I came across this story after I read the link on Brett Wilson's website. He was someone I had admired for a long time - and had no idea that he had a journey through cancer as well. My father was diagnosed recently with Prostate Cancer, and I knew that this bracelet is something I had to have. And had to share the message it represents.

Cindy S.
Saskatoon, SK

I have been trying to find a way to grieve since July 28, 2002 when I lost my aunt to gall bladder cancer. When I came across this web site, I was like, "yeah that's right, f*** cancer!" I have been reading the other posts, seeing pictures of other's family members, and to all of those who have battled and survived,well, in short, you are my hero. I cannot imagine a harder task then to fight everyday and then finally win. For lack of a stronger word, it must be truly rewarding to know you are in control of your life!

For those who have lost someone they loved like me to this horrible disease, I am so sorry. It is heartbreaking, but we live on and share/have memories that we will cherish forever, and then we pass those memories down to others.

My aunt had Crones Disease, which had made her weak before diagnosed with cancer. At her best, she weighed 100 lbs, and at her worst, 89 lbs. Cancer was never in the picture. She was only 48 when she died. I remember coming home after high school (I was 15) and my mom just sitting there on the couch crying and then told me the news. My aunt was my mom's older sister, and did not have kids of her own. My younger sister and I were her kids.

I remember the last day I saw her. She was covered in blankets, swollen all over her body, completely inflamed. I remember saying goodbye, like even then I knew it was the last time I would see her. My regret is that I didn't stay by her side longer. I miss her terribly.

F* cancer! It shouldn't take away those we love. Keep fighting.

-Jess (Chicago)

Susan, I just wanted to say... that I am inspired by you. I was at the Team Finn wine tasting fundraiser last night and discovered your beautiful f* cancer bracelet. I knew immediately that this was something I needed to wear. I am 40 years old and will celebrate 5 years as a cancer survivor this October 27. These 5 years have been the best of my life in terms of healing, living intentionally, taking risks, being connected. So for me, it is both f* cancer, and thank you cancer.

Anyway, I didn't win the bracelet in the auction - it was a competition to the end - but I picked one up at YYoga, and will be getting one for my friend who is 38 and just had a double mastectomy.

Your story inspired me, your jewelry touched me... thank you.

Rochelle

On January 9, 1972 Leukemia stole my dad from me – he was 51.
On March 20, 1972 cancer took my mom – she was 48.
I was only 11.
What does an eleven year old feel they she loses her parents within 3 months to cancer? I can honestly say, at the time, relief.

Like all dads he was my hero – he could do anything, except slay the cancer dragon. Like all little girls (and the youngest of the family) I had my dad wrapped securely around my baby finger. In 1971 Leukemia snuck up behind him when he was taking care of my mom, providing for our family and stole him. How dare Leukemia take him? Didn’t cancer know that I needed him to be my rock? Why did it have to be my dad? Who would teach me to drive? Who would walk me down the aisle?

I remember the day like it was yesterday, when I heard my mom received THE call that she would need to go to St. John, New Brunswick for chemo treatments, this was around 1965. I didn’t know exactly what that meant, but I remember her crying as she talked on the phone – I knew that this trip to St. John did not include a fun weekend at my favourite aunts. Seeing her cry made me cry – with her best reassurance she said ‘everything will be OK – don’t worry’. This was the beginning of the end for her.
She made many trips to St. John for chemo, many visits to the hospital, towards the end of her life, our family doctor made nightly trips into our house to give mom something to help her sleep and be comfortable and ease the pain.

At eleven I had no idea the impact of losing my parents would have on my life – I just knew that they, especially my mom, was no longer in pain, which she was no longer suffering. Relief that there were no more surgeries, relief that there were no more trips to the hospital for her, relief the doctor no longer had to make the nightly trip into the house, relief that her pain was gone, relief that it was finally over.

I understand now the impact. They missed seeing me drive, graduate, walk me down the aisle to my husband Carl. (And would they have loved him. Carl would have enjoyed many drinks with my dad under the tree on the front lawn. He would have also teased my mom, and she would have swatted him with the dish towel, and made his favourite meals). They missed meeting my step-daughters, and grand-daughter. They missed seeing me become an adult.

