Roni is a nurse, a breast cancer survivor, and a powerful voice in our community. Her story goes beyond treatment—it’s about the emotional, mental, and physical layers of healing that follow a cancer diagnosis. In honor of Cancer Survivors Month, Roni is sharing what survivorship really looks like: the unspoken struggles, the moments of resilience, and the journey of rediscovering purpose after cancer.
Keep reading to learn more about Roni’s survivorship journey.
What It Means to Be a Survivor:
Survivor means more than just being alive. It means waking up every day with the weight of what you’ve been through—physically, emotionally, and mentally—and choosing to keep going anyway. It’s strength wrapped in scars, resilience in the face of fear, and finding light even when life looks nothing like it used to.
Losing and Rebuilding a Sense of Identity
Before cancer, I knew who I was. After treatment, I felt like a stranger in my own body. My identity got tangled in side effects, scans, fatigue, and expectations to “bounce back.”
It’s hard when the world moves on, but your body and spirit are still healing. I’ve had to rebuild my sense of purpose from the ground up—learning to show up for myself, even when I’m not the person I used to be.
The Silent Struggles of Life After Cancer
Survivorship can feel lonelier than active treatment. People think the hard part is over—but for many of us, it’s just shifted. The anxiety, the chronic pain, the grief over what’s been lost—it lingers.
And we’re expected to be “grateful” and “back to normal.” But normal doesn’t exist anymore. Survivorship is its own kind of battle.
Words of Encouragement for Fellow Survivors
I see you. I know how heavy it is to smile when your body aches, to explain again and again that you’re still healing, even if you “look” fine.
You’re not alone. Your experience is real. Give yourself grace, protect your peace, and don’t shrink to make others comfortable. You survived something massive—your healing doesn’t need to be understood to be valid.
Follow Roni on Instagram to learn more about her journey.
Interested in more community stories about survivorship? Check out:
Tina Hummel
June 24, 2025
I loved Roni’s Story.
For me it truly hit home. Thank you Roni the Nurse.