Teen papillary thyroid cancer survivor: ‘There is no good type of cancer’

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Bethany Fischer was nearing the end of the eighth grade when she developed a thumb-sized bruise in the hollow of her neck that wouldn’t go away. She also began having trouble swallowing.

“It felt like I had a frog in my throat, or maybe a sock,” says the now 16-year-old sophomore.

Bethany told her mother what was going on right away. “My heart just kind of stopped,” says her mother, Elizabeth Fischer. “My sister used those...

Cancerwise blog post: Teenager Bethany Fischer survives thyroid cancer

Why my leukemia journey drives me to give back

BY Amanda Ramirez

In December 2015, my family went to Albuquerque to celebrate Christmas. I had been feeling a bit fatigued, but figured I just needed time...

Breast reconstruction is body image miracle for U.S. Army Major

BY Brittany Cordeiro

Sarah Rykowski is a chief prosecutor in the U.S. Army. In 2013, while stationed in Seoul, South Korea, she discovered a lump close to her...

Resilience in the face of a 38-year cancer journey

BY Elizabeth York

Pat Gruy has received six cancer diagnoses since 1978. Despite this, Pat has refused to be negative. “I don’t ever feel sorry myself,” says...

Chemotherapy won’t keep Houston Texans fan from attending football games

BY Cynthia DeMarco

When Karen James was diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer in July 2016, she immediately knew two things. First, she was going to keep...

Oral cancer survivor adjusts after facial reconstruction

BY Mena El-Sharkawi

While life isn’t exactly the same, Ronnie Queenan prefers to acknowledge that he’s still alive five years after undergoing surgery and radiation...

Prostate cancer survivor shares hope after treatment

BY Elizabeth York

As an officer of three decades in the Houston Police Department, Joseph “Joe” Levingston was meticulous about details. When it came to his...

Adult rhabdomyosarcoma survivor learns to appreciate every day

BY Cynthia DeMarco

Fort Worth resident Susan Pratt was playing tennis in June 1995, when she realized she couldn't feel the left side of her gum line.

Discussing your cancer pain and finding relief

BY Devon Carter

As a cancer patient, your top priority is to survive, so you may not think about mentioning any pain associated with your disease or treatment...