“On Rosh Hashanah it is inscribed
And on Yom Kippur it is sealed
How many shall die and how many shall be born
Who shall live and who shall die…”
A woman living with advanced cancer recently shared with me that as she read the prayer, “Who shall live and who… Continue reading →

I had been married for seven months when I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  Just one month before my diagnosis, I was on my honeymoon.  Then one day, I had a pain in my side that needed investigating.  The diagnosis came quickly.  I needed surgery, which… Continue reading →

I come from a tight-knit family. My mom, dad, aunt, uncle, brother, and cousin, Dana, are six of my biggest supporters and best friends and my aunt, uncle, and cousin live the town over from me in suburban Boston. Weekly dinners and holidays together are common when I come home… Continue reading →

I started my internship at Sharsheret one month ago, without knowing what type of experience I was walking into or the extent of Sharsheret’s reach.  As I was given a tour and introduced to the Sharsheret staff, I noticed right away the unique atmosphere of Sharsheret -… Continue reading →

I went to high school with Rochelle Shoretz and she epitomized what it meant to be larger than life.  Three years ago, I met Rochie for breakfast and she planted the seed. She told me, “You should do a triathlon. It will be fun.”  At the same time, a friend said I… Continue reading →

Two months ago, I walked into the Sharsheret office on the first day of my summer internship. I had no idea what to expect. What would the people be like Would I be dressed right What would I be doing At that point, there was no way I could have known what kind of summer I was… Continue reading →

This summer, the goal of my internship was to expand Sharsheret’s Ovarian Cancer Program. Ovarian cancer can be difficult to detect, since many of its symptoms can be attributed to common illnesses. As a result, most ovarian cancers are unfortunately diagnosed at advanced… Continue reading →

If someone had told me that one day I would run to spin class, spin, and then run three miles home, I would have thought them insane. Yet, that was just one training day of many in preparation for the 2015 NYC Triathlon. Three years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and in… Continue reading →

I was diagnosed with breast cancer almost 10 years ago and have been fortunate to be a part of the Sharsheret family since my diagnosis.While I have been a link many times, I have been a caller only once. When discussing my experiences as a Sharsheret link, I have to first think… Continue reading →

Before I begin, I would like to say a few things to Rochie – I want to ask for mechila (forgiveness) for anything I may have done and said. I would also like to share my immense gratitude for everything you have taught me and shared with me these past 13 years and, finally, I… Continue reading →

Excerpted from Mara’s NYTimes blogBreast Cancer... two simple, yet powerful words! They have always been a part of my life. My mother and grandmother both died from breast cancer, both too early in life. I spent my childhood living through breast cancer. I began having… Continue reading →

When I was 10 years old my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was 37. We are Ashkenazi Jews with no other family history of breast or ovarian cancer. I am now 38 years old and single, hoping for a family one day.Growing up, my mom was constantly fearful her cancer was… Continue reading →

Excerpted from Deborah’s Presentation at Emerson College AEPhi’s Ribbon on the Runway Event, April 2015My story is not what you might expect.  My trip through the land of breast cancer was so not traumatic that I still have a hard time actually thinking of myself as a… Continue reading →

My name is Myrna Cohen and I am fifty two years old.  My husband and I have been happily married for twenty eight years and we have a thirteen year old son.  Though I have been celebrating Passover with my family for many years and reading about the four sons, I never… Continue reading →

Looking back almost ten years, I think the first overpowering emotion I associate with my Stage 2 breast cancer diagnosis at age 25 is loneliness. It came before fear, denial, sadness, anger, and pain. No one could possibly understand what I was experiencing. Enter Sharsheret.… Continue reading →

It was a dreary October afternoon when I checked into the emergency room. I had been experiencing some rather disturbing symptoms for quite a while, but like the typical Jewish mother, chose to focus on the health needs of my family. For all you Monday quarterback readers out… Continue reading →

I feel as though I have a very special connection with Sharsheret. They had just become a budding non-profit when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 33. It was 2002: I had just moved to Atlanta and had to start chemotherapy as soon as I arrived. You can… Continue reading →

I was born on the 3rd of October. Every member of my family was born on a day that could be divided by 3.  I have 3 siblings, wanted 3 children and always loved the number 3. I loved it until I was told I was “triple negative”.At age 37, while nursing my second baby, I… Continue reading →

People celebrate many different anniversaries, the most common ones being wedding anniversaries and in the Jewish community, the yartzeit, or anniversary of a person’s passing .  As a single woman in her early 50’s, I haven’t celebrated any of my own wedding… Continue reading →

My Sharsheret Story is actually two stories that quickly entwined into one. I was diagnosed with stage two, invasive ductal carcinoma in February of this year. Although it was not a surprise, it was demoralizing. I had already been through a different cancer experience years… Continue reading →