Survivorship Today: Cancer Survivor Stories - Bristol Myers Squibb
Cancer Survivorship Q&A:
Dating and relationships
Daniel:
Facing stigma and being a voice for others
Q&A with Dr. Goldfarb:
Finding emotional support
Randy:
Discovering catharsis through connectivity
Woody:
Being resilient and embracing new dreams
Survivorship
Today
What It’s Like to Live with Cancer
Breakthroughs in cancer research are making it possible for more people to survive cancer. Still, most people don’t understand that the disease can have lasting impacts on a person’s health and well-being.
Disclaimer: Sterling K. Brown is a paid spokesperson for Bristol Myers Squibb. All patients and caregivers featured on SurvivorshipToday.com were compensated for their time.
Survivor Perspectives
Survivor Perspectives
“Learning to be resilient and trying to cope with cancer is much harder than people realize.”
- Linda, living with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
- Caregiver perspective
Survivorship Today: Living past the fear
Linda shares how with the help of her partner, she’s able to look past the fear of cancer and continue to participate in the activities she loves.
Related Resources
2023-06-21
“I had to learn how to be accepting of this new version of myself.”
- Brandi, living with Ewing sarcoma and U.S. Army veteran
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
Cancer Survivorship Q&A: Mental health
Cancer survivors share their emotional struggles and journeys to prioritizing mental health.
Related Resources
2021-07-19
“Learning to be resilient and trying to cope with cancer is much harder than people realize.”
- Linda, living with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
- Caregiver perspective
Linda: Living past the fear
Linda shares how with the help of her partner, she’s able to look past the fear of cancer and continue to participate in the activities she loves.
Related Resources
2022-11-16
“I made a promise to myself that somehow, I was going to be a patient advocate. I needed to be able to offer hope and encouragement to others.”
– Melani, stomach and breast cancer survivor
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
- Physical impact
At home with Melani
Melani shares how her experience with a lesser-known cancer inspired her to be an advocate for others in the survivorship community.
Related Resources
2022-08-29
“Support can be found in many different ways and places.”
- Dr. Melanie Goldfarb, MD, MSC, professor of surgery, endocrine surgeon, cancer survivorship advocate
- Healthcare provider perspective
- Well-being
Q&A with Dr. Goldfarb: Healthcare and support for cancer survivors
Dr. Melanie Goldfarb, an associate professor, endocrine surgeon and survivorship advocate, addresses cancer survivors’ frequently asked questions
Related Resources
2023-06-21
“Opening my eyes to what it is like to have something like cancer, I realized fairly quickly who was important in my life and who wasn't."
- Randy, lung cancer survivor
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
Cancer Survivorship Q&A: Impact on friendships
Cancer survivors Kate, Randy and Daniel share how the realities of cancer impacted their friendships in unexpected ways.
Related Resources
2023-06-21
“When you have cancer, it’s not only trauma on your body, it’s trauma on your mind.”
– Tamron, peritoneal mesothelioma survivor
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
In Her Shoes: Addressing mental health
The CEO and founder of Black Health Matters leads an intimate conversation with an oncology social worker and cancer survivors to discuss the realities of living with cancer as a Black woman.
Related Resources
2021-05-17
Fighting the stigma: How candid conversations may help men facing cancer
Hear from Bin, a prostate cancer survivor
- Patient perspective
- Health equity
- Well-being
Fighting the stigma: How candid conversations may help men facing cancer
Bin opens up about the health disparities he faced as a Black, male cancer survivor. Read more about his leap into advocacy to help empower underserved communities, including communities of color.
Read More >
Related Resources
2021-11-16
"As a Lynch syndrome patient who has had three cancers, knowing that I possibly have additional cancers in my future and a history of the disease in my family is a continued challenge for me, but it has also fueled the fire for my advocacy."
- Wenora, colon, endometrial and basal cell carcinoma survivor
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
- Health equity
At home with Wenora
Wenora shares how genetic testing and her work in research advocacy played a role in her survivorship journey.
