Volume No. I - Features

At the Survivor's Review, we strive to publish a variety of voices, perspectives and themes. Initially, we attempted to group our features so readers could more easily select pieces according to their interests. However, we found it difficult, if not impossible, to categorize our features.

Carol, for example, expresses the ambivalent relationship she has with her scar. Shirley discusses feeling better, but also touches on her ambivalence during recovery, as she walks "a path between joyfulness and fear, gratitude and trauma."

In "Wigged Out," Lynda unearths humor in a number of challenging situations while engaging us with the possibility of finding new love during illness.

Candice speaks of the variable moods and the grieving that accompany surgery; while Sally Jean finds beauty in the mirror after the bandages are removed.

In "The Old Man and the Sea," Sheree is overcome by fear, intense sadness and a touch of neurosis during her state-of-the-art biopsy.

Next, Laura shares both fear and love while waiting for a second pathology report. Karen expresses her anger over a shell she received as a prompt to spark her muse. And Carolyn's "Dispatch from a Dark Place" describes how her cancer diagnosis and the events of 9/11 are inexorably linked.

In "Red" Marcia writes of the bold, joyful experience of her first holiday after surgery. And Trice finds the strength to attack her cancer head-on.

Phyllis delves into her heritage and the benefits of denial, while Susie discusses her personal experience with the word "STOP," and its connection to cancer.

Joan creates a world in "Wild Card," that explores randomness, fate and cancer. And Nancy reveals the moment she first felt like a survivor.

We hope you will understand why we abandoned our attempt to categorize these pieces, and that you will appreciate them in their complexity and honesty.

If a particular piece stays with you we'd like to know. Please click here to submit your comments.

Volume No. II - Features

The response to the inaugural issue of the Survivor's Review has been terrific. Our readership is growing exponentially and we have received far more submissions than we expected -- from survivors all over the country! We applaud each of you for digging deep and giving voice to your experience, and we wish for all of you continued health and healing through your writing.

As always, we strive to publish a variety of voices, styles, perspectives and themes.

In our first issue of 2007, we'll present "Diagnosis," by Ann, who uses the metaphor of an oncoming train to describe the shock she felt upon learning she had cancer. Charlotte describes the evolution of "The C-word." from "crying" to "cured." Virginia reaches out to a newly diagnosed woman in "Sister." And in "The Calf," Christopher considers the cycle of life while waiting for his wife's pathology report.

Also featured are two poignant pieces written by family members who have lost loved ones to cancer: Anne's "Theology of a Pediatric Cancer Patient," and Martin's "Exposed." We found raw honesty in their expressions is at once humbling and inspiring.

In "The Titanic," Elizabeth speaks of learning to know when to push through obstacles and when to let go. Karen's "The Club" examines the conflict between living every day to the fullest versus returning to normalcy.

Leslie explores her need for temporary escape from her son's illness in "Tethered." And Ric, who continues to wage his own battle against metastatic prostate cancer shares the poem, "A Word For Survival," penned in dedication to another.

In "Daffodils and Me," Ruth writes of her cancer as it relates to her students and the changing seasons, and Maureen shares an epiphany about what is and isn't relative in "Relativity and Human Relations."

Rebecca explores cancer's unanswerables in "750 Words about Cancer," while Marsha writes of learning to live with the unknown in "Stark." Sheree attempts to cover all of her bases in "Just in Case."

We hope these features touch your soul as much as they have ours, and that they inspire you on your journey of writing and healing.

Volume No. III - Features

Once again, we have received many wonderful submissions from survivors across the country. The variety of perspectives, voices, styles and themes that are included in this issue clearly illustrates how anger, gratitude, mourning, love, fear and strength can be expressed in an infinite number of creative ways. We would like to thank all of those individuals who have submitted to us. We would also like to encourage all readers to write. And remember to write for yourself. The decision to share or not should come later.

We wish for all of you continued health and healing through your writing.

In this issue, we present "Helping Hands," by Mara, a two-time breast cancer survivor and poster child for early detection with enough gratitude to fill an ocean. And John tells us his fascinating story through the innocent eyes of a twelve year-old boy in "The Sixth Grade and the Big C."

