Bridges Newsletter: Summer 2020, v. 49 If you have trouble viewing this email, view it online. connect with us       Summer 2020, v. 49 CONNECTING CANCER SURVIVORS   Cover Story: Nicole, The Victorious One At 37, I was running around being mommy to a six‑ and seven‑year‑old, working full time, and building a small business – the word “busy” fits the description perfectly. In late 2015, I took the advice of a close friend and went to talk with my doctor about the symptoms of what I suspected were hemorrhoids. Download the PDF   Bridges: A Newsletter for Survivors Bridges, Memorial Sloan Kettering’s newsletter for survivors, offers a forum where patients and their families can share stories of inspiration and hope, and of the challenges that can accompany a cancer journey. In an abundance of caution due to COVID‑19, we are releasing this issue as digital only. Please enjoy this extended issue with more survivorship stories direct to your home. Submit Your Story     One Hour at a Time — A Conversation between Patient and Caregiver Michelle: Alex and I met December 2011. We worked in the same building in New York City, and were married on September 19, 2014. We chose the date because 919 is the address where we met. Alex: I was always a healthy, fit guy who worked out daily and had a physical job for 23 1/2 years, so when I was diagnosed with cancer in September 2016 it came out of left field. I normally write a note for my wife each day, and one morning I had a hard time physically writing. Didn’t think anything of it, but by midday I just had no energy and felt exhausted.   Ask the Professional: Primary Care Providers and Survivorship Why is it important to have a PCP involved in my care? As the number of cancer survivors continues to increase, primary care has become an essential component of survivorship. Survivors are living longer and may have numerous healthcare issues related to their cancer diagnosis and treatment, as well as other conditions not linked to a history of cancer. Ideally, patient care is shared by oncology providers and PCPs. Oncology providers focus on surveillance for disease recurrence (detecting the cancer if it comes back) and managing long-term side effects from treatment. Health issues not related to cancer are managed by PCPs.     Ask the Donor: Stem Cell Transplantation Would you encourage others to register and donate based on your experience? Without question, I would highly recommend that others register to be donors. It may take several months or years before you receive the call; however, registering is a simple way to open the door of opportunity for your potential match. If you do get that call, you will have a lot of support and there will be several opportunities to ask as many questions as you need. Taking ten minutes to register as a donor could mean decades of life for a cancer patient — you are truly giving someone a second chance at life, which is the ultimate gift.   Paying it Forward I’ve said it over and over again: I’m the luckiest guy in the world. Sure, most people would say it’s not exactly lucky to be told you have a rare blood cancer and about three years to live. But before I was diagnosed with leukemia in 2014, I was lucky enough to already be in treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering for essential thrombocythemia, a benign blood disorder. So, when a monthly CBC showed signs that this condition may have transformed into a very rare leukemia, myelofibrosis, we were able to diagnose it quickly and come up with a game plan for a bone marrow transplant.   Want To Find Bridges Online? We have over ten years of the quarterly Bridges issues available online. Go to the Bridges homepage for more information and to access the past issues. Go to Bridges homepage     Personalize Your Updates Manage your preferences, and we will customize your updates based on your interests.   Go to my preferences   Share with a Friend Please forward this newsletter to anyone you think it could help. We welcome your feedback, and encourage you to send us a message at [email protected]. Resources for Survivors While navigating your new life after cancer, you may have questions regarding follow‑up treatment, emotional care, fertility, sexuality, and healthy living. Learn more   ©2020 Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center 1275 York Ave., New York, NY 10065 US Summer 2020   To ensure you continue to receive emails from Bridges, add us to your address book or safe list. To unsubscribe, click here. This message was sent to [email protected]. To manage your preferences, click here. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to e-newsletters from Bridges. To forward this email click here.