2021-07-19
“The biggest improvement in my life has been empathy for others.”
- Amanda, breast cancer and melanoma survivor
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
- Physical health
Amanda: Fighting for women’s fertility
Amanda speaks with Sterling K. Brown about the fertility challenges women with cancer face and why she’s fighting for a woman’s right to be a mother.
Related Resources
2021-11-15
"For those of us that are in our senior seasoned years, the jargon, the new techniques for communicating, all seem a bit overwhelming at first."
- Loretta, breast cancer survivor, advocate
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
- Health equity
At home with Loretta
Loretta shares how a cancer diagnosis and family history of the disease inspired her to help seniors with cancer navigate telehealth and receive access to care.
Related Resources
2021-07-19
From athlete to activist: Fighting for health equity
Hear how Woody became a lifelong advocate.
- Patient perspective
- Health equity
- Well-being
From athlete to activist: Fighting for health equity
Hear how Woody became a lifelong advocate.
Read More >
Related Resources
2022-10-12
“I walked side by side with cancer, and I would not be where I am now, body, mind and spirit had it not been for cancer.”
– Daniel, anal cancer survivor
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
- Physical impact
- Health equity
Daniel: Facing stigma and being a voice for others
Daniel speaks with Sterling K. Brown about how he harnesses the stigma he faced into an opportunity to help others in the Latino and LGBTQ+ communities instead of being a victim to his disease.
Related Resources
2021-04-11
"Creativity has helped me to refocus on the important things in life.”
- Joe, tongue and thyroid cancer survivor
- Patient perspective
At home with Joe
Joe shares how art motivates him to stay positive during challenging times.
Related Resources
2021-05-10
“Helping to advocate on behalf of cancer patients has given me the strength and the healing that, ultimately, my body and soul needed.”
- Amanda, breast cancer and melanoma survivor
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
- Physical impact
Amanda: Learning to be your own advocate
Faced with cancer, Amanda became an advocate for not only herself, but for all women who have to make difficult fertility decisions while fighting for their lives.
Related Resources
2022-08-29
“It’s going to be different for everybody, but find what works for you and stick with it.”
- Dr. Melanie Goldfarb, MD, MSC, professor of surgery, endocrine surgeon, cancer survivorship advocate
- Healthcare provider perspective
- Well-being
Q&A with Dr. Goldfarb: Coping with anxiety
Dr. Melanie Goldfarb, an associate professor, endocrine surgeon and survivorship advocate, addresses cancer survivors’ frequently asked questions.
Related Resources
2021-09-20
“For me, living with cancer is about resiliency, loving yourself and acknowledging your fears.”
- Woody, osteosarcoma survivor and advocate
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
- Health equity
Woody: Being resilient and embracing new dreams
Cancer survivor Woody shares how, despite a diagnosis 60 years ago, cancer is still very much a part of his life today.
Related Resources
2022-10-12
“The waves of the emotional weight of having gone through cancer still hit me. We all have our internal struggles and I think this is something that I'm still learning to cope with.”
– Kate, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivor
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
- Physical impact
- Young adult
Kate: Redefining the next chapter
Kate speaks with Sterling K. Brown about the emotional impact of facing cancer and how she copes with the lingering internal battles each day.
Related Resources
2021-09-20
“Being a former healthcare provider who’s also living with cancer has helped me on my survivorship journey.”
- Victoria, multiple myeloma survivor
- Patient perspective
- Healthcare provider perspective
- Physical impact
At home with Victoria
Victoria, a retired healthcare provider, shares how she’s learning how to adapt while living with a chronic cancer.
Related Resources
2021-02-07
"That journey of learning to accept and learning to allow others to help me has been a difficult journey to walk."
- AJ, lung cancer survivor
- Patient perspective
- Caregiver perspective
- Well-being
- Physical impact
AJ: Finding perspective after cancer
For AJ, living with cancer can be physically painful and mentally challenging, yet his diagnosis changed his outlook on life.
