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Welcome! This is the place where you will find lots of helpful and interesting information about I Had Cancer events, member spotlights, and featured connections. You will also find guest blogs, editorials about current news and much more.

We hope that what you find here will bring you closer to finding Health, Hope, and Happiness.

Jun 17 2013 - 11:23am | by MightyMelanie
BRCA2 When Melanie's doctors suggested that she should undergo genetic testing after being diagnosed with breast cancer, she didn't think twice. That's when she learned about one of the many traits she shared with her father: the BRCA2 gene.

My Father died on November 2, 2009 after facing down prostate cancer and then renal failure. Sadly, I was not at his side when he passed away peacefully in his sleep before dawn. I had just completed my second breast cancer surgery within six weeks and was still in New York with a drain attached to the left side of my body.

I adored my...
Jun 12 2013 - 5:04pm | by heat_dziczek
Silent Killers Carcinogens and neurotoxins in our laundry detergent? And shampoo? This is the first of a two-part series on what is in the cleaners we buy and realistic steps to take to reduce exposure to ourselves and our families.

Hi! My name is Heat. One of my many identities is cancer survivor. I'm over five years out from the end of my treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma. Technically, I am cured. Hooray! I am grateful for restored health, few side effects, and, for now, cheating death.

But I'm angry.

I’m not angry that at the tender age of 31, I heard those three...
Jun 9 2013 - 10:28am | by daveparadis
A Toast To The Grumpy People After experiencing the roller coaster of emotions that were thrown at David's family after his wife's breast cancer diagnosis, he considers anger and "grumpiness" as simply a waste of time.

It was a gorgeous Spring Sunday in Massachusetts: brilliant blue sky and seventy degrees. Nina and I had gotten in the car to go see our oldest daughter perform in her final dance competition of the year. At the end of our street, two girls had a lemonade stand and there was a car stopped with its hazards lights on. The people in front of us had just bought their lemonade and I assumed they’d be on their way,...
Jun 7 2013 - 2:09pm | by Lockey
Exercise and Cancer Part 1 Do you take the time to check in with your body and identify where any pain or discomfort is coming from? In part 2 of a four-part series, Lockey shares some tips and exercise recommendations.

Unfortunately, because of all the lingering treatment side effects, post-treatment cancer survivors are not sure where or how to begin an exercise program. I always recommend that my clients to begin at the beginning. Cancer treatment affected us at a cellular level so it would stand to reason our entire body was affected by the treatment. The best place to rebuild a machine to make it strong and stable is at...
Jun 5 2013 - 1:33pm | by tambre
Let's face it, when you are faced with a cancer diagnosis, you learn a lot of new words - and old words take on a whole new meaning. In a new series of guest blog posts from cancer coach Tambre Leighn, she will be exploring many of these words that we all can associate with. Read more to find out what she says about the word "gratitude."

When my late husband was diagnosed, we both agreed to do our best to find the opportunities or insights in the experience — that’s how we normally approached life. We saw the chance to grow together, learn more about ourselves and to work together as a team and were grateful for these gifts....
Jun 3 2013 - 10:31am | by DebbieWWGN
Exercise and Cancer Part 1 How does it feel to be diagnosed with cancer, but not be sure you qualify as a cancer patient? In this guest blog post, Debbie looks back at the process of finding her cancer identity, supportive circle and voice in the cancer community – all of which she attributes to the power of "me too."

I would bet big money that very few people diagnosed with cancer also hear, "You’re lucky." I did. You’d probably think that was a good thing. Of course you’d be right, but that only tells half the story.

At age 49, I dutifully went for my yearly mammogram without a care (or lump) in the world. Days...
May 31 2013 - 12:33pm | by TeamIHadCancer
Melanoma: A Visual Guide Do you want to learn more about Melanoma but you don't know where to start? We've worked with Healthline.com to create an infographic that gives you the vital information you need all in one image.

There's a lot of information out there.

When you google "cancer", there are more than 3 billion results. Even when narrow your search, you're still left with millions of pages to sort through. That's why we wanted to make it easier for you to find the information you're looking for. With the help of editors from...
May 28 2013 - 3:04pm | by citygirlblogs
Exercise and Cancer Part 1 Sex. Oncologists rarely talk about it, but patients and their partners want to know how to prioritize intimacy during surgery and treatment. How can you maintain some sense of sexual normalcy in the midst of all the changes?

Part of the appeal of Sex and the City was that women could identify with the characters. I was no exception. I blogged about my dating life like Carrie, possessed Charlotte’s idealism, was a redheaded attorney like Miranda, and was extremely comfortable with my sexuality like Samantha. In 2010, I was chosen as “Samantha”...
May 24 2013 - 1:42pm | by Lockey
Exercise And Cancer Part 1 Do you take the time to check in with your body and identify where any pain or discomfort is coming from? In part 1 of a four-part series, Lockey shares advice on how to rekindle the mind/body connection so that you can begin a successful exercise program.

When your body is experiencing chronic pain (and/or side effects of cancer treatment), the brain changes. We start focusing on the pain, the fear that the pain will be permanent. Chronic pain causes stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety can show up in the body as pain, insomnia, eating too much or too little, and changes our breathing patterns....
May 22 2013 - 2:00pm | by LotsToLiveFor
Keep Track of Health Whether you are currently healthy or managing a chronic illness, you should be keeping track of your personal health records. In this guest blog post, Margot shares some tips and resources that can help you ensure that your records are thorough and up to date.

Did you know that medical errors are the third largest cause of death after heart disease and cancer? Whether you are currently healthy or managing a chronic illness it is always the right time to create a thorough and up to date personal health record. Create or update your personal health record now to give yourself and your loved ones peace of...