Hi My name is Charmaine Washington, and I have sickle cell anemia. Sickle cell anemia is an inherited, lifelong, serious disorder in which the body produces red blood cells with an abnormal, sickle shape, meaning they are shaped like the letter C. Though not a cancer, the treatment of sickle …
Read More »Claudette’s Story (Breast Cancer)
When our daughter, Lori, at the age of 34 was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer, we were so frightened. Little did we know that our world would change just as hers had. Being that Lori lived in Alabama, I wanted to be able to help care for her much as …
Read More »Mary Ann’s Story (Fibromyalgia)
I will be 50 this year. I am a single mom and work full-time as a school counselor. I have had arthritis in my knees since I was a very little girl, although it was never diagnosed as such. I have had surgery on both knees and on my right wrist. Over …
Read More »Kathy’s Story (Breast Cancer)
In May of 2011 at the young age of 49 I went for my yearly check up and mammogram. Everything came back normal, there was no sign of anything wrong. Four weeks later when I was doing my monthly breast exam myself I found a lump in my right breast. …
Read More »Veronica’s Fight Like A Girl Story (Multiple Sclerosis)
Hi, I am sharing my life with multiple sclerosis. Back in 2004, I was pregnant. The pregnancy was going good until November 8 2004. I went into preterm labor at 7 1/2 months. They couldn’t stop labor, and my son Kyle was born. He was a beautiful baby boy born …
Read More »Lisa’s Story (Breast Cancer)
I am 37 years old and have recently been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. The past 3 months have been a whirlwind! One of the most important people in my life was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April and earned her wings in June. My grandmother was such an …
Read More »Jamie’s Fight Like a Girl Story (Kidney Disease)
I was always such an athletic person, from childhood through high school, so it was a huge shocker when I was diagnosed with FSGS, a type of chronic kidney disease, in August of 2009 at 26 years old. I was later diagnosed with celiac disease in April of 2011. As …
Read More »Barbi’s Fight Like a Girl Story (Lupus – SLE)
I am from Mount Airy, North Carolina and my name is Barbi Manchester. I am thirty three years old and have lived a normal, active life. Five years ago my normal, active life received a “kick in the pants” and came to a screeching halt. I was diagnosed with systemic …
Read More »Alicia’s Story (Brain Cancer)
Hi ,my name is Alicia Willis and I am 24 years old. I have brain cancer right now and always will. I was getting severe headaches all the time and they were getting worse, so I went to a hospital to see what was going on and they said that …
Read More »Tracy’s Story (Breast Cancer)
Hello all, my name is Tracy. I wanted to share my story with you so you can see that, although it is not always easy to fight, we can fight back together. I was diagnosed first with diabetes at age 7. I have had diabetes for 32 years now. I …
Read More »