Related Resources
2022-11-16
“The joy that I receive now of this changed environment living with cancer is just experiencing life and seeing things grow.”
- Randy, lung cancer survivor
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
- Physical impact
Randy: Discovering catharsis through connectivity
Facing cancer made Randy reconsider his “treadmill” pace of life. He shifted his priorities to focus on joy, balance, and well-being and learned how to embrace his changed environment.
Related Resources
2020-09-20
During cancer, I felt very isolated. With COVID-19, I’m getting a lot of those same feelings.”
- Bin, prostate cancer survivor
- COVID-19
- Health equity
- Patient perspective
Bin: Coping during COVID-19
Bin speaks with Sterling K. Brown about how his cancer journey helped him build tools of resiliency to cope with the challenges of being immunocompromised during COVID-19.
Related Resources
2022-08-29
“[Struggling emotionally] is a very common thing that patients and survivors face, so you are not alone.”
- Dr. Melanie Goldfarb, MD, MSC, professor of surgery, endocrine surgeon, cancer survivorship advocate
- Healthcare provider perspective
- Well-being
Q&A with Dr. Goldfarb: Finding emotional support
Dr. Melanie Goldfarb, an associate professor, endocrine surgeon, and survivorship advocate, addresses cancer survivors’ frequently asked questions.
Related Resources
2020-07-12
“If you think in the way, this too shall pass, then it feels different. You know, if there's a will, there's a way.”
- Donna, living with multiple myeloma
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
- COVID-19
Donna: Putting Gratitude above Fear
Donna speaks with Sterling K. Brown about finding out her multiple myeloma has returned and how she is adapting to her new normal during COVID-19.
Related Resources
2019-08-02
“Physically, I'm cancer-free, but mentally, I'll never be the same.”
- Justin, testicular cancer survivor
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
- Young adult
Justin’s perspective
Men’s health advocate and cancer survivor Justin discusses how he has overcome the feelings of depression, isolation and anxiety that began after his treatment.
Related Resources
2020-09-18
"Many cancer survivors feel a little lost. Everybody wants them to go back to normal, but life isn’t the same.”
- Melanie Goldfarb, MD, MSC, professor of surgery, endocrine surgeon and cancer survivorship advocate
- Healthcare provider perspective
- COVID-19
Dr. Goldfarb: Addressing unmet needs
Dr. Goldfarb opens up to Sterling K. Brown about the unmet needs of people living with cancer and how we can help bridge the gap in post-treatment care for cancer survivors.
Related Resources
2020-07-11
“Even though we are physically isolated, it doesn’t mean we need to be socially isolated.”
- Marcia, ovarian cancer survivor
- Patient perspective
- COVID-19
- Well-being
Marcia: Creating a community for survivors
Cancer survivor Marcia speaks with Sterling K. Brown about how creating an online community for patients and survivors has played a role in her healing process.
Related Resources
2019-12-01
“All I knew about cancer was death, and I didn’t want to hear it.”
- AJ, lung cancer survivor
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
- Physical impact
AJ's perspective
When AJ found out he had stage 4 lung cancer and only a few years to live, he struggled to find comfort until he learned to find meaning in every moment.
Related Resources
2020-01-18
“I’ll always be grieving for the life that could have been if it weren’t for cancer.”
- Rebecca, two-time ovarian and thyroid cancer survivor
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
Rebecca’s perspective
Rebecca discusses the importance of a strong support system to help her through the thick and thin.
Related Resources
2019-05-10
“Cancer has played a role in every decision I've made.”
- Jamie, breast cancer survivor
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
Jamie’s perspective
Jamie was 14 weeks pregnant when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Years later, the fear of reoccurrence still follows Jamie and plays a role in every decision she makes.
Related Resources
2020-01-17
“In some ways, Rebecca’s cancer has brought us closer together and, in some ways, it has driven us apart.”
