On International Women’s Day, we come together to celebrate the achievements and strength of women around the globe. It’s a time to reflect on the journey of women everywhere.
In this context, I think it’s appropriate to honor the resilience of women who live, or have lived, with cancer. This day is for the women (and men) who’ve shown courage, not just in overcoming a cancer diagnosis but in living each day with grace and bravery.
Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, ‘I’ll try again tomorrow.’
Mary Anne Radmacher
Among these reflections, I find my own story interwoven—a journey not defined by battle, but by living with cancer—first with breast cancer, now with a cancerous tumor in my left eye. Throughout my heroine’s journey on this online journal, I have shared my experience not as a fight against a formidable foe, but as a path of acceptance, growth, and understanding.
The Journey of Now
Living with cancer has deepened for me the delicate art of living in the here and now. It’s a reminder that life, with all its unpredictability, is a series of present moments stitched together. This International Women’s Day, as I am forced to bide time in a wait-and-see space after the brachytherapy last month on my eye, I celebrate my ability to find joy in the simplicity of now, cherishing each day as it comes, without the shadow of a battle narrative.
If you miss the present moment, you miss your appointment with life.
Thich Nhat Hanh
The Power of Connection
On this day, the importance of connection and community stand out. It’s the gentle and generous hands of friends and family, their kind words of support, and the compassionate care of medical professionals that make the journey smoother. It’s in these connections that I find strength—a strength not for fighting, but for living fully, regardless of the challenges that come my way.
I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.
Brené Brown
A Gentle Reminder
International Women’s Day can serve as a gentle reminder to prioritize ourselves, to make choices that nurture our well-being, and to embrace health in all its dimensions. It’s a call to cherish our health, to engage in regular check-ups, and to support one another in making informed choices about our bodies and lives.
Self-care is how you take your power back.
Lalah Delia
Gratitude for Today
As a woman living with cancer, today I feel gratitude and appreciation. Gratitude for my honey with his unwavering love and support. Gratitude for the immense caring community of support that surrounds me, offering love and encouragement without the need for heroics. Appreciation for the medical professionals and researchers whose dedication to understanding and managing cancer improves our quality of life. And I am happy.
There’s no happier person than a truly thankful, content person.
Joyce Meyer
A Message of Presence
To my sister women living with cancer, and to everyone supporting someone on this journey, today is a celebration of us. It’s a celebration of living each day with grace, of finding joy in the little things, and of the quiet strength that comes from acceptance and presence. We share a connection that goes beyond the need for victory narratives, finding beauty in simply being.
International Women’s Day is a time for reflection, for celebration, and for acknowledging the diverse experiences of women around the world. For those of us living with cancer, it’s an opportunity to share our journey in a way that highlights the power of presence, the strength in connection, and the joy of embracing each day as it comes.
To every woman navigating life with cancer, today I honor you. I honor your journey, your resilience, and your ability to find beauty in the everyday. Today, let’s celebrate not just the milestones, but every moment of presence, every connection, and every day we have the privilege to experience. Here’s to living, loving, and embracing the journey, one day at a time.
How will you celebrate Women’s Day?
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What a beautiful post, dear friend. May the entire human race come to enjoy the blessings of connection! 🙏
I can’t agree more, dear Lable! May we come to fully realise we are one! 🌸🙏💜🙏🌸
Always a joy and inspiration to hear about your journey. Grateful for our friendship and looking forward to when we can give each other a hug in person. Until then, joining you in celebration and gratitude for living life as it is, where we are, in open-heart, open-hand acceptance. ❤️🙏🏽
You are so special to me, dear Seema. 🌸💜🙏💜🌸
Your premise about how this day can be used to observe all you have is perfect and so important. It’s the quiet doggedness and grace that is most admirable in “being” women together and alone.
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Together with *you* is priceless, dear Joan. 🌸💜🙏💜🌸