The Key Players

“I can do things you cannot, and you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.” -Mother Theresa

The Starters:

• Your Support System

  • Family, friends, significant others, teammates, co-workers, etc. find the people in your life that will support you throughout this process. Some days were easy and “normal” for me, others I felt like I got hit by a bus, some days I was sad, some I was happy… this whole experience is a rollercoaster ride. Make sure you have the right people around you to help you manage the ups and downs.

• The Doctors

  • “Put me in coach!” They are the ones controlling your destiny. Listen to what they say, absorb it, ask questions and follow the game plan.

• The Nurses & Support Staff

  • Although the doctors will be the one determining the course of treatment you will be spending a lot of time with the nurses and staff that work on the doctor’s team. They are there to help you.

  • I am so incredibly thankful to all of the nurses and staff that helped with all of the different parts of my treatment. They kept me sane.

• THE COLD CAP!!!

  • I did not lose my hair during chemotherapy. During my chemotherapy treatments I used the Paxman Hub Cold Cap. This scalp cooling technology developed by Paxman prevented complete hair loss during chemotherapy.

  • Check out the photos below to see how I got to look like an Avatar for 8 Mondays in 2019.

  • Those of you who know me that getting my highlights done are 4 of my favorite days of the year. Needless to say I was VERY thankful to have my hair after treatment AND be able to color it after 6 months! I still can’t believe my Mom let me out of the house like that!

The Bench:

• The Insurance Company

  • Make sure to call your insurance company within 30 days of diagnosis. Some insurance companies have specific programs that will cover the FULL cost of your treatments.

• Cancer Support Groups

  • There are many different cancer support groups out there that can help you during your treatments. Your doctor will have access to many resources and will be able to point you in the right direction but it is great to speak to peers or other patients who have been through the process.

    • The Young Survival Coalition is one of the organizations I relied on when I was going through treatment. YSC has great resources and tools to help young survivors with understanding treatment, fertility and family planning and quality of life before, during and after treatment.

• Counseling Services

  • Many hospitals offer counseling services specifically for cancer patients. If this is something you are interested in make sure to ask you doctor if this is something the hospital provides.

  • Your insurance company might also offer counseling services separate from the hospital.

• Speak with your “Peers”

  • If you have the opportunity to speak to other patients who have gone through the same “cancer” and discuss what their course of treatment was. I spoke to incredible women who had won their fights with breast cancer and they gave me so many tips & tricks, questions to ask the doctors and offered words of encouragement to help me through my fight.