Little can prepare you when you’re told “You have cancer”... but nothing prepares you for being told “You have Stage 4 Breast Cancer.” And yet there I was… 42 and part of a small group, about 6% of all breast cancer diagnoses, that are diagnosed with de novo… Continue reading →

On August 31st, I finished 20 weeks of chemo for breast cancer. One week from yesterday, I will undergo a double mastectomy and reconstruction. The experience has been intense and challenging. Physically, emotionally, and mentally. Individually and as a family. Treatment… Continue reading →

In February 2025, a routine mammogram revealed a suspicious finding. A biopsy confirmed a small tumor, and I was scheduled for a lumpectomy. I initially believed surgery, medication, and radiation would be the extent of my treatment. However, I was soon diagnosed with stage one… Continue reading →

“I’m sorry to share this, but you’ve tested positive for two genetic mutations—PALB2 and MITF. PALB2 increases your risk for breast, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers. MITF increases your risk for renal cancer and melanoma. You’ll need to meet with specialists to address… Continue reading →

From the time we are little, we look forward to dipping the apple in the honey on Rosh Hashanah. Why an apple There are several sources that suggest that over the course of Jewish history the apple represented the tenacity of Jewish spirit and determination. And the honey Honey… Continue reading →

When David Yoskowitz was diagnosed with cancer, he faced one of chemotherapy’s most harmful side effects—severe mouth sores that cause a range of problems, from painful eating, speaking, and sleeping to interruptions in cancer treatment. After recovery, he transformed that… Continue reading →

How these tests can help create a treatment plan that’s right for you Navigating Your Diagnosis Being diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer can feel overwhelming. You’re asked to make important decisions—often quickly—while trying to absorb unfamiliar terms and… Continue reading →

Chemotherapy comes with a long list of side effects, with mouth sores ranking among the very worst. These painful ulcers can cause severe pain, infection, and even delay cancer treatment.  While many treatment strategies exist, not all are equally effective. Keep reading to… Continue reading →

I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, more specifically a germ cell tumor of the ovary, over 10 years ago. I had just graduated from college and was heading to graduate school in Israel when I was diagnosed. My world was turned upside down, to say the least. My alma mater and… Continue reading →

If I lost myself in cancer, then I rediscovered myself in Supportive Oncology… Eight years ago at the age of forty-one I was feeling strong in my self care. I had learned to relax, enthusiastically ran 3-4 times a week, and ate veggies on the regular. And then breast cancer… Continue reading →

“How am I supposed to live my life now” This question came from a patient I care for—someone diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Like many, she had braced for the worst. Yet with advances in oncology treatments, what she assumed would be a swift decline became… Continue reading →

“1 in 40 Ashkenazi Jewish men and women carry a BRCA mutation.” That was the sign hanging quietly at the back of the room during the Sharsheret/Young Israel of Hollywood, Florida Sisterhood Breast Cancer Awareness event that provided on-site genetic testing on February 3,… Continue reading →

I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 45, at the end of 2022. Like many of us, I learned I had cancer via MyChart—without a care team and was overwhelmed with uncertainty about the road ahead. I’d never heard of Sharsheret, but my mom told me that friends and family had… Continue reading →

This National Cancer Survivors Month marks two years since I completed my year-long active treatment for triple-positive breast cancer—a diagnosis I received, very unexpectedly, at age 42. It feels like a lifetime ago that I was in full cancer-patient mode: undergoing regular… Continue reading →

My mother: my hero, my rock, my inspiration, and at times, the source of my greatest pain. Like most survivors, life leading up to my cancer diagnosis was not smooth sailing. Just four months prior, my mother - herself a breast cancer survivor - was diagnosed with… Continue reading →

All the information, decisions, and emotions that come along with an ovarian cancer diagnosis can be a lot to process. During such a difficult time, one of the most powerful things you can do is ask your doctor some key questions.  An important question to start with is:… Continue reading →

Southern California native Lisa Shoemaker has been coping with breast cancer for a long time, and one thing keeps her going: her family. She married her high school sweetheart and had two boys before she was first diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer at age 29. With this… Continue reading →

In April 2024, my family’s world changed when my mom, Jodi, was diagnosed with breast cancer. With no prior family history, we found ourselves navigating uncharted territory. Over the next eight months, she faced surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation with remarkable strength,… Continue reading →

משנכנס אדר מרבים בשמחה “When one enters into Adar, we increase our joy” (Taanis 29A) It is no secret that I love Purim and it seems befitting that my birthday coincides with the Jewish month of Adar (the 12th month on the Jewish calendar counting… Continue reading →

A few months ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, a moment that changed my life forever.More importantly, I want to share how, throughout this challenging experience, an organization called Sharsheret became a source of strength, support, and hope for me.  When I first… Continue reading →