
Caregivers Empower the Next Generation of Cancer Care
Posted August 3rd, 2023
Guest Post
The role of the caregiver is multi-faceted as they provide family members, friends and partners with the physical care and emotional support needed during treatments and beyond. This role is critical as they are often the patient’s lifeline, and they act as an advocate for the patient with the medical staff providing the treatments. Yet, […]

A Poet’s Autobiography of Cancer
Posted May 31st, 2023
OncoLink Team
In the fall of 2022, my life was changed by a single phone call when I was diagnosed with stage II B-cell, non-specified, non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a rare and aggressive cancer of the lymphatic system. For me, a large tumor was growing in my left armpit. The tumor was damaging my ulnar nerve to the point […]

Happy 29th Birthday OncoLink!
Posted March 7th, 2023
Carolyn Vachani, MSN, RN, AOCN
Twenty nine years and still going strong! When I was finishing up nursing school in 1994, computers were a novelty. I still researched my school papers using the card catalogue and email was just starting to gain popularity. In a small office at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Joel Goldwein was playing around with creating […]

New Year’s Wishes 2016
Posted December 29th, 2022
Bob Riter
I’d like to give myself a magic wand at this time of the year to grant wishes to those affected by cancer. This was a wish list I put together in 2015, yet it is still relevant. Maybe this will be the year my wishes come true! Here are my wishes for the upcoming year: […]

Grace and Love for Full Hands
Posted March 31st, 2021
Caring Connections Team
One of the ways we support and encourage our staff at the cancer center is to periodically offer a “blessing of the hands”. We have also offered a “blessing of the hands” to our caregivers. This is a time where we give thanks for the work and care of the hands that provide and tend to […]

Weekend in New England
Posted June 30th, 2020
OncoLink Team
Our group of college friends planned to attend alumni weekend in June. But cancer and COVID changed our plans. Through a series of messages, and phone calls, we heard the news: it is cancer. The cancer diagnosis and treatment planning all happened during COVID. We still wanted to celebrate our friendship, so we planned our […]

Financial Frustration
Posted November 19th, 2019
Karen Arnold-Korzeniowski, BSN, RN
When my aunt was diagnosed with cancer, it was clear that she would never be rid of her cancer, that she would die from it, it was just a matter of figuring out which treatment regimen would hold the cancer at bay for the longest amount of time. Ange tackled many issues during the last […]

Supporting Your Loved One Through Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment: Ya Don’t Know ‘til Ya Know
Posted February 1st, 2018
Marisa Healy, BSN RN
Something a patient said to me this past week really struck a chord, prompting me to shift the basis of this blog post just a bit. It was one of those moments that makes you draw in a deep breath before even attempting to reply. As we casually discussed her treatment for that day and […]

The Power of Friendship
Posted January 17th, 2018
Christina Bach, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C
Over the past several months, I’ve been supporting a dear friend through his cancer diagnosis, appointments, treatment decisions and planning, and adjustment to life with cancer. This is not new territory for me; I’ve been an oncology social worker for many years, and I’ve walked this path with many patients and their families along the […]

How To Manage Fear When Cancer Shows Up
Posted November 22nd, 2017
Marlys Johnson
For some people, the unknown carries anticipation. A job transition, for example, that could mean new opportunity, new friends, a new community. The excitement of pushing away from the dock and pursuing far-reaching, blustery adventures. For others, the unknown causes anxiety. Leaving the safety of the familiar shore, swept out into uncharted waters. A cancer diagnosis, […]