“I don’t know what to say” and “I don’t know what to do” are common responses to a life-threatening diagnosis. Voices of Cancer is here to help.
Every cancer story is different, but there is one commonality: both patients and the people supporting them often struggle to properly articulate their wants and needs through particularly challenging and in many cases, uncharted territory. Lynda Wolters knows firsthand: she was
diagnosed with stage 4 terminal mantle cell lymphoma in August of 2016.
Voices of Cancer offers a candid look into the world of a cancer patient, informed by Lynda’s own story and conversations had with dozens of patients weighing in on their needs, wants, and dislikes as they navigate the complex world of diagnosis, treatment, and beyond. With comprehensive and accessible insight from people who’ve been there, Voices of Cancer helps educate, dispel fears, and
start positive conversations about what a cancer diagnosis truly means, while shining a light on how best to support a loved one on their own terms.
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Lynda was born and raised in a tiny farming community of 400 in northern Idaho. She worked on the family farm, with her first job being picking rocks out of the fields and ultimately graduating up the
ladder to driving a grain truck and combine during harvest. Following high school, Lynda continued her education in Las Vegas before she moved back home to Idaho to raise her three sons.
Lynda still resides in Idaho with her husband and their peekapoo, Max.
Lynda has worked in the legal field for 30+ years and enjoys ballroom and swing dancing, horseback riding, kayaking, and river rafting. She has a heart for people and enjoys regularly volunteering. She
spends the bulk of her spare time reading and writing.
Lynda was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL) in August 2016. She touts herself as being a thriving warrior of the disease.
Lynda has completed two books of nonfiction: Voices of Cancer, released in October 2019, and Voices of LGBTQ+, released in August 2020.
The Placeholder, Lynda’s debut novel, was released in November 2022.
Lynda has published the following articles: Navigating the Workplace with Chemo Brain, February 23, 2020, Elephants and Tea. and When Masks Weren’t Popular, March 24, 2020, Patient Power. She has
spoken on several podcasts, been a guest on a local talk show regarding Voices of Cancer, and given interviews for other outlets and print.
Jane Brody wrote up Voices of Cancer in the New York Times, her article entitled What to Say to Someone with Cancer, on January 13, 2020, with a follow-up on January 20, 2020, entitled, When Life
Throws You a Curveball, Embrace the New Normal.
The Chinese translation rights of Voices of Cancer have been purchased by a grant to offer the book to medical students in Tawain.
Lynda donates Voices of Cancer books and a portion of its proceeds to Epic Experience, a nonprofit camp for adult survivors and thrivers of cancer located in Colorado.
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“A strange thing occurred when I was diagnosed with my cancer, which I need to point out for this post, is incurable and I have currently outlived “predictions” by two plus years and counting. I say this because what that means is that I wait daily for that proverbial shoe to drop, for the cancer to flare back up and set my life and health back into a tailspin.
So, given this type of life sentence, people are not really sure what to make of my dark humor about the matter. I too, am unsure what to make of it at times, but, as the saying goes, it is what it is.
Examples – If my youngest son, who along with my husband was my primary caregiver, hasn’t heard from me within what he considers a prescribed amount of time, he will send me a text: Are you dead? Usually followed by a skull and crossbones emoji.
Now, I think this is hysterical; others, including my husband, are mortified. I guess my son and I figure one of these days my usual response, “Not yet,” isn’t going to come, but at least we had some good laughs in the meantime.
Recently, I was asked by a young man at a beauty clinic if I would like to consider putting money into a savings fund for my future beauty treatments. (Of note, my medical history is in bold letters on my chart – no missing it.) “Now, at just $75 per month, in 18 months almost anything you
would like will be significantly reduced or free.” I agreed with him it would be a really good deal for most people but not for me. Undeterred he continued with the benefits and how much I could have saved on this day had I had the savings plan. He then tried to close me, “So, what do you
think?” I shot him down again as politely as I could by saying, “No, thank you. I may well be dead by then.” And in his sweet, innocent way, he gasped and said, “You’re not that old!” I nearly felt bad when I had to drop the joke and explain, “No, really, I may not be here,” pointing to my chart. Poor kid.
Writing Voices of Cancer I learned from many patients that they too suffer from macabre humor, and find the dark jokes hilarious and as a way of wrapping their minds around their circumstance.
I also learned that like me, most of these people would prefer for those on the outside of our diagnosis to continue to poke fun at us and treat us just as they once did. Sensitivity is great until it turns into coddling.”
ramblingmads 