From Holding Space to Sharing My Own Story

Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to publish my third book. Faith has always been an important part of my life, especially as I've survived multiple cancers. My book is a faith-based resource for people searching for strength in difficult times.

As a little girl, years before I became a cancer survivor and advocate, I dreamed of becoming a writer. My bedroom was full of fictional tales, scribbles, and poems I hoped would one day make their way to library shelves. I’m still pinching myself that my childhood dreams are coming true.

Part of launching a book involves notifying media outlets. My publisher and I have been sharing about the new book and my cancer diagnoses over the past month, and last week, the story took off. I had the pleasure of speaking with a reporter from the Today Show who wrote about me surviving colorectal cancer three times by age 42 and the symptoms I hid as a teenager. The story went live last Monday.

What has happened in the days following was unanticipated: the story went viral. For the past week, one article has led to another - from the Today Show to NBC News to People Magazine and other media outlets around the world.

It’s a tad surreal.

I am often a “behind-the-scenes” person, but I’ve welcomed the experience because we grow when we’re stretched, and because I believe wholeheartedly in the power of patient stories changing lives.

The Power of Patient Stories

For the last two decades, I’ve been a part of advocacy communities and held roles that allowed me to sit with patients and caregivers opening up about facing a cancer diagnosis. I’ve held space for people vulnerably processing trauma, pain, loss, and fear because of cancer. I’ve passed the tissues and reached for hugs when emotions bubbled up.

In those moments, I’ve also watched visible changes unfold — someone goes from reserved and withdrawn to lighthearted and open due to human connection. I’ve watched patients find affirmation and caregivers rediscover worth simply because they felt heard and recognized they weren’t alone.

I’ve also witnessed and experienced the power of finding answers to “why me?” and “why God?” through storytelling.

Patient stories are often what create change: a policy passes, a doctor’s appointment gets made, a workforce understands their mission, or a lonely soul finds a companion. I’ve witnessed these transformations year after year as I’ve met patients and caregivers from all over the world. This is what motivated me to step in front of the camera and keyboard this past week and let my story be told.

The biggest joy of sharing my story has not been seeing it go viral; it's the DMs and emails I've received because I was open: a request to help a survivor find support, celebration from Lynch syndrome advocates seeing our genetic disease get recognized, a note from a mom, also a survivor, who wants to protect her teenage daughter.

Stories change lives — small stories and big stories. Private stories and viral stories. I took a dose of my own medicine and shared my story as I launched my book last week. I’m grateful to everyone who read the articles, checked out the book, and offered support. And, I’m looking very forward to seeing whose story is going to virally travel around the internet next.