Now that I am an adult (some of my friends will completely disagree with me on this). The day I turned 48 was very emotional for me. That was the age she was when she died. I have now out lived her – and 48 is not old, although it seemed like it was at 11. When I turned 48, I wanted to honour this woman, who fought this disease for most of the time I had known her. Whatever we did had to be challenging, so my husband, Carl and I participated 7 of the Weekend to End Breast Cancer events across Canada.

Two years from now, when I turn 51, I will be the same age as my dad was when Leukemia stole him. I will do something special to honour him.

I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason – even losing my parents at 11. It has made me passionate about raising money for cancer research and care so that no parent has to leave a young daughter behind ..."

F* Cancer - you are NOT going to win!!!!

www.BreastStrokeGolfTournament.com
www.TickledPinkCookbook.com

My brother is a cancer survivor so I ordered on for each of us.
Cheers.

I have had several family members pass away from Cancer. A total of 5 over the last 10 years, the most recent being January 3, 2010. I love this bracelet it says everything that I feel towards this disease and I am positive the ones I lost would feel the same way as well. So I will be wearing this for them.

Darcy

My mother, Sandra Singer, passed away in April after fighting Pancreatic Cancer for 21 months. She was 67 when she died. To say that her loss has left a hole in my family is an understatement. In one of life's tragic ironies, my parents, PH.D.s in Chemistry, spent many years working for the National Cancer Research Facility. Basically, they were researching cancer and its causes.

To see someone so brilliant and wonderful struck down by this disgusting disease where little could be done to help her (I know there are some moderately-successful treatments but every patient is different and I won't bore you with the details of my mother's medical profile. Suffice it to say, the deck was stacked against her), was something that took me months to finally come to terms with.

A friend of mine told me about this web site and the bracelet and I think the language really sums up, very succinctly, how I feel. I could go on and on about the pain, the loss, and what needs to be done and what should be done but really it all boils down to the two words perfectly chosen for this bracelet: F*ck Cancer.

My older brother discovered he had colon cancer at 50 which has spread to his liver. Liver surgery was done this past summer and now he is about to complete his chemo. My father has Leukemia as well.

A younger cousin who is a cancer survivor himself, directed me to your bracelet. My wife and I wish to support him with one for ourselves.

The medical team in charge of my case is to meet with family members and myself this late afternoon to see what steps can be taken to support my health from this stage, as further attempts to treat my aggressive leukemia are no longer in the cards. Bummer but so grateful for the time I was given with treatment - 6 weeks to this point when originally I only had 2 without treatment.

I learned of and experienced people like you, and Brett Wilson. How lucky I was to have Brett as a friend, willing to let me wear his F* Cancer bracelet. Wearing the silver fight cancer bracelet he took off and gave me my second day in the hospital - surprising everyone I breezed through 3 wks of Chemo with no side effects - except with what is no longer under my hat.

I have a great caring medical team, and am so blessed with support from wonderful family and friends… VALUABLE DAYS,

I am not good at expressing things but hope I meaningfully reflected how my F* Cancer Bracelet, as I came by it, touched and made me appreciate what matters in life - each other.

My mother lost her very short battle with cancer on Anzac Day. I discovered the F*Cancer bracelet while on a trip to Vancouver to take my mother’s ashes home. While in White Rock I wandered into a small homewares store and saw a SoulFlower stand. The owner of the store told me the story and asked if I had heard of the F*Cancer bracelet. I had not.

Upon my return home I told my sister who is a ‘Jane McGrath’ Cancer Nurse here in Australia. She loved the idea so much that she wanted to buy one for herself and me, for my birthday in August. I received it last week, the first time we have been together since November 08. I just love it, and wear it all the time.

Yesterday whilst attending a cardiac appointment in Brisbane my specialist noticed the ECG waves engraved on the side of the bracelet. He took my hand and had a closer look saying, “You know what the engraving reminds me of….”.

He then looked at the words and roared with laughter, said “Does that say what I think it says?”. I told the story and he said he would order one for his wife who is an oncologist…..

Go the F*cancer bracelet and thank you to Susan for her generosity in art and research.

I’m Anne, I’m getting chemo for stage II, grade III invasive ductal carcinoma. I’m also on the Beatrice Trial and getting Avastin, an antiangiogenisis for triple negative disease, that means that the cancer in me won’t respond to any of the post chemo hormone therapies. I found a lump in my left breast just before Christmas of 08. I chose to have a double mastectomy instead of a lumpectomy. Another tumour was found in in the left breast tissue after the mastectomy. F* Cancer!