Open Letter to My Fellow Warriors & Survivors

There are a gazillion resources out there for you to research medical treatment, options, care, and support.  But when the outside gets broken, the inside needs just as much healing.  Typically you are sent to a patient navigator, counselor, and/or support group to “deal with” the emotional and coping issues.  Please use these resources to the fullest extent, as they are so very valuable to your healing.

My (then) boyfriend proposed two days after I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Both the diagnosis and the proposal were works in progress, but it was a lot to digest in 48 hours. In just a short period of time, those eight words, “you have breast cancer” and “will you marry me?” converged. I went from being a beautiful and sexy fiancé to losing part of my breast to surgery, losing my hair to chemo, going through early menopause, and being sick and fatigued all of the time. I was sick and bald on our wedding day and got married in a wig. I had to redefine beauty and overcome daily challenges and in turn, redefined my life’s mission to help others.

This website is dedicated specifically to the inside healing, to finding your true inner beauty, to help you overcome your challenges, to find inspiration, and to unleash your inner fortitude… not just in cancer, but in life.  Real life.

Going through cancer treatment, the medical community’s primary focus is to eliminate the cancer and make you healthy again.  But there are so many other issues we have to deal with during the healing process.  I wanted to create a space for women to find inspiration to overcome their challenges and rise to conquer the negatives in their lives. A place full of love, hugs, and inspiration.  Cancer sucks.  But you have a choice.  Every day.  You can drown yourself in cancer’s misery and be a victim.  Or you can be positive and laugh through it.  Make a choice to become the best person you can be – with or without cancer.  And have some fun along the journey.

Look around.  Find your inspiration.  Subscribe and enjoy the resources on this website.  And please… contact me if you want to chat, vent, scream, or just want to talk to someone who has gone through it before.  I would love to hear from you! holly@pinkfortitude.com

Cancer is tough.  You have to be tougher.  You have to dig deep and want it.  Every day.  When it hurts the most.  I know what you are going through is horrible. Don’t drown yourself in it. Pick yourself up, hold your head high, and be the beautiful person you are, inside and out.   You are strong.  You are beautiful.  You can do this.

Your Warrior Sister,