Breast Cancer
These blogs deal with everything from life after a mastectomy to caring for your children while undergoing chemotherapy.
1.
Breast Cancer Recovery: With over twelve years of experience, this blog specializes in four day retreats for women with breast cancer. There are details on accommodations, activities, and testimonials of past attendees. In addition, there is a link to annual conferences for enhancing the health and quality of their lives, which will feature Elizabeth Edwards for 2009.
2.
Breast Cancer Victory: In this outspoken blog, Sylvie takes you through her cancer journey. Diagnosed with breast cancer a few days before her wedding, she tells all. This also includes a frank look at her mastectomy, oophorectomy, and the accompanying menopause.
3.
Denver Holistic Health Examiner: With 30 years experience in the Holistic Health Industry, Talismae uses her knowledge to battle breast cancer and help others. Holding two degrees, one in Clinical Psychology and one in Holistic medicine, she has taught at major universities. Her blog includes several posts on naturopathy, diet, and esthetics.
4.
My Breast Cancer Blog: This mother tells her story and gives tips for how to deal with the ups and downs of this disease. She has been battling cancer for five years. Her most recent post recounted how her hair has changed for the worse and the flat iron she uses to fight it.
5.
Cancer Visa Blog: This blog is a survival guide with honest dialogue that focuses primarily on breast cancer news. It also intended for premenopausal survivors, mothers who have small children, and have been undergoing chemotherapy for over a year. The author has faced issues of fertility, chemotherapy and radiation while pregnant, sexuality, and issues of longevity quality versus quantity.
Communities for Support
These social networking sites allow users to connect, share stories, and get involved in the fight against cancer.
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Hear Me Roar: Many women who experience a cancer diagnosis gain strength from their fellow survivors and the stories of common experience that emerge from these relationships. The instinct to tell one’s story and to help another along the road is a powerful one for many. This site is a space for women to share their personal stories through essays and in interviews that display the strength, spirit, and humor that define survivorship.
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Blog For A Cure: This is a community of cancer survivors where you can read, post, or comment on blogs on varying types of the disease. Members can write about anything from chemo visualization to request for prayers. The site also includes photos, memorials, and how to help.
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Cancer Match: The MySpace of cancer sites, members can create a circle of friends who share a diagnosis, meet or mentor others, write blogs, chat, and post events. Free to use, members can update each other and share pictures. There is even a dating section for those looking for more than a friend.
9. The Cancer Survival Toolbox: A MySpace site for cancer survivors that includes a link to a free audio program. It is designed to help cancer survivors and caregivers develop practical skills to deal with the diagnosis, treatment, and challenges of cancer. The “toolbox” is available by download or by phone.
10.
National Coalition For Cancer Survivorship : The oldest survivor-led cancer advocacy organization in the country, they advocate for quality care for all Americans and feature survivor profiles. The NCCS believes in systemic changes in how the nation researches, regulates, finances, and delivers quality cancer care. They also organize a legislative advocacy network that engages constituents across the country in federal cancer-related issues.
11.
Out With Cancer: The world’s first program for Gay, Lesbian, Bi and Trans men and women who are diagnosed with cancer. Founded in 2006, this organization was developed by the national Gay men’s cancer organization. A Bi-phobia and Trans-phobia free zone, a member recently posted about his treatments in Mexico City.
12.
The LGBT Cancer Project: Launched in September of 2007, this site has received positive responses from both professionals and survivors across the country. Priorities are education, increasing awareness, advocacy, and offering medical consultations. This useful sites also contains information on how statistics and treatments affect the LGBT community.
From the Dearly Departed
Follow these heart breaking blogs from first diagnosis to last days.
13.
Baldy’s Blog: Adrian Sudbury was a reporter, and in November 2006 the 25-year-old was promoted to digital journalist. Just two days into his new role, he became seriously ill and was eventually diagnosed with leukemia. With two distinct types of leukemia running at the same time, he was the only person in the world recorded to have this condition. In his blog, Adrian shares his experiences up until his passing.
14.
My Cancer: In May 2006, Leroy Sievers of NPR began a Morning Edition commentary on his fight with cancer by saying, “My doctors are trying to kill me.” For more than two years since, Sievers contributed a monthly commentary to Morning Edition and wrote the daily “My Cancer” blog on NPR.org. This blog details his fight with cancer, including his last days.
