Breast cancer narratives are inherently personal individual experiences, emotions, and journeys. When someone trusts you with their story, particularly one as intimate and life-altering as breast cancer, they’re not just sharing facts; they’re entrusting you with their vulnerability, their fears, their hopes, and their very essence.
“I created a new feature on my website for you to “Share Your Story” so that you might have a place to go to write your own story to inspire other in a way only you can. All you needed to do was to shave your “by” information in order to receive the credit that you deserve and then provide whatever information that you wish in order to inspire others.”Barbara Jacoby
Early on, I had no mechanism to share your experiences, etc. with others. Over the years, I soon found more and more inquiries came from publishing companies who wanted to send me books to read, then write about them and post the information on social media. However, I did not have the time to handle all of these requests nor did I feel that I could ever adequately represent another person’s experiences on any level.
Your story isn’t just a sequence of events. It’s a sacred narrative that includes your personal journey through diagnosis, treatment, and recovery or perhaps ongoing management. This journey is marked by moments of profound realization, despair, hope, and transformation. To write it requires a deep understanding and respect for the nuances of your experience, something only you can fully convey. My words could never do justice to the depth of your lived experience without your direct input or permission.
There’s is also an ethical dimension to consider. Writing about someone’s health battle without their explicit consent would be a breach of privacy. Health stories are not just about the physical ailment but involve intimate details of one’s life, family dynamics, and personal resilience. Your story might inspire or educate others, but it’s yours to share or withhold. I cannot and should not make that decision for you.
The emotional gravity of breast cancer cannot be overstated. Every story is laden with moments of fear, courage, loss, and sometimes, triumph. To articulate these emotions accurately would require me to delve deep into your psyche, to understand not just the medical journey but the emotional and psychological one. Without your active participation, I risk misrepresenting or oversimplifying these complex human experiences.
There’s a responsibility in how these stories are told because they contribute to broader narratives about illness, survival, and identity. Your story could shape perceptions, offer comfort, or provide a stark reminder of the disease’s reality. But to write it responsibly, I need to ensure it’s not just my interpretation but a true reflection of your voice, your battle, and your message to the world.
Therefore I created a new feature on my website for you to “Share Your Story” so that you might have a place to go to write your own story to inspire other in a way only you can. All you needed to do was to shave your “by” information in order to receive the credit that you deserve and then provide whatever information that you wish in order to inspire others.
This feature was launched on January 1, but so far I have not received a single submission. For the time being, I will continue to have this feature available for those who may yet wish to make this sharing available. However, if there is no interest from the community to do this, I will again go back to the drawing board to see if I can find some other way to support our community.
Barbara Jacoby is an award winning blogger that has contributed her writings to multiple online publications that have touched readers worldwide.