“What would you say to the woman in this photo who was at the beginning of her breast cancer journey?” That was the question we asked survivors who gathered for SurvivorNet’s Breast Cancer Dialogues. We hope the conversation that transpired will help you get through this time and make a big impact on how you think about creating your next chapter.
For Connecticut native, mom, and entrepreneur Joshalyn Mills, her wedding day photo carries a bittersweet weight. The date, July 7, 2017, was chosen intentionally.
Read More“I knew that on my wedding day the results were going to come back,” she said. Looking back, she says she would offer her younger self compassion, “If I could go back in time, I would definitely tell myself to relax. You know who you are.”
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New York resident and Marathon runner, Viviana Figueroa, reflects on a photo of herself taken at the Dubin Breast Center, a reminder of one of the more challenging chapters of her journey. Looking back at that version of herself, she says she would want to whisper something simple but profound: everything is going to be okay. What once felt endless, she now sees as temporary. She reflects that God was quietly at work, preparing to answer her deepest prayer in a way she never could have imagined.
Yoga teacher and massage therapist, Suzanne Hyde, shared an image taken just weeks into treatment. She admitted that, at the time, she thought she was “kicking it” but soon learned harder days were ahead.
“I would tell this version of myself that the worst is still yet to come. You think you feel bad now, wait for radiation,” she joked. Yet, even in hindsight, she acknowledged the strength in simply showing up, “But you’re kicking it now. I’m kicking it now. That’s what I would tell her.”
For Marygrace Graves, who works in marketing in New York City, her portrait came during a moment of uncertainty and vulnerability. Looking back, she says she would reassure her past self with faith and gentleness, “Everything is going to be okay, as cliché as it is. I would also tell her not to worry so much and to surrender control and just know that she is supported and she’ll get through this time.”
Together, these “portraits” are more than snapshots. They are reminders of resilience, capturing the complexity of survivorship and the wisdom that follows. Each woman’s reflection transforms a still image into a testament of strength, showing that while cancer altered their journeys, it never defined their spirit.
Content independently created by SurvivorNet with support from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.
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