The Power of Being Paired With Someone Who Gets It
When my mother first told my younger sister and me that she had cancer, I almost laughed. It felt impossible—so unreal—for someone so strong and extraordinary to be facing something so terrifying.
After her third diagnosis in the spring of 2025, my mother told me about some of the programs at Sharsheret. I was struggling deeply at the time, and because I often hesitate to reach out for help when I need it, it took me a while to follow up. When I finally did, through YAD: The Young ADult Caring Corner with Sharsheret, I was paired with another young woman who was slightly older than me and had gone through a similar situation in her family.
She shared her story, asked about mine, and supported me throughout the conversation. When I spoke about my fears—about going abroad next spring or missing moments with my mom—she responded with kindness and understanding. I told her about my anxiety and how it drives me to prepare for the worst, because if I don’t, I feel unsteady and overwhelmed. I asked her how someone prepares to lose a person like that—someone so important, who has been there for literally every step of my life. She told me that you really can’t. No matter how much you prepare, it won’t stop the pain. And although her honesty was blunt, she chose that over lying to me or offering a false sense of security, and I appreciated it.
At the end of our conversation, she told me that, based on our chat alone, she could tell that I was strong and that I would be okay. She said she had learned how deeply I care for my mother and how much love I carry in my heart. If I’m being honest, that was the moment that made me cry—not the talk about cancer or the possibility of losing my mother, but a stranger telling me she was proud of me and that I would be strong enough to survive this. It was what I needed, even though I didn’t know it. She didn’t know me; she barely knew my story, but her kindness and compassion made all the difference for me.