In "Do You Love an Apple?" Lori captures a moment of intense love and fear four days before her surgery. And, from her adversity, Virginia refines her scope and emerges much stronger in "Survivor."

Dianne tells the story of how her new arrival appeared at just the right time in "My First Grandbaby." And Sheree finds an oasis of calm in a crowded cantina in "The Search for Equanimity."

In "Cancer and Cigarettes," Brian presents a candid and humorous observation of the "cancer conversations." And Alison Timmons mines her experience for a list to which many of us can relate in "To Say or Not to Say." Karen Jandorf compares treatment options to a fast-food menu in "Diagnosis."

Ann shares the many hues of her experience in "26 Colors of White," and Mary Jo's spirit perseveres despite unrelenting forces in "Oceans of Chemo.". In "The Process of Living," Marylyn describes an epiphany that occurred during a lonely moment in the x-ray room.

In "Melanoma," Beebe describes the feeling of a hanging diagnosis in an oblivious world. In "They Called her 'Lukie'," Delores remembers a remarkable woman whose spirit was contaminated by cancer, until it was set free.

And Jane describes how her cancer experience propelled her through a momentous journey in "To the Top of Half Dome and the World."

Volume No. IV - Features

We want to thank each individual who has recently submitted his or her work to the Survivor's Review. Our readership is increasing exponentially both in the U.S. and abroad, which speaks to the universality of the importance of creative expression for healing. However, it was particularly challenging to select fifteen stories, essays and poems from the increasing pool of heartfelt, powerful prose. Please continue writing and thank you all for considering the Survivor's Review.

In this issue, William writes of a tender moment of disclosure between sisters in "The Taste of Water." In "Cancer Prayer," Michael captures the intensity of each fervent hope. In "Wish," Ali explores the foremost desire in the minds and hearts of so many.

What does perfection matter in the face of cancer? Krystyna begs the question in her piece, "Perfect in Every Way." At 21 years-old, Jamie was diagnosed with Leukemia. "Jamie's Journal" brings us face-to-face with the challenges thrust upon her. And Carol speaks of the difficulties inherent in both passing and keeping the cards in "Recombinant Hearts."

Kim paints a vivid picture of her treatment in "Daily Radiation." And Julio writes of his unexpected introduction and continuing relationship with cancer in "Me, A Cancer Survivor?"

Lea's poem, "Vigil," is crafted from the perspective of a loving observer. In "Survivor to Thriver," LauraLynn describes her shift in both perspective and direction. And Lois gives voice to her most personal thoughts and complicated feelings in "Taking Care of You and Me."

Maria wrote the poem, "Post-Cancer," when her hips couldn't sway due to surgery, yet she felt the joy of dance. V. Jane's piece, "Margins," illustrates her conflict between loss of body and peace of mind. And Sheree reveals her hidden fears in "My Secret."

We hope these features touch your soul as much as they have ours, and that they inspire you on your journey of writing and healing.

Volume No. V - Features

Dear Readers and Contributors:

As we head into our second year, I would like to thank you all for your enthusiastic interest and support. I am continually inspired by the works submitted to this journal and I look forward to many more years of editing the Survivor’s Review.

Writing through illness, as many of you know, can be a powerful tool. For me, it has been a lifeline. As I continue to heal, I find that although my choice of topics may change, the importance of writing in my life does not.

On behalf of us at the Survivor’s Review, I wish for you continued healing this holiday season and into the New Year.

Sincerely,

Sheree Kirby
Editor, www.survivorsreview.org

We are pleased to offer our readers fifteen new features, and a new Guest Contributor Column presenting the work of author and educator, Barbara Abercrombie.

In this season of celebration and Thanksgiving, several of our contributors share stories and poems inspired by their mothers' cancer journeys. Read about these enduring lessons in Katy's "Mastectomy," Christina's "Indian Pudding," and John's "My Mother's Optimism."

The lessons continue from Michael's wife in "Teacher of Grace," and from Rebecca's beloved friend, in "Special Relativity."

Jeanne pays homage to the caregiver in her piece, "In Hospice." Ric speaks of a profound change in perspective in "POOR DEVIL!" And Marylyn explores the real meaning of graduation day in "Five Years Later..."

