15 Best Breast Cancer Blogs


My 15 Favorite Breast Cancer Blogs


I've been blogging about breast cancer for a number of years now. Along the way, I've made a lot of great connections with other breast cancer bloggers who, like me, write from their personal experience with breast cancer. I want to share with you my top 15 best breast cancer blogs.

These survivors and co-survivors have chronicled their lives publicly with poignant detail. The stories are informative and breath-taking. My goal in sharing this list is to show the humanity of breast cancer. Many people are mesmerized by the pink ribbon. We are often exalted as pillars of strength and inspiration. While we can be that (both strong and inspiring) we are, most of all, human. We are frail. We may be weak. We are often overwhelmed with treatments, medications, side effects and the emotional enormity of the diagnosis. We are people fighting for another chance at life.

Although I have yet to find another blogger just like me (single/unmarried, childless and black*) I am blessed and lucky to be connected with such awesome people. I am fortunate enough to have met some of these amazing bloggers and I consider them my friends. There are other friends that I haven't met in person, but we've bonded and I feel connected to them just the same. The great thing about following these various stories is that it gives me so much information that I wouldn't otherwise know about. Every diagnosis is different and every patient's journey is different. I learn a lot about breast cancer from their stories.



At any rate, please take a look at my list. No... really click on the links and look at the blogs. If you like them, be sure to leave a comment for the blogger. Bloggers like comments. *ahem, ahem*

15 best breast cancer blogs (in no particular order)

  1. Journeying Beyond Breast Cancer
  2. Breast Cancer? But doctor... I hate pink!
  3. City Girl blog
  4. ChemoBabe!
  5. Let Life Happen
  6. Bumpy Boobs
  7. Feisty Blue Gecko
  8. Graceful Woman Warrior
  9. The Fight We Didn't Choose - My Wife's Fight with Breast Cancer
  10. Lisa Bonchek Adams blog
  11. I Have Breast Cancer blog
  12. Chemobrain In The Fog
  13. Afro Chemo
  14. Tales of a 3 Time Cancer Warrior
  15. Dancing With Cancer: Living with Mets, the new normal
  16. My Fabulous Boobies (of course I had to list this one)

*There is a major disparity in the mortality rates for black American women compared to white American women. We do not get breast cancer at the same rate as our white sisters, but we are more likely to die from the disease. That difference is why it is important for me to keep blogging and to continue to raise awareness. My sisters are dying and I want to keep my face out there so that the sisters who come behind me, see that they are not alone. You can learn more about this issue here: http://www.blackwomenshealth.org/issues-and-resources/black-women-and-breast-cancer/

If you know any other breast cancer bloggers leave their link in the comments. Or just comment and say hey. I like heys...







Handling feelings of being a fraud

I feel like a fraud. 


breast cancer scars infographic (My Fabulous Boobies blog)
I've been struggling the past few weeks with a strange feeling of being a fraud. As I plot and plan and procrastinate and find ways to distract myself from actually writing my book, I realize that some of the questions that enter my mind (repeatedly) are centered around the idea that people will not want to read what I've written.

A friend suggested that I write daily reasons why my voice matters. I was supposed to do this for 30 days. I think I lasted four days. I wrote a bunch of reasons (about 20) and they are all true... but it didn't assuage my fraudulent feelings for long. (Yes, I am returning to this assignment immediately) One conversation that I have often with my boyfriend is why I don't see myself the way that others do. I really can't answer that question. So, my trusty friend Mr. Google allowed me to search for more information about feeling like a fraud. I learned a lot.

Imposter Syndrome is real.


The term that is used to describe this phenomenon is "Imposter Syndrome" and it seems to be very prevalent among women. (figures) For some reason, we simply are uncomfortable accepting that we are as knowledgeable about things as we are. (sounds like me) I don't like the word "imposter" even though I suppose it is valid. But, the words "Imposter Syndrome" are so JARRING to me. How can I be an imposter about my own life? It is, after all, MY life.

*blink, blink*

Well smarty pants... how is that different from feeling like a fraud? 

*silent stares*

Welp... that's a good question. My answer? I dunno.

Reminding yourself of what you have accomplished does help


WEGO Health health activist award, twitterFacebook has this cool feature now where you can look at your timeline/news feed from the same date in a different year. Last night while I was procrastinating and thinking, I looked at my news feed from a year ago.

*sigh*

One year ago, I was nominated for an award based on my twitter activity which centers around this blog. Which is based on my life. I won the award by the way. (smile)  So... if people who don't know me, found me on twitter and watched my activity and felt that it was worthy of an award... whyyyyy do I feel like a fraud?

I have no earthly idea. *sigh*


Turn your city pink 2012 winners event, breast cancer advocates

A year before that, I was invited to a breast cancer blogger panel discussion in London; again, based solely on what was found on the internet. All based on this blog, which is based on my life. A month before that London trip, I was a featured cancer survivor in a social media campaign for a multinational corporation. And so on. I'm not tooting my own horn because for some reason that makes me uncomfortable. But I am showing that there is a pattern here where I have done good work and yet I still don't think it is good enough.

I think a portion of my fraudulent feelings come from understanding the enormity of the breast cancer experience and feeling incapable of articulating all of the variances and nuances of this disease, its treatment and survivorship. I feel as though I should be more versed in everything even though I know logically that it simply is not possible. People have been studying this disease for years and are perplexed and confused by it as well. People far smarter and more educated than I am.

