Emma What cancer were you diagnosed with? Breast Cancer What age were you diagnosed? 24 What has helped you to thrive? My belief in the power of talking honestly and sharing your story. For me, it has freed me from feelings of stigma, fear, unimportance, anxiety and depression. With any health issues there can be a risk of relapse, but it also means that I have to fight it. When I have to fight, I have to talk. Not always about the deep, meaningful aspects of life, but also about the trivial or unimportant. It’s my way of showing that I am still alive and fighting. Emma's Story All my life I’ve dealt with anxiety! As I got older, I also found myself dealing with OCD and depression. I refuse to the term ‘suffer’ because it makes me sound like I am a victim..I’m not a victim. None of this was helped by my mother’s cancer diagnosis and subsequent re-diagnosis. Sadly, my mother passed away recently. She raised me on her own and I’m an only child, so it was always just us (and our dog when she came to her forever home) and she is my best friend, which made losing her even worse. Three weeks after her death, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I want to spread awareness about the symptoms of different cancers, and document my experience to not only educate but also empower people to not be frightened of the big C. Read more of Emma's story here: Talking For Freedom Manage Cookie Preferences