Tomorrow afternoon, Laurie, Flutter, LoveBabz, and I will be speaking at a BlogHer panel called “Blogging Communities as a Healing Force.” Susan of Friday Playdate will be moderating the discussion and asking us leading questions. I’ll report back here afterwards and tell you what it was like in the room full of women bloggers. Were they interested? Did they participate? Will they take us seriously and still love our flawed, less-than-perfect selves?
I hope so.
But what I really hope is that we get across one very important message, the message that I needed to hear the most when I was diagnosed and the reason we started this Mothers With Cancer site at all. No matter how dark the forecast, or how crazy the circumstances, you can be sure of this:
You are not alone.
But wait! There’s more. Since the room will be full of blogging women and men, I’m betting that more than one will stop by our site during the session on Saturday to see what we’re all about. This is your chance, ladies … if you have a moment, why not leave a comment here and TELL THEM. Tell them what you want them to hear. Has the blogosphere been a help to you in your cancer fight? Has twitter? Discussion boards or email networks? Does it help you to be a better mom, or a more positive person, or stronger, or simply part of the world when you’re feeling isolated or sick? TELL THEM. We’ll collect comments on this post (and maybe posts from you?) all week, from both bloggers with cancer AND visitors to our site, and I’d love to see some honest truths expressed and new connections made.
I wish you all could be here with us. Please know that whether you’re in chemo this week, not well enough to travel, or simply busy living life with your family, you are all here in my heart.
This session will be dedicated (at least my part of it) to Andrea and Julia, two very brave mommies who the blogosphere lost to cancer this year.
Mothers With Cancer 
ask if you can have an audio or video to put on youtube and here naturally.
What a cool thing you are doing Susan! Let us know how it goes!
Way to go, Susan! 😀
Cancervisa — awesome. Will do.
I just wanted to stop by and let people know who are visiting for the first time how wonderful it has been for my recovery to be a member of this site. I have met a lot of great strong woman who have breast cancer just like me. It is support when I need it the most.
I think that the internet has been a powerful tool for people going through cancer today. When my friend’s mother was going through it 20 years ago, there were very few places to get support; to talk to someone who was going through it too. She felt very alone, nobody wanted to talk about it. Very hush hush. The bulliten board over at Young Survival and blogging, both at my own blog and here at Mothers with Cancer has been an incredible resource for both support and therapy. At least for me, I know when I write about cancer, it helps get my head around such a big thing. Cancer is a huge, life altering event. We are never the same and it does me good to talk to people who understand that.
Susan – It’s been too important to my life to leave a comment. Had to do a whole post. So wish I could be there with you all! Knock ’em dead!
When I went through my cancer treatment I did not blog yet. I used a mass email to stay in touch with family and friends. Their comments really made my day after I put my feelings and experiences into words. When I went to support groups it always helped me to see survivors in different stages to help me through. I want to give back and help others. The internet is such a great tool to reach so many. People can reach out for help at any time. They do not have to drive to a meeting or leave their kids to go to a meeting. If they are up in the middle of the night and feeling lonely – they can connect and know that they are not alone.
My experience with blogging through my cancer has been uplifting. I used to snicker whenever I heard people refer to “internet communities”, but here now lately, I am first to toot my horn about the power the internet has in bringing people together. Through my blog readership, I’ve spawned this great army of fellow Leukemia (Zombie) Warriors who have flooded me these past few months with supportive comments, e-mails, cards, phone calls, flowers, homemade apple cake, mix cd’s, knitted hats, a sock dog, books… you name it. Some of my Army are fellow cancer survivors, but most are incredibly wonderful people who have lifted my spirit through these crazy, dark times. I’ve yet to venture out into the flesh-and-blood world of support groups, partially because I have been so buoyed by the “virtual” support I’ve gotten.
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Oh my goodness, I would not even want to imagine where I’d be right now if it wasn’t for the internet and bloggers. My supporters from my blog actually raised over $3,000 for me by having an Ebay Auction. All these women were bloggers who had read about me on my blog and supported me ever since. They made things, took fantastic photographs, jewellery, so many varied and wonderful things. I have never met even one of them and they did this just for me so that I could pay for things like acupuncture, massage, just extra healing therapies that would cost me more than I could afford. Every week I get a sweet card, I get gifts in the mail, scrapbook items, just lovely , caring support. I would be lost without the blogging world. It is my sanity and sanctuary, my blog is just a place I can go and totally be myself, whether I chat about the tough issues of cancer, or my latest scrapbook page, my supporters love me and stick with me through it all. It is healing for me to write about my experiences. I know though that if I didn’t have a blog I probably wouldn’t keep a journal with as much information as my blog has. I have learned so much about my cancer over the internet, I have met others, I have chatted on support forums, still do, and support people whilst they support me honestly it is just incredible. I love bloggers and especially my supporters, they are the best I truly love them. I think this site is going to be fantastic, it’s already on the right track and I love that we can reach out and help mothers who have cancer and are trying to do a good job raising their kids whilst feeling ill and exhausted and fighting for their very lives. I believe we can support so many women and really make a difference in the lives of women with cancer.