(Y)our Stories
March 24, 2023
Strength. Resilience. Courage. All of these words describe our cancer warriors. Read about their inspiring journeys.
In our latest portrait series, we spotlight the many faces of the New Cancer Community.
Lymphoma warrior Nicole Bullock reflects on how faith and hope got her through cancer and put her on a new, more enriching path in life.
Through his battle with cancer, Steve Neruda discovered the power of plasma.
The summer issues warrior is Leonard, a lymphoma warrior diagnosed during the pandemic.
Photographer and filmmaker Ben Moon has experienced many wild things throughout his years on the road, but a colorectal cancer diagnosis at 29 was by far one of the least expected. Now cancer-free, Moon combines vulnerability and adventure to show that even with hardship, there is still a lot of life left to live.
Armed with a brand new targeted therapy option, familial support and a sense of humor, Shannan A. is rising above brain cancer.
After a stage IV breast cancer diagnosis, Leslie Ferris Yerger realized there was a lot she hadn’t known about the risk of cancer when it comes to dense breasts. With the formation of nonprofit My Density Matters, she’s urging other women to take action.
After a leukemia diagnosis as a young adult, Jen Biondi has shifted her focus toward embracing the important things in life, one day at a time.
Part-time certified fitness instructor Jennifer Sinkwitts was slated to run the Boston Marathon after an impressive qualifying time—then she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She decided to run anyway.
The featured Spotlight Warrior for our Supporter Issue is Dr. Rick Brown.
While in treatment, four-time warrior Liz Benditt wasn’t finding any one-stop shops for actual helpful, functional self-care items. So she created one.
A cancer diagnosis during a pandemic can feel like a double whammy, but Kelli Stanko ended up stumbling onto joy in the process.
A plan of care is important after a diagnosis, but even more important is making your voice heard during the process so you can receive the care that’s right for you.
After three cancer diagnoses, Marianne Duquette Cuozzo found returning to her love of art helped her understand her changing body.
Cyndi Gerdez is this month’s warrior. Finding the right treatment plan can be the difference when it comes to thriving.
Frank McKenna’s stage IV lung cancer diagnosis came as a huge surprise, but he never realized the tools he needed for survival were always within reach.
When Army Col. Doug Thomas was diagnosed with epithelioid mesothelioma in May, at the age of just 45, he chose to return to the basic principles of service that guided him over the years
Matt Newman wishes he had never gotten cancer, but that hasn’t stopped him from inspiring other warriors to take charge of their own lives in the face of a diagnosis.
With the arrival of COVID-19 comes bouts of uncertainty, but a lot can be learned from warriors’ experiences with cancer and channeling resilience.
Fighting cancer once as a graduate student abroad was hard enough for Christy Lorio – and then she was diagnosed a second time.
A cancer journey is deeply personal, but two-time warrior Christina Vaccacio chose to look outward and uplift others through sharing her story. It ended up impacting her own life in ways she never expected.
While I didn’t enjoy the challenges of becoming a two-time survivor of bilateral osteosarcoma, I can say with confidence that those experiences strengthened my lionlike attributes, like persistence and drive.
“This is the second time I’ve [battled] cancer,” says issue 6 warrior Garrett Byrd. “The first time, it definitely hit me way harder.”
“I feel fine. I look fine. I’m functioning fine. And there’s no sense worrying about what’s going to happen,” says Warrior Mardie Anderson.
From his start in medicine, finding his groove in stand-up comedy and hosting the hit competition show, “American Ninja Warrior,” to raising millions of dollars for charity, Matt Iseman has connected with audiences through the gift of storytelling.
Issue 4’s “Warrior,” Brooke Long, talks about how she stays strong after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis … twice.
During her three cancer diagnoses, Tameka Johnson was flooded with harsh emotions—pain, anger, fear, frustration—but found her respite in writing, in loving her daughter, and living life “on purpose.”
Issue 3’s “Fighter” is Michael Everhart, who is battling stage IV malignant glioblastoma.
Cancer-free for almost 16 years, GiGi Sturgis was scared for her life when her acute myeloid leukemia came back. But after befriending stylist-to-the-stars Raquel Smith, GiGi was treated to a celebrity makeover which helped put her back on the path to living happily and healthily.
Britny Maldonado learns to loosen up and laugh in the face of her leukemia diagnosis, because “it’s just cancer.”
Everything was going right for William Yank, until he fell ill with an innocuous sore throat. The diagnosis? Acute lymphoblastic leukemia. But in the months following treatment and remission, he learned that the true purpose of his life was just beginning.
Claudia “Sunny” Hayes was diagnosed with breast cancer at just 25 years old. A new business owner, her rigorous treatment schedule almost ruined everything she had worked for, but maintaining positivity and a renewed focus on her goals allowed her to create a new kind of success story.
I feel like my story is a little bit boring. I’m like a shark. I just keep going.
After hearing my results, I thought: How do I tell my boyfriend?
“If cancer has taught me anything, it’s that I cannot do it all myself and that I do not have to be strong all the time.”
Meet Bill Perez, who was first diagnosed with throat squamous cell carcinoma more than nine years ago. He calls facing cancer one of the fiercest battles of his life.
