Cancer survivors help and inspire others

Written by Facing Cancer Together

The Facing Cancer Together tagline is, "Connecting Stories, Connecting Lives.” What we've learned since the initiative began last Spring is those diagnosed with cancer battle through their treatments and the changes in their lives with support from family, friends and the doctors and nurses who treat them. Making connections is a large part of that support.

lynne-eib-still Every cancer survivor we've met talks about the people they've gotten to know who helped them or inspired them to survive and beat the disease or to get back to a normal way of life. Often, a survivor's experience motivated them to help others being treated for cancer. Radio Smart Talk host Scott LaMar talks with two women who did just that -- they survived cancer and now they are there for others.

Listen to their conversation:

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Colon cancer survivor, Lynn Eib, is a patient advocate who provides emotional and spiritual support to cancer patients. She also runs several support groups to help people process their emotions and connect with other people on a similar journey. Visit Lynn's website for more information.

vicky_darden_pic Vicky Darden is a courageous cervical cancer survivor with a mission. She sold all of her possessions and is on the road, biking around the world for a year, delivering smiles to some of the 28 million cancer survivors out there. Follow her journey and show your support at her blog.

Explore more inspirational stories in the Living With Cancer setion of our site. Also, connect with others at the Facing Cancer Together Digital Quilt, and share your own personal story.

What story can you share? Are there inspiring cancer survivors you have met in your own life? Please leave a comment below.

Published in Living with Cancer

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#2 FacingCancer 2012-05-01 10:21

Karen, what a beautiful and inspiring story you have! You seem to have found purpose in what must have been a very scary period of struggle for you. We'd love to read some of your poems and hear more of your story! We'd love to invite you to add a patch to our digital quilt of cancer stories: http://facingcancertogether

witf.org/quilt
Thanks again for sharing your story to help others who are fighting cancer. We're in this together!

#1 Karen Rice 2012-04-30 18:57

I'm a two-time cancer survivor, but my first thought was, "a death sentence". I found out later, it was truly "an awakening" for me. I also realized that I was about to face a new beginning, new hope, do and see more with a whole new prospective on life. Through my tragedy, writing became therapy for me, where I wrote down my thoughts in poems, to share with others. I placed all my poems into book form and had it published. With the words and phrases of each poem of statements, I wish to make a positive impact on someone who's ill or otherwise, where they can proceed life in a whole new way. I later had an inspirational children's book published. I never anticipated becoming a writer, I just became one. I truly believe when you survive a horrific tragedy or a horrible diseaes, as cancer, it's for a reason, "you have a purpose"; and I'm a true example that you can survive cancer, not once, but twice, providing you catch it in time, have faith and allow that faith to direct your path.

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