Lauren

Over nearly four years of living with Stage IV ovarian cancer, Lauren has experienced things she never imagined facing in her 30s. Through it all, one thing has continued to reveal itself: strength.

She has discovered a strength within herself she never knew existed, while also witnessing the strength of the friends and family who have stood beside her.

But strength, Lauren has learned, does not always mean pushing forward.

I wish more people knew grace. People with cancer are fighting for their lives while still trying to be present and hold on to normalcy.

— Lauren

There are days when being present simply is not possible. For Lauren, learning to give herself permission to say no, step back, and rest has become part of navigating cancer.

Today, Lauren is facing her second recurrence. In the midst of that uncertainty, she is choosing to focus on the life surrounding her: her beautiful daughter, her family, and the days they have together.

I am choosing to focus on what I have rather than what I fear.

— Lauren

Looking back, Lauren wishes someone had prepared her for a part of cancer that is discussed far less often: what comes after.

After chemotherapy. After being declared no evidence of disease. After the calls and messages begin to fade and the people around you expect life to return to “normal.”

While the body may begin to heal, the emotional experience does not simply disappear.

You pour all your energy into fighting and surviving, and suddenly you’re expected to know how to live again.

— Lauren

For Lauren, healing has meant learning how to live in a body and a life changed by something she never should have had to endure. Her experience is a reminder that survivorship extends far beyond the end of treatment, and that sometimes offering ourselves and one another a little more grace can make all the difference.