A Poet’s Autobiography of Cancer

Posted May 31st, 2023

 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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, […]

Bob Riter

No Right Way Through Cancer

Posted November 20th, 2017

I often say that there’s no single right way through cancer. What do I mean by that? Some people aggressively treat their cancers with surgery and chemotherapy long past the time that others would have switched to comfort measures. Some people keep their cancer diagnosis a secret from nearly everyone while others make it a […]