*ding*  And perhaps that is the challenge I am facing. Am I discounting the value of my experience with breast cancer? I suppose in some ways I am. That is a shame.

My Fabulous Boobies blog social media screenshotsI looked through my blog and found three separate posts here, here and here... where I discussed feeling like a fraud. Isn't that something?

I am a survivor. That is a good thing. 


Being a survivor is (sometimes) a really heavy experience. It is so emotional, so physical and so confusing. I don't always know who I am. I feel as though the entire world shifted under my feet and I still don't quite have my bearings. And then I will read something I wrote years ago and I remember how much I've been through and how much I've shared. How much I've grown and... how much I may have taught someone else. Then I feel more grounded that my experiences are valid.

*lightbulb moment*

My experiences and my feelings are valid. I have a voice in this world. 


I am not a medical doctor specializing in oncology. It is not likely that I will discover the cure to cancer. I am, however, a writer and a storyteller. There is no valid minimization of that gift.

Let me repeat that for myself...

I made it. I survived breast cancer. What else can I do? I am a writer and a storyteller. There is NO valid minimization of that gift. 

One of my favorite pictures of myself was taken near the end of my chemotherapy treatment. I am bald as a cueball and my lashes are gone. But I am smiling so big because I am happy. I was having a good day with good friends. My eyes are dancing and I seem to be saying... "I made it. I survived breast cancer. What else can I do?"

I made it. I survived breast cancer. What else can I do? ~Nic Nac Paddywack


What have you survived, learned, witnessed that gives you the power and self-encouragement to tackle that next step? I know you've done something amazing. Let me know in the comments, so that I can celebrate you. Remember, your experiences are valid and your voice matters.



The husband's guide to breast cancer

Couple holding hands. Love: Its worth fighting for. Its the one thing in life that truly is...
A couple of months ago I was introduced to Todd Outcalt. Todd is a co-survivor; his wife Becky is an 11 year survivor of breast cancer. Because of their experience with the disease, Todd wrote a helpful book for husbands of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer based on information he learned while they went through treatment. When I learned about the book, I was touched and happy that Todd chose to add his voice to the conversation about breast cancer. Co-survivors need support and this book should provide a good source of information for them. Please read his heartfelt post and be sure to share it with any husbands that you know who may need to understand that they aren't alone in this journey with their wife.

-----------------------

Three Goals for Guys



Soon after my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer I went in search of helpful information and tips that would prepare me for my role as a support partner. This information wasn’t readily available.  There were plenty of books, magazines and web sites devoted to a woman’s needs (and rightly so), but guides designed to help men were fewer and farther between.


In short order, however, I began receiving helpful counsel from friends and family members who had walked this path with their wives.  There were more breast cancer survivor husbands than I realized.


Taking away the best of the best, I eventually settled upon three goals that I wanted to achieve as a support partner and husband through my wife’s breast cancer journey.  I pass them along here as key ingredients to your support, and hope you will find them helpful.


Goal #1:  Be the support—don’t just talk about it.



This was important on many fronts.  There were many aspects of my wife’s journey that were not conducive to my presence.  I would have rather talked about these, or assigned someone else to “be there.”  For example, spending the night with my wife post-surgery was a draining experience (the cot, the sleeplessness, the discussion with nurses).  But I couldn’t just say I was supportive, I had be there with my wife, by her side, and with every one of the subsequent steps in her healing it became easier to accomplish.  Our love deepened through these fearful and uncomfortable points, and I was glad that I made every effort, cleared my calendar, and took the journey with her.
 


Goal #2:  Wear different hats.



The breast cancer journey will press men to be and do what they didn’t think was possible.  During my wife’s surgery and recovery period I learned how to cook from her recipes, completed my first loads of laundry, changed bed linens, fluffed pillows, made runs to the grocery store, accompanied my children to school activities, and generally ran the household by myself for a short period.  I wouldn’t say I was a single-parent, but close.  All of these varied endeavors taught me much, however.  And I essentially learned that I had a greater capacity for multi-tasking than I realized.  Even work was easier once I returned to the desk.  After breast cancer, the rest of life is gravy and the days seem simpler and less complicated.  Wearing all of those hats increased my life skills and my talents.


Goal # 3:  Bring our lives back to “normal”.

Book cover. Husband's guide to breast cancer


Well, what’s normal?  In truth, life never completely returns to the same place after a breast cancer experience.  She is changed.  And he usually is, too.  But this isn’t a bad thing . . . in fact, it can be quite positive.  What I discovered is that we were creating a new “normal” post-recovery.  My wife changed careers (this is more common than you think!) and I was soon talking about these experiences and seeing the carry over to other aspects of our lives (marriage, parenting, careers).  All in all, getting back to normal is simply learning how to help your wife live as a breast cancer survivor.  Time changes things—and most couples discover that the new normal is better than the old.  It’s all in how you look at it.


~Todd Outcalt, author of Husband’s Guide to Breast Cancer (Blue River Books). His wife, Becky, is an 11-year breast cancer survivor.
 You can purchase Todd's book via this link: 
Husband's Guide to Breast Cancer: A Complete & Concise Plan for Every Stage




Web Statistics