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Surviving Leukemia: In February of 2007, Seth went to the hospital with what he thought was the flu. After a blood test, he was told he had acute leukemia. Although Seth died later that year, his parents still keep this blog going.
16.
Surviving Ovarian Cancer: Deciding to get back to her body building ways, Suzanne noticed a pain in her side. After seeing her doctors and having surgery, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. This blog recounts Suzanne’s journey, with posts in her last days.
17.
Cancer Diva: An administrative assistant in the Houston Chronicle’s sports department, Terry’s had an award-winning blog. In April 2006, she was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer and detailed her life through her blog. Terry gives her readers a candid look at life with cancer, including hospital stays, prescription information, her work on an art car, wig shopping, and holidays.
18.
Brain Hell: A husband and father of two young children, BH was diagnosed with a 100-percent fatal disorder called ALS in January of 2004. He recounts holidays and gives messages of hope. The posts in his last days are particularly moving.
Celebrities With Cancer
Cancer can happen to anyone, even the rich and famous. These sites are devoted to telling their stories.
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Celebrity Cancer Diagnosis: This site has up to date information on celebrities with all forms of cancer. People include Farah Fawcett, Robin Roberts, and U.S. Senator George Mitchell. Articles contain topics on first diagnosis, updates, and messages of thanks.
20. Geralyn Lucas: Geralyn was 27 years old and working at 20/20 when she discovered a lump in her breast that was diagnosed as breast cancer. As a result of the diagnosis, she had a mastectomy. She then went on to become author of the best-seller, “Why I Wore Lipstick To My Mastectomy,” and gives inspiring messages of courage. Also included are links to other helpful sites and what the reader can do to join the fight against cancer.
21. Randy Pausch: A professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University, Randy learned that he was terminally ill in September of 2006. This led to his now world renowned lecture, entitled “”The Last Lecture: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.” His blog recounts professional and personal highlights, is full of photos, and offers links to the lecture.
22.
Christina Applegate: Best known for her role as Kelly Bundy on the television series “Married With Children,” Christina announced her diagnosis with breast cancer in August 2008. After undergoing a double mastectomy, the actress soon returned to work. This site has numerous messages of support for her and others experiencing this disease.
Stories of Hope
From martial arts, to young children, these sites are essential to anyone looking for hope.
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The American Cancer Society: With stories on many different types of cancer, the ACS provides visitors with a variety of choices. You can browse by type of cancer, or join their Cancer Survivors Network. Highlights include using aikido to battle testicular cancer, a gold medalist in the Paralympics in Athens and Beijing, and a male breast cancer survivor.
24.
Children’s Cancer Hospital: Nineteen different children recall their experience with varying types and degrees of cancer. From various backgrounds and different ages, these children give the visitor a candid look at their disease. They also recount their treatment at the hospital and what to expect.
25. Survivor Stories From M.D. Anderson: Cancer patients often find hope and inspiration from the personal stories of others who have faced cancer and won. Another site with testimonials on various types and degrees of cancer, the bloggers share everything. The blogs detail how they and their families coped with cancer, and how it changed their lives for the better.
26.
The Mayo Clinic: In 1914, the first Mayo Clinic opened its doors. Today, it treats over half a million people each year. With a special section for cancer, stories range from amyloidosis to vaginal cancer.
27.
CancerGuide: Steve Dunn was diagnosed with advanced kidney cancer in 1989 at the age of 32. Only a month after surgery, it was discovered that the cancer had spread to his spine and both lungs. With dozens of stories by others to choose from, he also includes information on clinical trials, cancer basics, and alternative therapies.
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Cancer Kids: A web-based organization which began in 1997 with one simple objective. The goal was to help children with cancer tell their stories to the world. This is accomplished by providing links to the personal web pages of children who are battling cancer and through the stories section.
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Breast Cancer Stories: Launched in the summer of 2006, more than 10,000 people log on every month. They post and read stories about the trials of breast cancer and the triumphs of surviving the disease. Patients and care givers can write about their experiences, share their progress with loved ones, read stories, and connect with others who are going through a similar experience.
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Rare Cancer Support: A site for the rarest cancers, which includes rare benign, borderline, mixed cell tumors, and cancer procedures or treatment stories. RCA’s primary purpose is to disseminate information and provide support to all pediatric and adult rare cancer patients. It’s secondary purpose is to raise awareness and funding for rare cancer research, which seldom benefits from donations made to general cancer research organizations.