In "Cancer as Fire," Joan explores her cancer journey with the San Diego wildfires as her backdrop. Heather writes of experiences all-too-familiar among survivors in "Waiting." And Colleen explores a child's conflicting feelings in "A Child Meets Melanoma."

Laura shares a poignant scene with a friend in "Car Ride." And Paula recalls a less complicated time in "First Love."

Last, but not least, in "The Exchange," Candice describes the unexpected gift of learning to receive. And Sheree writes of points A and B along the challenging road to "Acceptance."

We hope these works inspire you on your journey.

Volume No. VI - Features

Dear Readers and Contributors:

I would like to thank you for your continued enthusiastic support of the Survivor's Review. As you may know, we are a not-for-profit publication and rely heavily on word of mouth to increase our readership. And you have certainly done your part! Our mailing list has grown exponentially, as has the number of submissions we receive. Please know that we do read and appreciate every submission, and that we continue to strive to select a variety of styles, topics and voices for each issue.

In this volume, we are pleased to offer our readers sixteen new features, and a new Write Now! column presenting the work of renowned author and teacher, Natalie Goldberg. Ms. Goldberg has generously offered to share her insights and expertise from her classic, Writing Down the Bones. If you are interested in more practical guidelines and suggestions for writing memoir, I would urge you to read Goldberg's newest book, An Old Friend from Far Away. (Click Resources for a more complete description and link!)

Also, when your muse is lying low, you might want to peruse Sharon Bray's new site for weekly inspiration at: www.writingthroughcancer.com. Ms. Bray has not only taught hundreds of survivors to express themselves creatively, but she has trained dozens of the best teachers to help us unearth the pain and struggle that accompanies a cancer diagnosis.

See our features...

Mothers are a major theme in this issue, owing perhaps to the proximity of that special day in May. Amanda writes of her journey as both child and caregiver, in "Sing for Me Awhile." Shirley shares a loving act with her dying mother in "The Promise." Beth recalls her mother's thoughtfulness in "Love Wrapped in Ironed White Tissue Paper." Jasan writes of a gift that represents so much more, in "Mom's Lucky Pearl" And, in "The Many Faces of Survival," Elizabeth shares the unforgettable lessons she learned from her mother.

Two parents write of their beloved children. Lisa shares her grief and love for her sons in "It's Been Too Long." And Joseph expresses his deepest longing in "Father's Day."

Christine writes of an unexpected gift from an unlikely source in "Willendorf." And a challenging morning walk thrusts Nancy back into her childhood in "Walking Only, On Oxygen." Connie threatens to sue for breach of contract in "Letter to My Husband." And Jane demonstrates that a memory lapse isn't necessarily a bad thing in "I'm Becoming More Forgetful."

In "Ticket to Ride," Audrey compares her cancer journey to a frightening turn on a roller coaster. And Ric speaks of the pain of absence and the importance of connection in "Loneliness."

Deborah's thoughts are not on the chemo she's receiving in "Words." Yet, it is chemo that ushers in Andrea's grief in "Invisible Lashes." And Laura takes a whimsical look at chemo's most visible side effect in "Hair, Hair, It's Everywhere!"

On behalf of us at the Survivor's Review, I wish for you continued healing this season and beyond.

Sincerely,

Sheree Kirby
Editor, www.survivorsreview.org

P.S. One of our readers will be randomly chosen to receive a signed copy of Natalie Goldberg's newest edition of Writing Down the Bones. Find out who wins in our next issue!

Volume No. VII - Features

Dear Readers:

I hope you have been finding time to relax and enjoy some of the freedoms unique to summer. A treasured time for many, this season can also be a challenge for those dealing with acute or chronic illness. I have powerful memories of struggling to be there (emotionally and physically) for my children's swim meets and reunions with family while undergoing a demanding schedule of surgeries, scans and chemo sessions.

In this issue, you will find several pieces contributed by those whose treatments continue far beyond a season or two, including Ellen, who candidly describes her strong feelings about the word "survivor." With Ellen's permission, I share her note with you:

I wholeheartedly agree that "survivor" is not a one-size-fits-all word. We at the Survivor's Review use the term in the broadest sense, as our mission is to encourage anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer to use writing as a tool for expression. I would like to thank Ellen and all of those who wrote on the topic. I hope our readers find these widely varying perspectives as enlightening as I have. Consider Deborah, who, although living with metastatic disease, embraces the "S" word in all of its manifestations in We Are All Survivors of Something." Alternatively, Sandy, while not condemning "survivor," expresses a distinct ambivalence in, "Am I A Survivor?"

