Your Stories: 9 Inspiring Voices and Stories for Anyone Conquering Cancer
Cancer touches everyone in some way. If and when it touches your life—whether as a patient, loved one, advocate, or caregiver—it helps to know there are people out there who not only understand what you’re going through, but whose stories inspire courage, compassion, and hope, whether for treatments, cures, or the promise of better days ahead.
With an estimated 20 million new cases diagnosed in 2022 alone, it’s no surprise that the cancer community is massive. But it’s also full of people who are determined to take their experiences with cancer and use them to help other patients and those who love them. From Internet comedians and Olympic athletes to singer-songwriters and parents of young survivors, here are nine inspiring individuals who are sharing their cancer journeys and, in the process, doing their best to raise awareness, resources, funding, and support for patients with cancer everywhere.
Iron Dad: Follow the Journey of Author, Survivor, and Ultra-Endurance Athlete Paul Weigel
Paul Weigel is a loving father, ultra-endurance athlete, and stage III colorectal cancer survivor who authored Iron Dad: A Cancer Survivor's Story of Discovering Strength, Life, and Love Through Fatherhood. In the book, Paul reflects on balancing his cancer journey with parenting his young daughter and training for the Ironman Whistler. After undergoing an intense treatment regimen—while swimming, biking, and running through it all—Paul was finally declared cancer-free.
Follow Paul on: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Website
Gold Medal Mindset: Get Motivated by Olympian and Survivor Shannon Miller
Not only is Shannon Miller a decorated Olympian, she’s also a rare ovarian cancer survivor who uses her platform to advocate for early detection, awareness, research, and survivorship. Diagnosed in 2011, Shannon was declared cancer-free following the removal of a baseball sized tumor and several taxing rounds of chemotherapy. Today, she travels the country as a highly sought-after motivational speaker on topics ranging from survivorship to what she calls “the Gold Medal Mindset.”
It’s a mindset Shannon knows well, having won two gold medals, two silver, and three bronze over the course of two Olympic games. She’s the only woman to be twice inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame—first in 2006 as an individual and in 2008 as part of a team. In 2010, she launched her company devoted to helping women make their health a priority.
Follow Shannon on: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Website
Singer, Songwriter, Survivor: Bianca Muñiz Defies the Odds and Sings About It
Bianca Muñiz is a singer, songwriter, photographer, and three-time cancer survivor living with Li-Fraumeni syndrome—a rare hereditary condition that increases the lifetime risk that carriers will develop certain types of cancer, including sarcoma, breast tumors, and leukemia. Bianca is a strong advocate for cancer awareness and research, sharing her story through multiple artistic mediums and helping people navigate their own experiences with cancer.
Follow Bianca on: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Spotify | Website
Meet the Glaucomfleckens: Will and Kristin Flanary Show Us What It Means to Be Co-Survivors
Will and Kristin Flanary, better known by their Internet personas Dr. Glaucomflecken and Lady Glaucomflecken, are a husband-wife duo who leverage the power of humor to make sense of life’s ups and downs, including medical emergencies. Will survived testicular cancer twice, as well as cardiac arrest. Through it all, Kristin was his lifeline, taking on the vital role of caregiver. Together, they’re patient advocates, social media stars, and, most importantly, co-survivors.
Follow Will on: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Website
Follow Kristin on: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Website
Katie Kicks Cancer: Katie Coleman Uses Her Ultra-Rare Cancer Experience to Help Others Navigate Their Own Journeys
Katie Coleman is a dedicated patient advocate and the survivor of an ultra-rare type of cancer. She was diagnosed with metastatic oncocytoma, a tumor so rare that the number of recorded cases can be counted on just two hands. Katie openly shares about her journey from diagnosis to survivorship, how she found support and guidance, navigating the search for rare disease information, and the importance of supporting research for every type of cancer.
Follow Katie on: Twitter | Instagram | TikTok
Made to Thrive: Kris Carr Navigates a Rare, Incurable Cancer with a Multifaceted Approach
Kris Carr is a wellness leader and New York Times bestselling author who has lived with stage IV cancer for more than 20 years. When Kris was diagnosed with a rare and incurable cancer, she decided to reclaim control of her health and take a multi-faceted approach to improving her well-being. Recognized by Oprah Winfrey and Sheryl Crow for her advocacy, Kris hosts the Made to Thrive podcast, has written several plant-based cookbooks, and offers a free wellness tracker on her website.
Follow Kris on: Facebook | Instagram | Website
Passion for Fashion: Melissa Berry Shows Us How to Survive in Style
When fashion publicist Melissa Berry, AKA the Cancer Fashionista, was diagnosed with breast cancer, she asked herself: “Will I need chemo?” “Will I lose my hair?” “Where do I find a wig?” “Where is the Vogue of breast cancer?” Now an 11-year survivor, full-time patient advocate, and host of the Dear Cancer, I’m Beautiful podcast, Melissa empowers others to embrace their beauty and confidence through every stage of breast cancer. Her mission is simple: to inspire and support patients while proving that style and resilience can go hand in hand.
Follow Melissa on: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Website | Spotify
A Story of Sacrifice: Cancer Neurosurgeon Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa Overcomes Adversity and Advances Research
Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa, AKA “Dr. Q,” is an author, Conquer Cancer-funded researcher, and globally renowned neurosurgeon. His path to each of these milestones, however, required a ton of sacrifice and tenacity. At just five years old, he sold food at gas stations to help support his family. At age 19, speaking little English and having no money, he left his native Mexico in hopes of a better future. In the decades since—motivated by memories of his grandmother—Dr. Q graduated from Harvard Medical School, worked at Mayo Clinic and The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and has advanced research for patients.
Follow Dr. Q on: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Website
One Tough Mother: Sarah DeMelo Navigates Her Son’s Cancer Diagnosis—and Her Own
Sarah DeMelo is not only a rare cancer survivor herself, but also the mother of a young son with leukemia. Sarah remembers looking at her children the moment she got the devastating call, just weeks after her neck dissection surgery: she was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare salivary gland cancer. On social media, Sarah candidly shares about navigating her son's cancer journey along with her own. She routinely advocates for patient education and cancer research.