When you can’t fight the battle, be the support 

As I’m sure we are all aware, a cancer diagnosis is life-changing. The severity does not matter; it’s scary nonetheless. And in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and shining light on those who support survivors and help others through their battle — I wanted to share my story for what I’ve coined as the “cheerleader role.”

In June of 2022, my mom was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer, which has progressed to stage 4 over the years. I was still in college at the time of her diagnosis, thankfully no more than an hour and a half away, barring the ups and downs of Atlanta traffic. I was working part-time as many broke college students do, and I remember getting the news my mom was rushed into emergency surgery.