Blog | Facing Cancer Together

You're never "too young" to have cancer

I highly recommend the LGFB services to anyone going through cancer treatment. It is an empowering way to take hold of your self-confidence when it is mostly out of your hands.

I sat among the middle aged women at a mere 22 years old, having been in remission under a year and still stark bald, and answered questions as to how someone as young as me could get cancer to the best of my ability.

Jan. 2, 2018 | by Ashlinn Sarah Jane

Moving on after cancer

Moving on after cancer has been both easier and harder than I thought it would be; 1, 3, 5, and now 7 years later.

Dec. 21, 2017 | by Ashlinn Sarah Jane

This is the place for young adults with cancer

As a young adult with cancer we are largely a part of a minority. It (mostly) distances us from family, friends, colleagues, and love interests.

Nov. 22, 2017 | by Ashlinn Sarah Jane

Hair can be part of our identity - but it doesn't define me

I went through three different hair lengths before my stem cell transplant, each one getting shorter as time went on, until I decided to have my sister shave my hair off completely.

Oct. 12, 2017 | by Ashlinn Sarah Jane

How chemotherapy affected my reproductive health

After the stem cell transplant, I went almost 6 years without a period and no, they didn't come back naturally.

Sept. 6, 2017 | by Ashlinn Sarah Jane

Everything does not happen for a reason - especially cancer

It's problematic that we think we have any type of grasp or control over the outcome of anything let alone a potential life-threatening, rogue disease.

Aug. 4, 2017 | by Ashlinn Sarah Jane

This is what comforted me during cancer treatment

Today I'd like to talk about some of the things that were a comfort to me during my cancer treatments. I will go through some of the categories that are particularly difficult for cancer patients and talk about what within them helped get me through.

July 7, 2017 | by Ashlinn Sarah Jane

I ran a half marathon to raise funds for the cancer I was diagnosed with

A little over three years ago I ran a half marathon to raise funds for blood cancer. It was a particularly special event for me as the afternoon before my departure I was given the coordinates of my bone marrow donor.

June 19, 2017 | by Ashlinn Sarah Jane

You're never 'too young' to have cancer

Despite comments that I was 'too young' to have cancer -- which I clearly wasn't considering I was there, recovering from leukemia -- the women were all friendly and kind ...This was just a microcosm of society's general difficulty in dealing with sickness in youth.

May 24, 2017 | by Ashlinn Sarah Jane

Fertility: A sensitive, but relevant subject in the cancer community

Cancer grips our lives unexpectedly, even more so for the young who are expecting a long and bright future. Cancer robs us of our future sometimes, and for most, the ability to even think long-term. I was privy to this experience when I was diagnosed with leukemia at 21.

April 4, 2017 | by Ashlinn Sarah Jane