You will also hear from Lucy and Kelly, who speak not of semantics, but of their challenges and choices in "A Blessing," and "Living With Hope," respectively.

Medb expands on what might otherwise be a routine radiation appointment in "This Breast," while Jan paints us a picture of the rich decade she was told she wouldn't have in "Ten Years."

Blossoms figure prominently in the work submitted by three caregivers, including Melinda's poem, "As If," Grace's story, "How We Wait Through Winter," and Cara's piece, "The Dogwood Tree."

Michael shares bursts of impressions during a visit with a loved one in "Quiet Hours Passing," and Shawn expresses her struggle helping her best friend in "Remission."

Yoga instructor, Roberta, describes an awesome afternoon in Harlem in her story, "When do Black, White and Latina Women Wear the Same Hairstyle?" And Joanne grapples with a nagging question through the eyes of her childhood self in "My Mother's Gift."

In "Sidelined" Sheree describes how a recent injury led to changes in her post-cancer routine, and Bonnie takes a refreshingly whimsical turn in "Hymn to a Lost Breast."

We hope you enjoy this issue. Please forward our link to anyone you think might benefit from sharing in the Survivor's Review.

Sincerely,

Sheree Kirby
Editor, www.survivorsreview.org

Volume No. VIII - Features

Dear Readers,

With the holidays upon us I find myself in the midst of mixed feelings -- again. While I especially look forward to decorating and baking treats with my girls, listening to collections of holiday music and reuniting with family members, I can't seem to shake my occasional bouts of melancholy. Often I'm remembering happy times spent with loved ones who are no longer here. It's odd how the pain of profound loss manages to snake its way into some of our most joyful moments. Or maybe it's normal. A balancing act, of sorts. Or, at the very least, it's a reminder to squeeze every last drop of pleasure from the time we share with those we love.

May your holidays and New Year be rich with the love of friends and family.

Sincerely,

Sheree Kirby
Editor, www.survivorsreview.org

In this issue, we are pleased to present the work of fifteen contributors, each of whom has found his or her unique way of expressing what it means to be a cancer survivor or caregiver.

Jessica writes of a decision more clear to her than to any of her physicians in Take Them Both! Xochitl-Julisa expresses gratitude to her mother in Lioness. And Chella gives voice to her fears of recurrence in Tonight Listening.

In Are They Real? Virginia explores the difference between real and authentic for herself and her daughter. And in Are They Real? Part II, Eve provides a child's perspective with some helpful suggestions for her peers.

Trudy takes us along for her biopsy in Watering Toes. William compares his journey to his father's in Along this Road. And Kyle questions which is better in Rogue Wave.

Both Jan and Marilyn have strong feelings about pink ribbons, as expressed in October Again and A Darker Shade of Pink.

Amy writes of learning to trust her inner voice in Dark Victory. Judith finds a new physical outlet and more in Racing the Dragon. And Johanna shares her dreams and fears in Cancer.

Ruth and Sheree take stock in Soul Search and Five Years Later.

Please keep writing and reading. And do let us know what you think!

Volume No. IX - Features

Dear Readers,

In this issue, we are pleased to present our guest contributor, Karen Jandorf, writing workshop facilitator at Breast Cancer Connections, a non-profit health foundation in Palo Alto, California. Although Karen works primarily with women facing breast cancer, many of her insights and suggestions for healing through writing are amenable to anyone who has received a diagnosis regardless of cancer type. Please read her column to jump start your writing. As she says, anything can be a prompt...

We also have fifteen contributions to share from writers all over the country. In Tuesdays at Ten, Hal offers a unique perspective on a routine treatment appointment. Ali writes of a most memorable holiday in Hospital Thanksgiving. And Cecilia enlightens those in her world about the necessity of a well-earned break from it all in To Whom It May Concern.

Cara chronicles the few moments when everything changes in Metamorphosis. In Catch and Release, Chris explores one of the lessons learned on his cancer journey. David draws a poignant metaphore in Cancer Cinquain. And Paola shares her determination in the face of scars and labels in Yearning.

In My Days of Wine for Breakfast, Joan shares a glimpse of her time as caregiver to her mother. Susanna speaks of experiencing pleasure in the face of hardship in Joys and Sufferings. Julie ponders her personal definition in Survivor? An anonymous author breathes life into a link between past and present in Comfort. And in Cancer Woman Rising, C.A. traces the path of woman as Phoenix.

Anne draws an intriguing connection between personal and world events in How This All Began. In Debby's Birthday-Year One, Marissa yearns for something mortal with her mother.

We are very grateful for all of our generous contributors and readers. We wish you all continued healing through your writing.

Most sincerely,

Sheree Kirby
Editor, www.survivorsreview.org

Volume No. X - Features

Dear Readers,

We are pleased to present our first guest contributor of 2010 - inspiring author, blogger and speaker, Laurie Kingston. At thirty-nine, Laurie, the mother of two young children, was diagnosed with breast cancer. One of the ways she dealt with her disease was to create a blog and write. Ten months later, when she was told that her cancer had metastasized to her liver, she continued writing publicly, although her prognosis had changed dramatically. Then, when she responded to treatment so well that her scans no longer detected cancer, she continued writing, with the understanding that she would likely be in treatment the rest of her life. Although some of Laurie's days are better than others, she remains hopeful for the future and very thankful that she has been able to write about the present. Her story and some of her favorite writing prompts can be accessed by clicking the "Write Now!" tab to the left.

For this issue, we also received many wonderful submissions from survivors and caregivers, and made the difficult choice of fifteen to share with our readers. As always we try to include a variety of topics, perspectives and styles. In Snow Blind, William writes of an awkward conversation and a choice. Wanda takes us behind the closed doors of a post-treatment counseling session in Therapy. Derek writes of an attempt at enjoyment in the midst of a difficult prognosis in We Are These Blue Hills.

In Life After, Elizabeth explores efforts to live fully in the face of uncertainty. Lucy shares lessons learned on a cancer journey in Tempus Fugit. Nancy writes of what is gained from loss in Subtraction Adds. In The Shame of It, Leila recounts regrets surrounding a child's cancer recurrence. And in Treatment, Charlie reflects on the disparity between discussing death in hypothetical terms and confronting it in one's own life.

Nanette writes a letter of love and understanding in Dearest Son. Thelma explains how good bedside manner elevates medical care to an art in A Tale of Two Doctors. In Waiting, Christine offers a unique perspective on a common theme among survivors.

In Scar Terry explores the real meaning of the "masterpiece of surgeon's skill." Patricia writes of holiday reminiscences during surgery and diagnosis in Christmas Forgotten. Diana takes us on an emotional journey to diagnosis in Journaling My Biopsy. And Jan recalls a different journey with her sibling in A Last Path.

Thank you for reading. We wish for you continued healing through your own writing.

Most sincerely,

Sheree Kirby
Editor, www.survivorsreview.org

Volume No. XI - Features

Dear Readers,

For this issue, we received a tremendous number of submissions from survivors, caregivers, and friends expressing their grief, sadness, frustration and the depth of their love through deeply passionate stories, essays and poems. While I hesitate to categorize any particular issue, I have to say that in this one, the theme of loss resonates particularly strongly.

Many writers shared with us their fear of loss, such as Fran in Mommy doesn't have Cancer Anymore, and Victoria in One Week Later. Others wrote of loved ones fighting against overwhelming odds, as did Christine in The Lover's Timeline, Susie in I Missed You and Sheree in Heart of the Neighborhood. Several writers attempted to come to come to terms with the loss of family members, such as Loukia in In the Barn, and Sami in I Called to Ask My Mother.

Other submissions came from those who share a unique aspect of diagnosis or treatment, such as William in Visiting and Judith in December.

In an excerpt from her memoir, Hassidic Love Story, Leah writes of her desire for a major life change, and Lillian shares her conflicted feelings as caregiver in Letting Go. Iain and Loree explore similarities between their cancers and natural disasters in Two Storms and My Earthquake and Aftermath, respectively.

Rosalie expands her definition of what it means to be lucky in On Hearing the News of a Cancer Recurrence. Stacy reconnects with an old friend in Bosom Friends. And Wendy explores roles played out in The First Law of Thermodynamics.

Thank you for reading these heartfelt works. We wish for you continued healing through your own writing.

Most sincerely,

Sheree Kirby
Editor, www.survivorsreview.org

Volume No. XII - Features

Dear Readers,

In this issue of the Survivor's Review we are very pleased to bring you fifteen new stories, essays and poems and our Write Now! column with inspiration from Karin Miller, Writer and Editor of The Cancer Poetry Project.

Recently, we've received a large number of submissions about friends of all kinds. In The Woman in My Closet, Ann writes of a unique friend to whom she is finally ready to say "goodbye." Carol talks of the bonds formed with those who walk in Relay for Life 2010. Friends talk of love and cancer in Hal's Stage Zero. In Mirror Image, Juliet writes of a friendly face at a party she attended after her cancer surgery.

In Hidden Mike Linda shares a sister's love. A new cancer diagnosis evokes memories of a beloved grandmother in Teresa's Two Radical Mastectomies. Don shares the importance of a loved one's memories in Penny Candy. And Mary P. writes of a family's appreciation of blessings in Thanksgiving Journeys.

Frances writes of her deadly battle in Midsummer Murders. Painful memories are evoked at the beach in Jan's Canary Islands. And Mary K. shares her feelings about her husband's cancer diagnosis in Feel Like Crying? Pinch Your Nose.

In Awake, Vicki explores many meanings of the word. And Shawn affirms a woman's choice for life in Pink Ribbons.

Linda considers music and its healing powers in Music Therapy. And Eric shares lyrics and music of love and friendship in Blossoms of Hope.

Thank you for reading these heartfelt works. Please forward our link to anyone you think might benefit from sharing in the Survivor's Review.

Most sincerely,

Sheree Kirby
Editor, www.survivorsreview.org

Volume No. XIII - Features

Dear Readers,

In this issue of the Survivor's Review, we are very pleased to bring you fifteen new stories, essays, and poems, and our Write Now! column with inspiration on "Learning to Hear Your Own Voice."

Our features are submitted by survivors, caregivers, and friends from across the country and beyond. When making editorial choices, we strive to bring you stories, essays, and poems that vary in style, topic, and perspective. In Promise Broken, Danielle exposes different levels of honesty. Jessica writes of her bonds with two young cancer patients in Serge. Frances shares a powerful experience between visitor and patient in Victory. In Kiss Me Cancerously, Stephanie explores a fierce desire to devour another's disease.

In Whole Woman, Aline writes of the choices one individual makes to live fully after cancer surgery. Kimi-Kali shares the story of two women drawn close by uncannily similar cancer diagnoses in The Lymphoma Sisters. In Meant to Be Together, Rhonda writes of a daughter's last wish and a mother's leap of faith.

Erika speaks of a yearning for a heartbeat stolen by cancer in I Want It Back. Teresa shares a life lesson imparted by her father in The Trouble with Fear. In Awaiting the Cure, Joshua looks toward a future free of the physical and emotional toll of cancer. Mary gives us an intimate view of a chemotherapy session in The IV Push.

Hillary describes the anxiety of waiting to hear from the doctor in Good Thursday. Robert shares a survivor's take on the meaning of the race in The Marathon. In A Breath of Hope, Lisa writes of a shift in priorities prompted by a cancer diagnosis. And, in Making Myself Light, Samantha purges her files with unexpected consequences.

Thank you for reading these heartfelt works crafted by our thoughtful, creative contributors. Please forward our link to those whom you think might benefit from sharing in the Survivor's Review.

We wish for you continued healing through your writing.

Most sincerely,

Sheree Kirby
Editor, www.survivorsreview.org

Volume No. XIV - Features

Dear Readers,

In this issue of the Survivor's Review, we are pleased to bring you another Write Now! column by Dr. Sharon Bray, a master teacher and veteran facilitator of several writing programs in the Bay Area and Southern California, who shares her personal experience of the transformative nature of expressive writing.

Dr. Bray is joined by seventeen survivors and caregivers from the U.S. and beyond who have generously agreed to share their work with our readers.

After years of gleaning the messages conveyed by her patients' bodies, Bonnie is now acutely attuned to her own in Listening to the Language of Bones. In his poem Cancer at the Top of My Head, Louie shares his experience with a young physician and open and closed wounds. In The Color of Cancer, Virginia weaves music, darkness, and color into her discovery of the brightest light. Diane contrasts living in heart-pounding mode and hospital mode while caring for her husband in INTERMISSION.

Christina writes of a mother in the midst of treatment who must find the energy to acknowledge and confront her child's transgressions in Owen's Story. In her poem Helpless, Janet writes of the gratitude she discovers as caregiver for her beloved sister. In The Chemo Made Me Do it, Patti writes of forgetting the anniversary of her diagnosis and the beginning of her new life. Krisztina describes the tender and loving thoughts of a husband as he cares for his wife in Wilting.

Charles captures the depth and intensity of his ongoing battle with esophageal cancer in "5 Poems." Mary seeks and finally finds a healthcare provider who hears her in "Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death!" In the poems Waiting Room, and Invasion, Judith explores nature and a cancer journey from fall to spring. Donna draws us into the fullness of a moment in her sister's cancer journey in Beloved.

In Margo's Boots, Kim discovers solace and self in a keepsake from a beloved friend. Charlotte writes of loss and love and a time of innocence in Nothing New Under the Sun. Carol finds parallels to and escape from life in a James McBride novel in To Keep Living. In Black with Miraculous Light, Barbara captures the intensity of experience of one in the midst of cancer in contrast to the return of the trivial. In Pie in the Face, Lynn shares her decision to live fully and positively in the midst of her cancer treatment. Please share our link with anyone who may be interested. We are very grateful for all of our generous contributors and readers, and we wish you all continued healing through your writing.

Most sincerely,

Sheree Kirby
Editor, www.survivorsreview.org

Volume No. XV - Features

Dear Readers,

Thank you for your interest in the Survivor's Review. In this issue, we share the work of fourteen writers who creatively explore feelings and experiences of profound loss, grief, hope, perseverance, and love. We are also honored to include our Write Now! column in which author and teacher, Barbara Abercrombie, shares excerpts and prompts from her new book, A Year of Writing Dangerously: 365 Days of Inspiration and Encouragement.

The work of our authors can be accessed by clicking the links below or to the right.

In How Prostrate Cancer Made a Man out of Me, Hal describes an unexpected finale to a doctor's visit and a launch into unchartered territory. Loree explores a couple's challenges, loss, and resilience in The Dark Years. Mary writes of a special client she will always remember in Witness.

Julie compares the loss of freedom in two very different contexts in Cancer Gang. In My Father was a Paratrooper from Vietnam, Maria explores the complicated relationship between parents, children, and illness. In Cancer Dancer, Cherie Magnus moves repeatedly from loss to healing.

David draws a vivid palette of cancer treatment in Crayons for Cancer's Coloring Book. Nancy writes of the complicated feelings when experiencing the unexpected, untimely, and profound loss of a loved one in Resuscitation of a Love. In I'd Rather Be in Italy, Connie finds meaning in staying home.

In Unequal Battle, Peter describes the efforts we make to keep hope alive. In her story Pen of Joy, Pen of Sorrow, Laura captures the spectrum of sadness and happiness that comprises the fullness of life. In Long Days but Short Years, Sabrina describes how she finds strength to move forward without fear. In Krista's Feet, Donna writes of her daughter and the power of dance in their lives. Karin finds hope in the wonders of nature in Winter Sun.

Most sincerely,

Sheree Kirby
Editor, www.survivorsreview.org

Volume No. XVI - Features

Welcome the Survivor's Review Features pages, comprising work submitted by cancer survivors, caregivers, family, and friends. For this issue, we received many prose pieces along with an overwhelming number of poetry submissions, and we are pleased to share many of them here.

Although I am not a poet, I am awed and humbled by those who can in so few words capture the essence of an experience, often evoking emotions before thought or conscious understanding.

When I approach a poem without bias, expectation, or an urgent attempt to discern meaning -- if I allow the poem to just be - I'm often rewarded with an understanding through my senses and my heart, a more primitive and, for me, a more satisfying kind of knowing.

Of course, I can only speak of my own limited experience and not nearly as articulately as poets speak of theirs.

