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Dear Cancer
Each year we ask the AYA cancer community to submit letters to cancer to express their feelings about how cancer has changed their lives. People explore an array of emotions in these letters, including anger, sadness, gratitude, and hope.
Want to submit an article or write your own letter to cancer? Click Here.
Dear Cancer, It’s Been Complicated
Dear Cancer, It’s been complicated. I’m sure a lot of people would like to know how we met. Were we introduced by family (genetics), online dating (Google searching my symptoms), restaurant, or bar (bad eating/too much drinking)?
Read More...Dear Cancer, I Will Not Thank You, Ever
A Poem to cancer from the Steven G. Cancer Foundation and Elephants and Tea President.
Read More...Dear Cancer, I Can Handle Anything Because of You
Well, in 2017, I thought life was good. There was so much to look forward to. But Cancer, you chose to show your ugly and repulsive face, at a time when everything in my life was how it should be.
Read More...Dear Cancer, F You and Thank You
Fuck you for making me hear one of the most painful news one can bear: “You have incurable cancer”. Fuck you for making me go through the whole painstaking process of dealing with this condition, from denial to grieve to acceptance, and the dreadful memories that come along with it.
Read More...We Beat Cancer
I beat you. You tried kicking me down multiple times, but I beat you… my husband beat you, my kids beat you, my family beat you, my friends beat you.
Read More...Broken But Not Defeated
Dear Cancer, Why did you break my ankle? Yeah, I see you pointing your finger at other possible sources for my injury. Perhaps you think the UNO cards I slipped on as I was rushing into my son’s bedroom are the logical culprit. I hear your snarky remarks, “maybe if you made your son clean […]
Read More...The Devastation Is Unforgivable
Finding out about you was one of the two worst days of my life. My mind went into panic as I had lost my dad to you just seven months before and my father in law was told about you invading him just a mere six days before I heard the words.
Read More...Forever Grateful
I would assume you have been hanging around in my life for a lot longer than most would anticipate. At least six… maybe seven years. You thought you were a being a sneaky little bastard, didn’t you?
Read More...Perspective Is Everything
You taught me the true meaning of perspective. Perspective is everything. You never know what someone else is going through. Before judging a situation or a person, stop and take a second to appreciate what you have and to do your best to understand where the person is coming from, what may be going on in their lives.
Read More...Friends And The Archenemy
I met you for the first me when I was seventeen, second semester senior in high school and months away from graduating. I had heard whispers about you before; you had met a few of my family members.
Read More...