Living

In early spring an email arrived in my inbox inviting me to join a group of bladder cancer survivors from across the country to visit Washington DC and meet with...

Pre-cancer, I was a product-testing junkie. I have always loved trying new skincare, haircare, electronics, apps – you name it. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.Nowadays...

My passion for raising awareness of bladder cancer gets re-lit almost daily. Sometimes it is fuelled by a good news story. A story of someone who has come out the...

Before I was diagnosed with bladder cancer and in the subsequent 6 months after diagnosis I lost an extreme amount of weight. This is very characteristic of most cancer patients...

Living in another country during my mother’s cancer journey brought myriad obstacles and issues I never expected. From learning how to "be there" when I couldn’t physically be there to...

You may be reading this as a new ostomate. Or you may be reading it has someone with ostomy surgery planned. It may be that you are reading this as...

As a child, one of my favorite books was Stand Back, Said the Elephant, I'm Going to Sneeze, by Patricia Thomas. It always made me laugh – and it still...

I don’t think anyone forgets the time, day, or date they first heard that word: the “C” word. That day, in many ways, changes your life forever, the day you...

Breast and balls. We feel comfortable talking about cancers that attack those body parts. Charities have done an amazing job of removing social taboos and making conversations about awareness, self-checks...

One evening, I found myself sitting on the sofa with my mom, having another one of our cancer “hash it out sessions.” It never fails; whenever I visit, we spend...

Do you remember hearing the words ostomy, stoma, urostomy, or ileal conduit? I can bet many of you, like me, had never heard of them or knew what they were...

When my mother was diagnosed with stage 3 bladder cancer, I was studying abroad. Being so far apart when receiving the news of her diagnosis was definitely a challenging time...

Empowerment. What does it mean? At its core, empowerment enables individuals or groups to gain greater control over their lives, making decisions that positively affect their well-being. But for someone...

After my radical cystectomy (RC), I experienced quite a few complications and spent a significant amount of time in a rehab facility. Due to staffing issues, I could not get...

As a family we’ve always been a pretty positive bunch. Growing up, our house was always one filled with laughter and jokes, sarcasm and satire. No one was exempt from...

The night before, my wife and I talked a little about my visit today. I told her this was the most humiliating of all my follow-ups, and I've had a...

We all need support and to not feel alone. When I read of cancer patients who feel alone because they are not comfortable sharing their story with others, or because...

I am finally going on my first big trip since being diagnosed with bladder cancer - a 1-week cruise to the Virgin Islands. I am so excited, but also very...

Having been an ostomate for 6 and a half years now and very active in the bladder cancer and ostomy communities, I know that even within the US, wound, ostomy...

As winter turns to spring and thoughts turn from spring to summer, many of us will start to think of vacations. If you are new to life with an ostomy...