I just read a post Tiny Stories: Why I Write by my friend, Marie Ennis-O'Connor She wrote her piece because of a prompt suggested by Linda Caroll https://substack.com/home/post/p-189895052 to write a tiny story no greater than 250 words.
Here is my response to that same prompt.
I write because back in 2005 I was diagnosed with stage three ovarian cancer. And I felt alone. I had surgery , chemotherapy, and countless scans and tests. I spoke on the phone to one survivor of ovarian cancer during my treatment. It was almost a year later until I met in person a survivor of ovarian cancer.
At first when asked to share my story I said no.
Then my gynecologic oncologist shared information about the LiveSTRONG Summit with me. I was lucky to be chosen to attend. I came home feeling energized and ready to share my story and advocate for a screening test for ovarian cancer.
In December of 2007, I started writing this blog. I shared how it felt to be a survivor of a cancer that I had only a 30% chance of surviving 5 years. I talked about research. When I had a recurrence I shared the good and the bad - the surgery, loosing my hair again, the severe allergic reaction to carboplatin and the neuropathy. I wrote to share information about ovarian cancer with women in my state and the world. I "Meet" women in the US, UK and Canada through this blog.
By writing , I no longer felt alone. But even better than how I felt , I knew I was reaching other women and supporting them.
It is now nineteen years and I am still writing and making connections and feeling a part of a larger community and I am still advocating for research to develop a screening test for OC.
Dee
Every day is a blessing!
