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What happens when the place that saved your life becomes the trigger for your deepest trauma? Standing in the parking lot of my cancer center, just a mile from my home, my body betrays me with each visit—racing heart, metallic taste, nausea—physical reminders of the chemotherapy, radiation, and countless needle sticks that occurred within those walls.

For three years following my breast cancer diagnosis, these "cancer days" dragged me into a predictable spiral of anxiety, depression, and isolation. Until suddenly, they didn't. After 40 months, something shifted unexpectedly after a family vacation. Walking into my oncology appointment without the usual meltdown, completing my checkup without anxiety, and—most surprisingly—returning to work instead of collapsing on the couch with junk food and reality TV. The realization was profound: I could finally say "I'm okay" and truly mean it.

The unspoken truth of survivorship is that there's no guidebook for rebuilding your life after cancer treatment ends. Society expects you to feel grateful, energetic, and "back to normal" when everything about your reality has transformed. You're supposed to trust a body that betrayed you, feel healthy while managing medication side effects, and confidently discuss your experience when you're still processing the trauma. These impossible expectations only deepen the isolation. My journey revealed three essential elements for moving forward: a meaningful goal (climbing Mount Kilimanjaro), finding community with others who understand, and developing the grit necessary to face an uncertain future. Whether you're navigating cancer or another life-altering challenge, these principles—goal, group, and grit—offer a framework for finding your way when there is no map. Join me every Tuesday morning as we explore what it truly means to build a life after cancer.

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GROUP TRIPS

✈️ Join us for our next Kilimanjaro climb: https://trovatrip.com/trip/africa/tanzania/tanzania-with-hikelikeawoman-aug-2025

✈️ Join us for our group trip to Patagonia: https://trovatrip.com/trip/south-america/patagonia/argentina-with-rebecca-walsh-oct-2025

✈️ Book Tour du Mont Blanc Aug 16-22: ...