Job Hunting With CancerAs a young adult with bladder cancer, one of the biggest hurdles has been balancing my career and my cancer. I needed to continue working out of necessity as I... By Brittney Tellekamp3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments1 comments
Using a Co-Pay Assistance ProgramImmunotherapy is an incredibly expensive cancer treatment. On average, it can cost a patient over 100,000 dollars per year in drug costs alone for this life-saving treatment. Oftentimes due to... By Brittney Tellekamp3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments1 comments
Get a NotebookMedical appointments are hectic. Often times you are meeting with several people and covering many different issues in what feels like a rush. I know my oncologist can seem like... By Brittney Tellekamp2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
No Evidence of DiseaseIt finally happened. Two years into treatment and I received the scan report I had been hoping for. The report read "no evidence of disease recurrence or progression". This means... By Brittney Tellekamp2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments15 comments
World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition SurveyIn March of 2020, I was invited to join the patient advisory board for the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition. The board consists of members across the globe, with various... By Brittney Tellekamp2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
For The Next MeWhen I first started patient advocacy I was told I needed to find my "why." My reason for advocacy is what would make my work genuine and ensure others would... By Brittney Tellekamp3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments1 comments
Hiking with an OstomyThe weather has finally turned chilly and the leaves are putting on their best show of fall colors. With the great outdoors calling my name I decided to take back... By Brittney Tellekamp2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments1 comments
Ostomy HacksHaving lived with my urostomy for over two years I'm pretty confident in all aspects of ostomy life. My bag change routine is down to a science and nothing about... By Brittney Tellekamp4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments7 comments
Road Trip with an OstomyI love to travel and explore any chance I get, and even before COVID, this came in the form of long road trips. When air travel became more restricted and... By Brittney Tellekamp2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Being Nominated for a WEGO Health AwardIn June, an email popped up with the subject line, "Congratulations, you've been nominated!" The first thing I thought was, nominated for what? Well, I was nominated in a category... By Brittney Tellekamp2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Speaking at the Bladder Cancer RetreatBack in September, I had the absolute honor of speaking at the 2021 North Carolina Bladder Cancer Retreat. It was incredibly exciting, nerve-wracking, and it remains one of the most... By Brittney Tellekamp3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments1 comments
Is it Normal or is it Cancer?We have all been there. You're in active treatment or maybe even NED (no evidence of disease). One day you feel a strange pain and your brain goes into overdrive... By Brittney Tellekamp2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Urostomy Hydration: Tips and TricksStaying well-hydrated is a top priority for anyone with an ostomy, but possibly even more important for those of us with a urostomy. Proper hydration is vital for kidney health... By Brittney Tellekamp2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments1 comments
Getting HelpOne thing I wish I had understood earlier in my cancer journey (and life in general) is it is OK to not be OK. I've always grown up with the... By Brittney Tellekamp2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments6 comments
Setting BoundariesWhen I started sharing my story online, I never anticipated just how many people would start following along. In just a few short months I had subscribers, a partnership with... By Brittney Tellekamp3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments1 comments
Changing My Medical TeamIn May of this year, I was faced with a difficult situation. Stay at the small cancer center I had moved to for maintenance treatment or transfer back to the... By Brittney Tellekamp3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
My Bladder Cancer Medical BinderWhen I was diagnosed with bladder cancer I suddenly found myself in charge of tracking, packing, and keeping so many different things with me at all times. Extra ostomy supplies... By Brittney Tellekamp4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments1 comments
Reading Labs and Raising Red FlagsI am always emphasizing that cancer patients should make a point to be the most educated person in the room. I don't mean you need a medical degree and know... By Brittney Tellekamp2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Going SoloCOVID changed how so many hospitals, cancer centers, patients, and their families have to approach treatment and procedures. A year and a half later, and most facilities are either strictly... By Brittney Tellekamp3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Navigating Career Moves with Bladder CancerNo matter what your stage, type of treatment, or even what urinary diversion you may end up with after a bladder cancer diagnosis, there is one certain thing. Cancer will... By Brittney Tellekamp4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments