A Cancer Warrior’s Perspective: A Practical Guide for Loved Ones to Support Young Adults Fighting Cancer
When I was diagnosed with brain cancer at 29, my world changed overnight—but so did the world of everyone who loved me.
Friends, family, coworkers: they wanted to help, but didn’t always know how. Part of the problem is that there just aren't enough resources that address the specific issues relevant to a young adult with cancer.
I quickly realized that this lack of resources wasn’t just challenging for me, but for the people who wanted to support me, too. My community has played a vital role in my journey, and it’s what inspired me to write A Cancer Warrior’s Perspective. Now, I help others learn how to show up and truly support the young adults in their lives who are facing cancer.
As an avid rock climber and hiker, my mantra outdoors has always been: slow and steady, one step after the next. You have to focus on the next step and take it a day at a time, otherwise you might forget to appreciate the beautiful views right in front of you. Needless to say, I have found myself applying this mantra to so much more than only the outdoors.
Since my diagnosis I married Jeff, the love of my life and moved from New York to California so that we could be closer to the outdoors. I started working on new sustainability-focused projects at work, and we made tons of new friends in Los Angeles. Jeff and I adopted our first dog, Pemi (who is in training to become the world's best crag dog).
You can learn more about me by checking out one of my Featured Articles!