Stand Up To Cancer

Erica Rex

In a blog post for the New York Times, Erica Rex, diagnosed last year with breast cancer, looks at the high cost of cancer care. Her piece, "Cancer I Can't Afford," offers a firsthand perspective on managing the exorbitant co-pays and bills that come from treatments including a lumpectomy and radiation therapy. Eventually Rex and her boyfriend decided to move to the UK. "Finding out I had breast cancer came as a shock," she writes. "But the really rude awakening was learning I'm not middle class anymore."
http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/12/cancer-i-cant-afford/

Amelia Frahm
This article out of Decatur, Alabama looks at a mom who, following a mastectomy, was inspired to write a children's book to explain "why Mommy always seemed to be feeling bad or grumpy." The mother of two wrote "Tickles Tabitha's Cancer-tankerous Mommy" and later founded her own publishing company, which sells the book. "Companies told me they didn't think there was a market for children's books about moms with cancer," she said. "But that was 15 years ago, and now things have changed . . . The main thing is I really want people to know that there is a children's book and cancer education program out there."
http://www.wkrg.com/raw_news/article/survivor-writes-kids-book-to-explain-cancer/268379/Aug-17-2009_3-07-am/

Joanne Munding
In a comment on last week's edition of With You, We Stand, Joanne Munding shared some inspiring words: "Being diagnosed is not the end, sometimes it is the beginning. I have been diagnosed several times and each time I fought back, but you know what? We are not victims, we are not to be pitied! We are survivors and thrivers!"

Ann Marie Della Fera
This article looks at kidney cancer survivor Ann Marie Della Fera, who in the months following removal of her cancerous kidney was inspired to record a CD of covers from the '40s to today. Now, having completed a lifelong dream, she offers the CD for free in return for a donation to the Kidney Cancer Association. "It's about how I can affect other people - getting the word out about kidney cancer and getting the word out about finding your passion," she said. "Everybody has a dream. You don't want to be at the end of your life and say, 'Why didn't I learn to cook? Why didn't I go to Spain or learn to horseback ride? Don't live life with regrets."
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090816/ENCORE01/908159966/-1/OPINION01

As always, we invite you to share your stories in the comments below.