“You have breast cancer.”

I heard those words on a Wednesday morning when I got a phone call that turned my world upside down. This week marks eight years since I heard the words that no woman wants to hear. It’s honestly hard to believe that phone call was so long ago.

Today on the podcast, I want to walk you through my breast cancer journey, share two ways you can help someone that has cancer, and then share six things someone that is going through cancer needs to know.

Everyone’s journey is a little different but I think it helps when we get to hear someone else’s story. I hope that whether cancer isn’t a part of your experience at all, or you are walking though your own cancer journey, or you know someone in your life that is, this episode will be an encouragement to you and help you feel even more equipped should it enter your world in some way. 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• [Book] Better Together: Because We’re Not Meant to Mom Alone
• 5 Things You May Not Know About Radiation Treatments (The video of a radiation treatment can be found here.)
• Find More Cancer Resources on My Site
• Scriptures for Someone Going Through a Hard Time
• My CaringBridge Page
• As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks!

My Key Takeaways:

1) Offer to be a second set of ears. Dealing with the emotions of a cancer diagnosis is one thing; trying to keep track of all the information and appointments is another! I found that it was best to always have a second set of ears around to help make sure I was keeping track of all the information I needed to know. You can help someone that has cancer by offering to be a second set of ears, keeping good notes on all the information you receive at each appointment.

2) Don’t be afraid to ask questions. When you are on a cancer journey, it’s important that you are able to advocate for yourself. Make sure you are speaking up and telling your doctors about side effects you are experiencing and if you want to try other medications. Don’t be afraid to ask for a second opinion so you can ensure you not only understand what is going on, but also that you are making the best decisions.

3) Don’t make the little “c” bigger than the big “C.” Christ is bigger than cancer. It is normal to want to ask, “Why me?” The answer is that we live in a broken world and because of that brokenness bad things happen all the time, even to good people. Instead of asking “Why me?” we should ask God, “What do you want me to see? How do you want me to live this out?” Cancer is not something that anyone would wish to have as a part of their journey, but the lessons God taught me through that season were priceless.