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
During the height of the global pandemic, my surgical oncologist confirmed my biggest fear—the lump I had felt was, in fact, breast cancer. Despite learning of my BRCA1 status at the age of 33 and diligently undergoing imaging due to my high-risk status, I was diagnosed with… Continue reading
In today’s busy world, it can feel as though we are pulled in every direction, responding to others’ needs and wants. Sure, homework gets turned in on time, the dog makes it to his vet appointment, and everyone enjoys a homemade dinner served at a reasonable… Continue reading
When I was 18, I was a freshman at the University of Florida, excited to pledge Alpha Epsilon Phi, Alpha Tau chapter. During my time in the sorority, I learned about Sharsheret through our chapter’s philanthropic events. I became aware of the connection between Jewish women… Continue reading
Tick, tick, tick. That's the sound I heard in my head for years, every time I looked at myself braless in the mirror or worked up enough courage to give myself a breast self-exam in the shower. It was the tick of what felt like a timebomb sitting on my chest, waiting to… Continue reading
When we think of breast cancer, it's often seen as a concern only for women. However, breast cancer risk—and the importance of genetic testing—actually applies to all of us. Everyone, regardless of sex or gender, is born with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that play an… Continue reading
