These incredible stories of pain and suffering, courage and determination will assist people newly diagnosed with cancer to position themselves in the best possible place for survival. Knowledge and understanding of the stories of survivors of cancer may also assist health professionals to best help those living with cancer, and the people who journey alongside them. At the very least these stories shed light on how a group of people, given the worst news possible related to their health, fought back against all the odds and lived to tell the tale. Awareness of the many concerns facing cancer survivors may inspire policy-makers, health professionals, even those remotely involved with someone journeying with cancer to initiate change in some way: to make a difference to the person with cancer's struggle.
Although some cancer survivors recover with a renewed sense of life and purpose, what has often not been recognised is the frequently devastating toll taken by cancer and its treatments. Long-lasting effects may be apparent shortly after completion of treatment and/or many years later. Personal relationships are changed and wide-reaching adaptations to all aspects of life may be necessary. Importantly, survivors' health is forever altered. Let's face it; we are all involved here. All of us know someone with cancer, many of us have lost loved ones to cancer, many, too many of us will be diagnosed with cancer, given that one in three people in the world face a cancer diagnosis during their lifetime.