News

Article

I Can’t Believe I’m Here: A Poem About Breast Cancer

Author(s):

I had been diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer just three months after my mother passed away from the same disease.

A well-worn, padded reclining chair

I can’t believe I’m here

A cozy, extra soft blanket tucked around my toes

I can’t believe I’m here

A squishy, fresh-smelling pillow behind my head

I can’t believe I’m here

A rolling snack wagon with my favorite cookies

I can’t believe I’m here

A gentle hand helping me up

I can’t believe I’m here

A friendly neighbor sharing her story

I can’t believe I’m here

A turkey sandwich and a cool drink

I can’t believe I’m here

My first chemo treatment

I CAN’T BELIEVE I’M HERE!

I wrote this poem after receiving chemo at Danbury hospital in 2005. I had been diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer just three months after my mother passed away from the same disease. Although the care during chemo was exemplary and I was treated royally it was still chemo. Thankfully I am cancer free now and living my best life.


This post was written and submitted by Joyce Wigler. The article reflects the views of Wigler and not of CURE®. This is also not supposed to be intended as medical advice.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.

Related Videos
a man and a woman in front of a dark blue background
a man and a woman in front of a dark blue background
a man and a woman in separate boxes in front of a dark blue background
Dr. Debu Tripathy discussed the importance of understanding the distinctions between HER2-low and HER2-ultralow breast cancer.
Dr. Debu Tripathy is a professor and chairman of the Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston, and the editor-in-chief of CURE®.
Dr. Azka Ali is a medical oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, in Ohio.
Dr. Maxwell Lloyd, a Clinical Fellow in Medicine in the Department of Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.
Dr. Maxwell Lloyd, a Clinical Fellow in Medicine, in the Department of Medicine, at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.
Dr. Aditya Bardia is a professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, director of Translational Research Integration, and a member Signal Transduction and Therapeutics, at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Image of a woman with light shoulder-length hair, wearing rectangular glasses.
Related Content