Survivor Stories – 1

These women are truly inspiring.

Last week, I posted an invitation to all of you to post a story about a person who inspires you, a person who has survived cancer, or motherhood, or her own personal challenge.  A number of you took me up on that offer, and I’ve linked the stories below.  Others have left me notes in the comments of this and other posts, and I want to include them here in this roundup too. 

There are so many amazing women and men out there, who have survived so much.  I don’t think I fully appreciated the number of breast cancer survivors (for example) out there until I announced my own diagnosis.  Since then, they’ve been coming out of the woodwork.  Well, not the woodwork, exactly, but the internets, the pews at church, the cubicles at my husband’s office, even the farthest branches of my own family tree.  Their stories, and your stories, are giving me hope.  Here, then, is a dose of inspiration.  If you need inspiration too, read their stories.  If you feel as I did, send them hugs.  They all have suffered a world of hurt and come out the other side.

• Sunshine at And the Pursuit of Happiness sent a link to a post about her best friend who fought cancer four years ago; 
• Kim Moldofsky from Hormone-Colored Days writes about her karate instructor who kicked cancer — twice;
• Canape didn’t send hers in, but I know the story of her momma, who has fought cancer three times — and won — is over on Don’t Take the Repeats;
• Ella at Limberlime told me about Jane Tomlinson, cancer survivor and activist; her own mother-in-law is another cancer survivor;
• Lori at Spinning Yellow wrote about her mother-in-law, who had cancer.  Many times;
• Grrrrlfriend Jess from Sassafras writes about Seth, her brother, who was in a terrible motorcycle accident;
• BirdieRoark at Who’s The Boss wrote about her mother, surviving a difficult childhood; and
• Stimey from Stimeyland (where else?) wrote a lovely post about some absolutely amazing women who she is lucky to know, and I am lucky just to get to read about.

Here are more who didn’t leave a link, so I’ve linked to their blog and/or comments on a previous post:

• Stella from I Can’t Complain Any More Than Usual is an amazing woman with two young children who has just kicked inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) to the curb; 
• Sarah is blogging in incredible, sensitive detail about her journey with breast cancer at Killer Boob; her grandmother also kicked cancer — twice;
• Christine from Running on Empty beat malignant melanoma when her baby was 5 months old; 
• Molly’s mother discovered breast cancer when her little one stopped nursing from one breast; 6 years later she is strong and healthy and vibrant;
• Alexis is winning her fight against IBC;
• Kelly’s mother-in-law beat IBC 7 years ago;
• Katherine has won her fight against cancer;
• Tori is a cancer survivor with 4 young kids, and she has bravely blogged about it;
• Much More than a Mom’s girlfriend survived IBC and her dad beat cancer;
• Kelly and her sister are both breast cancer survivors;
• Jules fought this thing two years ago and is doing great;
• Kristen‘s 27 year old friend who has fought cancer;
• Melina is an 8 year non-Hodgins lymphoma survivor;
• Meg Wolff fought and won against Stage IIIB breast cancer 9 years ago, and has started a way cool web site for women to share their stories;
• Sherri, 48, a 6 year cancer survivor;
• Adrienne, who had Hodgkins’ Disease at 21 and 12 rounds of chemo; 5 1/2 years out it is a distant memory;
• Sweet | Salty Kate, who has blogged through the loss of her baby Liam while parenting Ben and Evan, and is an inspiration of a whole nother kind to me;
• Kim‘s sister was diagnosed at 32 with two small children at home; 16 years later, she is thriving;
• Lill from Hawkhill Acres wrote to tell me that her mother beat cancer at 57 and lived another 30 years;
• Coolbeans‘ grandmother and her former coworker have both beat breast cancer;
• Slouching Mom’s mom survived sinus cavity cancer, a very deadly cancer;
• Joy‘s mother-in-law was diagnosed eleven years ago, and is feeling great today;
• Amy from Pretty Babies tells of a friend of her mom who has beat this thing;
• Robbin from Israel and Around the Island writes to tell me about her husband’s aunt, beloved next-door neighbor, a fellow LLL leader who survived cancer and now are healthy and happy;
• Kelly’s sister and mother-in-law are both breast cancer survivors;
• Emily from Wheels on the Bus wrote to tell about two mothers of friends who beat breast cancer;
• Beth Bridges is beating neuroblastoma, a childhood bone marrow cancer;
• Heather, friend to many, is fighting a brain tumor with grace and friendship;
• Charlene writes “I am a breast cancer survivor; my sister is a breast cancer survivor; my best friend is a breast cancer survivor; my aunt’s best friend (age, 80+) is a breast cancer survivor;”
• Carrie M’s mom had breast cancer, and not only is she well now, but her energy is back;
• Robbin’s mother beat this;
• Girl (Fertile Mertile)’s Baboo beat breast cancer;
• Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah’s aunt is a cancer survivor; 
• Aliki tells of three women who have fought and beat it;
• Mamacita’s cousin kicked cancer;
• Kim the Midwife’s mom beat cancer;
• Em’s mother-in-law is winning her fight against cancer;
• Jennie’s grandmother, who had cancer young and lived to 80;
• Eva’s mom, a chemo nurse, who fought cancer and won;
• E’s close friend had uterine cancer at 26 and is fine a year later;
• Susan‘s mom is a 16 year breast cancer survivor;
• Cari‘s sister in law is a 16 year breast cancer survivor and mom of 4 young children;
• What Works For Mom’s Mom survived both lymphoma and breast cancer 6 years ago;
• Margalit‘s best friend went through breast cancer a year ago;
• Twithhoney‘s mother is a 17 year breast cancer survivor;
• Lady M has five good friends who beat cancer in their 20’s;
• Heike Malakoff, (founder of CheckYourBoobies.org), who found her lump while nursing her baby, beat cancer;
• All the survivors at the Young Suvivor Coalition;
• Cait’s mom is a 6 year breast cancer survivor;
• Worker Mommy’s mother just finished her surgery + chemo;
• Our guy friend Cliff is close to entirely too many people who have beat cancer; and
• My very own mother-in-law is a very recent breast cancer survivor, diagnosed in May and already the veteran of two surgeries that have eradicated any sign of this beast.

Oh, and before you go (or when you come back, I know this is an incredibly long post) check out this amazing picture of active, smiling, happy survivors  doing something awesome (courtesy MotherWoman).  Very cool.  Very, very cool.  But now I can’t resist the urge to end this post with a varient of an old joke. 

• Patient: “Doctor, when my cancer is in remission, will I be able to row crew?”
• Doctor: “Well, I don’t see why not.”
• Patient: “Fantastic!  I never had the energy before!”

My surgical oncologist (yes, we cancer patients fighters have at least two oncologists each) told me the story yesterday of a woman who not only kept active during chemo but who began training for a marathon.  The next summer, she ran — and finished the race.

Anything is possible.

Edited to add:  Lori from Spinning Yellow has been given my ticket to BlogHer; Kim M will be taking my room at the W!  Have fun, ladies!

Edited again:  I’ve also posted this on sk-rt in hopes that someone else who needs this kind of inspiration will find it.  If you just did — welcome.  You are not alone.

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