Writing Prompts

About you

  • What name do you prefer on the website
  • Tell a bit about yourself
  • Tell a defining story or moment in your life

    • Starting out

  • How was your cancer discovered?
  • What tests and studies did you require and were they explained well to you well enough?
  • Did you have any delays in starting care, how did you deal with them?

    • Impact

  • What were your first thoughts?
  • What were the first things you did?
  • Did you tell people right away or wait (and if you waited why?)
  • How did you initially deal with your emotions?
  • How did you deal with the emotions of friends?
  • What mental approach has been most predominant for you through the early stages? Has it been helpful?
  • What would you want to tell someone who just got the diagnosis?

    • Managing Information

  • What do you know now that would have helped you then?
  • What sources for information were good and what sources for information were not helpful?
  • What was the single best advice you got and what was the worst advice you got?
  • Knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently?

    • If there are any other writing prompts that you feel would be beneficial for others please leave a comment below.

    What to do from Day One, Hour One
    of a Cancer Diagnosis

    1.7 million people will be diagnosed with cancer in the United States this year. 1.7 million will get news that they can’t quite believe and have their world changed in the space of a few sentences. If you are reading this, chances are your life has been impacted by a cancer diagnosis.

    Click here to download chapter one of Crushing Cancer!



    "For my past cancer patients and their families and friends, both before and after their thoracic surgery, this work would have been a godsend. It is the eye-opening guide to cancer care that every patient needs." - Senator Bill Frist, MD