How do you maintain hope?

Some of our members shared:

"One day at a time and my family."

"I was depressed and then I got great news I’m going to be a great-great grandma 👵🏼 and gave me the strength to go on, I want to meet my great-great baby!"

"I try not to focus on anything bad going on and concentrate on the good."

"I pray, a lot, and realize some things are beyond my control. I try to let go and let God."

"I have been on my cancer journey since 2013. I have MBC, it’s spread to my spine T 9, 10 & 11, in my lower back, right femur & recently to my liver. Most days I have a great since of hope. Which I attribute to my faith. Then other days it’s an uphill battle. I feel completely lucky to have my husband, daughter & son. I also have a handful of life long friends & new friends that I know pray endlessly for me. So I would say hang on your faith, family and friends."

"12 years of fighting the beast called MBC. My mantra is never, ever give up. Better to be the victor than the victim."

"My faith in God ❤️ because at the end of the day... I know he's got this 🤗🤗"

"I was diagnosed with stage IV Triple Positive in 2018. Belonging to an in-person women's cancer support group has helped me. You don't feel so alone and it makes me feel good to be able to support others in their fight. And...it is a fight. I gave it up to God but find I often have to remind myself that I did."


What would you add? How do you maintain hope? 💛

I have been living with MBC since July 2004. My kids were young and they kept me busy and distracted. I would do as much as I could and viewed cancer as an unwanted house guest. I was an active advocate for myself, and maintained open communication with my oncologist.

I exercise as much as I can, when I can and try to focus on being grateful.
I pray a lot. I connect with family and friends.

"When the world says, "Give up." Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."

I joined a group of survivors who are very active in a team sport. I am busy with them attending promotions, raising money for cancer research, exercising, and competing as a team. I am suffering with MBC, but I push through it to keep having an amazing life.

Hello Christine, The group is a dragon boat team - a breast cancer survivor group of women, the only group in this division, The Prairie Dragon Paddlers,
in Illinois. Not even Chicago has a boat in this division. Our season has just finished because of the weather, but we still meet to stay social or raise money for breast cancer research. Our group consists of all ages although half the group is older.
We race other states and just came home from Kentucky with a second place medal where we were taken out of our division and had to race men. When we came in after winning a race, a man in a competing boat was heard to say, " We just got beat by a bunch of old women!" I have about 8+ medals and have been racing since 2016. We practice twice a week in season at Homer Lake, a beautiful wild area in the countryside. A dragon boat is about 42 odd feet long with ten seats. Paddlers number 20 with 2 sharing a seat. We have a person up front with a drum and a steerer with a big oar at the other end. A Canadian doctor felt the paddling action is excellent for breast cancer survivors. I couldn't agree with him more! I can be in pain and within 3 paddles I feel good. In fact we are going to New Zealand next April to compete in the internationals for Breast Cancer Survivors that occurs every 4 years. So excited as I was born in NZ and will get to see family as well. In 2013/14 I received treatment for Stage III and went through it all. In 2020 I found out I have MBC. I really want some more time to get my life in order and at this stage I am doing well. I can celebrate a beautiful life where I have experienced many cultures and wonderful people. The breast cancer community is indeed an important part of my life-experience. Thank you for reading!