A few other voices on poetry...

"From the beginning of time, in childhood, I thought that pain meant I was not loved. It meant I loved."
~Louise Gluck

"Any good poem is an act of taming the savage or savaging the tame. "
~Tony Hoagland

"If Galileo had said in verse that the world moved, the inquisition might have let him alone."
~Thomas Hardy

If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry.
~Emily Dickinson

"If I had my life to live over again, I would have made a rule to read some poetry and listen to some music at least once every week."
~Charles Darwin

"Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen."
~Leonardo Da Vinci

"Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood."
~T.S. Eliot

Thank you for reading the selection of features from our generous contributors. For inspiration and tips on writing to heal, please read our Write Now! column by this edition's guest contributor, Louise DeSalvo.

Volume No. XVII - Features

Welcome to the Survivor's Review Features pages, comprising work submitted by cancer survivors, caregivers, family, and friends. The writing of our contributors is of course, informed by their experiences, and due to the ubiquity of cancer, many have at one time or another worn all four hats.

I think of a quote by Rosalyn Carter:

"There are only four kinds of people in the world.
Those who have been caregivers.
Those who are currently caregivers.
Those who will be caregivers, and those who will need a caregiver."
~Rosalyn Carter

We all know of many people, including a number of our writers and readers, who can lay claim to being all four of these kinds of people. Many have even been caregivers - caring for children, spouses, parents, and/or friends in need -- while fighting their own life-threatening conditions. The actor Eddie Albert said, "The simple act of caring is heroic." What, I wonder, is the superlative of "heroic"?

Below are a few more quotes on caregiving that I hope will intrigue and inspire you as they have me:

"The closest thing to being cared for is to care for someone else."
~Carson McCullers

"It's not how much you do, but how much love you put in the doing."
~Mother Teresa

"When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on."
~Thomas Jefferson

"To care for those who once cared for us is the highest honor."

~Tia Walker, The Inspired Caregiver:
Finding Joy While Caring for Those You Love

"Be there for others, but never leave yourself behind."
~Dodinsky, In the Garden of Thoughts

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."
~Dalai Lama

Thank you for your interest in this issue's selection of stories, essays, and poems (accessed to the right). For inspiration and tips on writing to heal, please read our Write Now! column generously contributed by this edition's guest contributor, Dr. John Evans, who coauthored the book Expressive Writing: Words that Heal (2014) with Dr. James Pennebaker. In this issue, Dr. Evans shares his insights into the benefits of legacy writing while providing prompts to get us started.

Volume No. XVIII - Features

Dear Readers,

Welcome to our latest issue of the Survivor's Review, where our featured contributors write of their experiences of life-changing diagnoses. They share with you how and where they find solace, freedom, and even joy in the midst of their challenges. They invite you into their experience of loving, caring for, and losing those to whom they remain bonded by blood and friendship. They mourn the loss of their relationships, their former lives, their breasts, and their certainty. They express hope even in new, uncertain realities as they marshal their strength to meet challenges head on. They find words to tell their stories of the comfort provided by humans and nature, from trees to the sea, in the midst of difficult odds. They generously offer their truths in prose and verse to connect, to be heard, and to share with those of you, so many of you now, who will read, sigh, smile, cheer, cry, and hopefully be inspired to begin or continue finding your own way to writing your own truths.

I always feel grateful and humbled by the stories and poems our contributors bravely and generously offer to the readers of the Survivor's Review. And I remain committed to the belief that expressive writing can help give shape to our journeys and our connection to ourselves and others, that healing can occur on many levels, and that we all have a contribution to make to our continued, collective healing.

Thank you for your interest in this issue's selection of stories, essays, and poems. For inspiration and tips on writing to heal, please read our Write Now! column generously contributed by this edition's guest contributor, Sandra Marinella, teacher, researcher, speaker, and author of The Story You Need to Tell: Writing to Heal from Trauma, Illness, or Loss. In this issue, Sandra shares her insights about writing our stories to heal, including the inspiring personal journey of her friend, Jennifer Campisano. She also provides several prompts, practical exercises to get us all thinking and writing.

Please do share our site with your friends and family: www.survivorsreview.org.

All my very best,

Sheree Kirby
Editor, www.survivorsreview.org