A moment of vulnerability: I struggle with what to write here many weeks, folks. I never want to seem oblivious to the suffering of the world, and there’s been so much of that to go around of late. I don’t want to be that equivalent by pretending the world is fine, thank you very much, because it’s not. (I recall, shuddering, that Mario Batali once responded to a sexual assault allegation claim in an email that ended with a cinnamon roll recipe. Talk about being totally out of touch.) What’s the solution, I wonder? After cancer, after the first whispers of COVID, after gun safety laws fail to be adopted by a country with endless mass shootings - why not just eat tasteless mush, see only darkness, and do nothing other than accept bitterness as our sole emotion?

Welcome to the comments and discussion of the Young Adult Cancer Book Club!  We are reading The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. This week, we’re reading Chapters 17 - 18, Pages 327 - 363.  Read our participants’ reactions in the comments section below!

Welcome to the comments and discussion of the Young Adult Cancer Book Club!  We are reading The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. This week, we’re reading Chapters 15 - 16, Pages 285 - 326.  Read our participants’ reactions in the comments section below!

I spent a solid amount of time outdoors this week. I’ve been working towards tracking my time outside, not necessarily my time being active, and it’s been an absolute delight. The weather was warmer on the East coast: the sun was shining and even the rain wasn’t too harsh and pleasant enough to walk in with a raincoat. My body has needed some extra rest, but it’s been worth it. I hope that you’ve had the space to both enjoy what the outdoors has offered you this week and the time to give your body the rest it needs.

In Unspoken Ink, one of our most popular programs here at Cactus Cancer Society, our participants write in response to prompts, ranging from pictures to quotes to poetry. We are proud to share the work of our writers here on our blog, including this piece, which is part of a series entitled Fresh Ink.

April is our birthday month and we're so excited to kick things off with our first-ever Program Spectacular! This one-of-a-kind event will give you a preview of our wide-ranging programming. Our three fantastic speakers will lead you through different ways of creative expression that you can use, where ever you are in your cancer journey.

It's almost our birthday, and we couldn't be more excited to celebrate! We've got so many extra programs and fun events going all April long, culminating with our 8th Birthday Bash on April 27th! Not sure what to expect? We've got trivia, mini-games, and of course, a dance party! Because this party is about our entire community, including those who make our work possible, everyone and anyone is invited to join in on the fun.

Welcome to the comments and discussion of the Young Adult Cancer Book Club!  We are reading The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. This week, we’re reading Chapters 13 - 14, Pages 235 - 284.  Read our participants’ reactions in the comments section below!

By the time I write this next week, it will be spring. True, it may not feel like spring for some, but it will be spring by the calendar and that will be good enough for me. Next week, spring, and in three months, summer. Near me, I’m seeing crocuses and daffodils spring up,and my favorite magnolia tree put forth soft pink petals. I’m taking the sweater off my tiny nine pound dog when she goes into the sunshine, and I even cracked a window this afternoon. Wild! I hear those of you in the south, or in more temperate climates, it doesn’t shift much for you. (Or, you know, climate change.) So don’t worry, these picks will greet you perfectly in time no matter what season it’s feeling like today.

In Unspoken Ink, one of our most popular programs here at Cactus Cancer Society, our participants write in response to prompts, ranging from pictures to quotes to poetry. We are proud to share the work of our writers here on our blog, including this piece, which is part of a series entitled Fresh Ink.