Get Informed

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month!  Do you know what that means??  It’s time to take action in the fight against pediatric cancer!  This month, I want to share some important statistics and resources about childhood cancer and how to become an advocate for all of the kids who have, …

Hello my friends! I am writing this next article (finally, I know) on needing a transplant because it is a question I get often, usually after I have scared someone with liver disease by telling my story. (whoa Nelly, hold your horses, I was sick for many years before being …

A soft beanie slips over the small head of one who should not be hairless A needle plunges into the hip bone of one who should not know that kind of pain A single word scares one who should not yet know true fear Thoughts beyond this world float in …

Fibromyalgia, in a large part, now controls my life. In fact, it gives chronic pain to more than 10 million Americans, and 3-6% of the global population (most of whom are women, but can also effect men and children).  Fibromyalgia is also common in families, and my family is no …

In the battle of childhood cancer, we see kids and their families, nurses, and doctors who are on the front lines every day. It’s important, however, to recognize and acknowledge those behind the scenes- those out of the direct line of fire who make the fight possible. Although overlooked in …

Click to read part 2 The last of two Hepatitis in my trilogy may surprise you. The first one, Alcoholic Steatohepatitis is a syndrome of progressive inflammatory liver injury caused by long-term or heavy alcohol abuse and is one of the leading causes of cirrhosis in America. This form of …

During my journey with cancer, visitors who appeared at my bedside delivered an array of reactions–no two were the same.  It taught me a lot about what to tell someone going through cancer and how to treat them.  What I really didn’t want was to be treated differently because of …

A previvor by definition is a word used describe those who have a higher risk for cancer due to close family history or due to certain genetic mutations (like the BRCA1 or BRCA2), but do not have a cancer diagnosis. According the non-profit organization FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer) …

When an ill child is brought to the doctor, cancer is the last word on everyone’s mind.  Kids are known for being energetic, youthful, and healthy…which means many narrow down symptoms to simple ailments.  But when a sick child reappears week after week through the doctor’s office door, it is …

National Endometriosis Awareness Month is upon us once again! If you are anything like me, you may wonder, what on earth does it mean and how can I be a part of it? Granted it is not like October where every venue you enter is flooded with pink and where …