin
- Posted November 3, 2016
Just Call Me “Above Average Dave”
“Superhero.” Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Flattering, obviously. As someone who has survived multiple cancers, still plays and coaches soccer, had his colonoscopy footage used on national television, and does a lot of public work, I’ve been given a few titles. One of them is superhero. Thanks. But I worry that people, especially others…
- By Bill Rotter
- Posted October 20, 2016
A Male Breast Cancer Perspective (repost)
Editor’s Note: We are re-posting Bill Rotter’s entry in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It also coincides with an important time in Bill’s home state of Wisconsin; it is Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week from October 16-22, 2016. Bill was kind enough to update his piece to help raise the profile of men with breast cancer.…
- By Eve Mart
- Posted October 13, 2016
Metastatic Breast Cancer - A Lack of Awareness and The Hurt it Causes
Editor’s Note: In honor of Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day, we are re-posting Eve Mart's piece on metastatic breast cancer to share her perspective as a patient advocate. Please share to help spread awareness. During the past 30 years, there has been a cultural shift in breast cancer advocacy and awareness activities. An abundance…
- By Cynthia Rigali Lund
- Posted September 29, 2016
In The Beginning: My Ovaries Were Talking, but I Wasn't Listening
What a perfect time to begin my story — we are in the middle of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness month, as well as National HBOC (hereditary breast and ovarian cancer) Week. I love when things line up like it was all meant to be… Things did not line up for me in October of 2012. While preparing funeral arrangements for my dad who…
- By Eve Mart
- Posted August 30, 2016
Metastatic Breast Cancer – a Lack of Awareness and the Hurt it Causes
During the past 30 years, there has been a cultural shift in breast cancer advocacy and awareness activities. An abundance of education efforts, as well as information and news coverage, have made breast cancer a familiar disease. There have also been significant strides made in early detection, research, treatment and patient empowerment during…
- By Eve Mart
- Posted August 18, 2016
Putting Yourself First
When it comes to putting yourself first, I’d say to anyone else, ‘DO IT!’ particularly to someone who’s been through treatment for breast cancer, which is the equivalent of being put through hell and back. Truth be told, I need to practice more of what I preach. I often overextend myself on projects or requests made by others, and it’s…
- By Bill Rotter
- Posted August 16, 2016
Attending Breast Cancer Symposiums, Conferences and Research and Advocacy Seminars will Help Keep You in the Forefront Of Your Cancer
Soon after completing all of my treatment for male breast cancer I knew I was determined to stay on top of my cancer going forward. I know there are many advancements in finding cures for all types of cancers and I am committed to learning everything possible about my cancer diagnosis. Whether it happens to be in the area of new drugs or vaccines…