S.T.A.R.S. 2019

My darkest moment wasn’t the cancer itself so much as having to share my diagnosis with my closest family members. In some ways, I was embarrassed to say the word leukemia. I worried that people would feel sorry for me or worry that they would lose me to the disease.

Fortunately, I was one of those “lucky” ones. My cancer was slow growing and caught early. But I would tell my pre-cancer self (and have actually apologized to others affected by cancer before I knew better) – that there is nothing good about cancer. Nothing. There is no “good” cancer. I would be more compassionate with cancer patients and their families. I would be more patient, a better listener, and a more giving friend to anyone cancer impacts.