- Robert, Rebecca’s partner
- Caregiver perspective
- Well-being
Robert's perspective
Robert discusses how cancer can impact relationships and his experience caring for his partner and two-time cancer survivor, Rebecca.
Related Resources
2019-08-03
“In order for me to be healthy, I knew I needed to share my story.”
- Amy, breast cancer survivor
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
Amy's perspective
After breast cancer, Amy felt like there was no safe haven in the Asian American community to talk about her experience.
Related Resources
2019-11-30
“There’s no cure for multiple myeloma. I'll be living with cancer for the rest of my life.”
- Donna, living with multiple myeloma
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
Donna's perspective
When Donna was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, she was given three years to live. Now, despite daily challenges, she manages the disease as a chronic condition.
Related Resources
2019-05-09
“Where I’m from, there’s still a lot of shame around cancer.”
- Bin, prostate cancer survivor
- Patient perspective
- Health equity
- Well-being
Bin's perspective
Cancer is not often talked about in the African American community, so when Bin found out he had prostate cancer, he knew it was important to share his story.
Related Resources
2021-09-21
“The support that I received from my community set the tone for me to dedicate my life to volunteerism and advocating for health equity in cancer care.”
- Woody, osteosarcoma survivor and advocate
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
- Health equity
Woody: Advocating for health equity in cancer care
Woody speaks with Sterling K. Brown about his cancer diagnosis as a child and how it shaped his life’s work.
Related Resources
2021-11-16
"Cancer survivors are not a homogenous community. Their needs are not all the same.”
- Eucharia, MSW, LCSW, oncology social worker, Cancer Support Community
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
- Health equity
Eucharia, Oncology Social Worker: Navigating survivorship care in underserved communities
Eucharia speaks with Sterling K. Brown about the challenges in disadvantaged communities impacting people affected by cancer and how she supports these communities through her work.
Related Resources
2021-07-18
“I have had to focus more on what I want and not of what I’m afraid of.”
- Linda, living with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
Linda: Transitioning from care partner to patient
Linda shares with Sterling K. Brown the challenges she faces while living with a rare blood cancer after losing her husband to a similar disease.
Related Resources
2023-06-21
“I know I am worthy of love and capable of love. I just need some help breaking down the barrier between that.”
- Kate, living with non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
Cancer Survivorship Q&A: Dating and relationships
Cancer survivors open up about the realities of dating and romance, and how they navigate challenging conversations with dates and long-term partners.
Related Resources
2019-05-08
Overcoming barriers: Featuring breast cancer survivor Jamie and prostate cancer survivor Bin
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
Overcoming barriers
Cancer survivors Bin and Jamie speak with Sterling K. Brown about finding support to overcome physical and emotional barriers around accessing quality care and survivorship resources.
Related Resources
2019-08-01
Healing the mind: Featuring breast cancer survivor Amy and testicular cancer survivor Justin
- Patient perspective
- Well-being
Healing the mind
Cancer survivors Amy and Justin speak with Sterling K. Brown to share how community and emotional support tools helped them overcome feelings of loneliness and anxiety brought on by cancer.
Related Resources
2020-01-16
Relationships afterwards: Featuring ovarian and thyroid cancer survivor Rebecca and her partner Robert
- Patient perspective
- Caregiver perspective
- Well-being
Relationships afterwards
Two-time cancer survivor Rebecca and her partner Robert speak with Sterling K. Brown about how cancer can affect relationships and the way people living with the condition interact with others.
Related Resources
Resources
Information and support if you or someone you know is living with cancer.
See results from the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship’s annual survey.
If you or someone you know is living with cancer, these resources may offer helpful information and support.
About Survivorship Today: What It's Like to Live with Cancer
An initiative by Bristol Myers Squibb, Survivorship Today aims to share stories of people across the country who have been affected by cancer and advance our collective understanding of what it’s like to live with the disease today. We’re working with those featured to call attention to their personal triumphs and challenges, because with greater understanding, we can inspire more action and better support.