by Bag It Team | Nov 3, 2026 | Blog
By Kimberly Poole
Editor’s Note: This story was told at our Breakfast for Bag It event this year. You may also watch or share the video.
I want to take you back to September 17th, 2020.
That was the day I had my first breast ultrasound.
I had found a lump in my breast, but at the time, I was breastfeeding. I was young, and I was told that I was too young for breast cancer and that it was most likely a tumor related to breastfeeding.
I was told to come back in six months and that they would do a biopsy then.
So I went home.
And I waited.
But that lump didn’t go away.
I watched it grow. And every single day, I had this physical reminder in my chest that something wasn’t right.
Looking back, I wish I could go back to that first ultrasound and advocate for myself more strongly. I wish I had pushed for the biopsy that day.
On April 8th, 2021, I finally had that biopsy.
And on April 12th, everything changed.
I was diagnosed with stage 3C triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma, and I also learned that I carried a BRCA1 genetic mutation.
I went from thinking I had a breastfeeding-related tumor to suddenly hearing the word cancer.
There really isn’t a way to explain what that feels like.
You’re suddenly handed an entirely new vocabulary.
Biopsies. Scans. Ports. Chemotherapy. Genetics. Treatment plans.
And you’re expected to understand all of it while you’re scared out of your mind and in my case raising a family and working full time.
I started chemotherapy on May 6th, 2021.
I went through four rounds of Adriamycin—what many of us affectionately call the Red Devil—followed by Taxol and carboplatin.
My treatment became my calendar.
Appointments became my schedule.
Medications became my routine.
And somewhere in the middle of all of that, I was given a Bag It Bag.
And that bag became so much more than a bag.
The binder inside became my document collector, my day planner, and honestly, my best friend.
It gave me somewhere to put all of the paperwork that seemed to multiply overnight.
My test results.
My questions.
My appointments.
My medications.
All of the things that I suddenly had to keep track of when my brain was already overwhelmed.
But more importantly, Bag It gave me something I desperately needed at that point in my life:
A little bit of control.
Cancer can make you feel like everything is happening to you.
Bag It helped me feel like I could participate in what was happening with me.
It gave me tools to become more informed, to organize my care, to ask questions, and to advocate for myself.
And I can tell you firsthand—that matters.
Because cancer doesn’t just happen to your body.
It happens to your entire life.
It affects your family, your work, your relationships, your mental health, and your sense of who you are.
And suddenly, you have to become an advocate for yourself while you’re also trying to figure out how to survive.
I finished my IV chemotherapy in September of 2021.
In November, I had my double mastectomy, along with reconstruction and the removal of my tubes and ovaries.
And in December, I started Lynparza.
Two pills, twice a day, for an entire year.
1,460 pills.
And one day at a time, I kept moving forward.
But something else happened during this experience.
I found my voice.
I started talking about my cancer.
I started sharing my experience.
And I started advocating—not just for myself, but for other people who might find themselves sitting in that same terrifying place I had once been sitting.
Through that advocacy, Bag It gave me another incredible opportunity.
I had the honor of participating in Escape to THRIVE—a wonderful advocacy conference hosted by Bag It that focuses entirely on empowering advocates and helping us bring our best selves forward.
That experience helped me in a completely different way.
The Bag It Bag helped me learn how to navigate cancer as a patient.
Escape to THRIVE helped me learn how to navigate it as an advocate.
It gave me an opportunity to connect with other advocates, learn how to care for myself, and understand that being an advocate doesn’t mean you have to pour every ounce of yourself into helping everyone else.
You have to take care of the person doing the advocating, too.
And for me, Escape to THRIVE helped me develop my voice even more.
It helped me take everything I had experienced—everything that had scared me, frustrated me, and changed me—and turn it into something that could hopefully help somebody else.
And that’s why I’m asking you to consider supporting Bag It today.
Because I know firsthand what their support can mean to someone who has just heard the words:
“You have cancer.”
That bag may look like a simple binder and bag from the outside.
But to me, it became so much more.
There are people being diagnosed with cancer every single day who are going to find themselves exactly where I was scared, overwhelmed, and suddenly responsible for navigating a healthcare system they never expected to have to understand.
Your donation can help put those resources into the hands of someone who needs them at one of the most frightening moments of their life.
It can help give patients the tools to understand their diagnosis, organize their treatment, ask better questions, and find their voice.
And I can tell you from personal experience:
That matters.
So if my story has touched you today, if you believe patients deserve to feel informed and empowered, or if you’ve ever had someone you love face cancer, I hope you’ll consider making a donation to Bag It.
Because you never know whose hands that next Bag It Bag will end up in.
And maybe it will help someone else find their way through the chaos the way it helped me find mine.
Because I can’t change what happened to me.
I can’t go back to September 17th, 2020 and change that first ultrasound.
I can’t erase the year of treatment.
I can’t erase the fear.
But I can decide what I do with that experience.
And if sharing my story makes one person realize that they aren’t too young…
If it makes one person ask another question…
Get a second opinion…
Push for a biopsy…
Or simply feel a little less alone after hearing the words “you have cancer”…
Then everything I’ve been through has a purpose beyond just my own survival.
Because I went from being told that I was too young for cancer…
to being diagnosed with stage 3C cancer.
And that happened in the blink of an eye.
So if there is one thing I hope you remember from my story, it’s this:
Listen to your body.
Trust your gut.
Ask the questions.
And most importantly, advocate for yourself.
Because you know your body better than anyone else.
And sometimes, being your own advocate can quite literally change the course of your story.
Today, I don’t just consider myself someone who survived cancer.
I consider myself someone who found her voice because of it.
And I’m incredibly grateful that Bag It was there to help me find that voice—and to remind me that even in the middle of something terrifying, I didn’t have to navigate it alone.
I’m still here.
And I am incredibly grateful to be. 💗
by Sherri Romanoski | Jun 23, 2021 | Blog
Survivorship is such a tenuous concept. Who is a survivor? What’s the measurement stick? Time? Quality of life? Remission? Cancer-free (for the time being)?
Sherri in 2021
The term “survivor” resonates with so many but it just never has felt a right fit to me. I do feel like I survived something….but it might not be exactly the cancer I was diagnosed with almost 20 years ago. That is still hanging around in forms of neuropathy and other nagging long-term and late-effect issues. I still get the heebie jeebies when I go for screening. Lots of self-talk. That doesn’t sound like a true, viable survivor attitude in my head.
What I did survive was learning how to do something extremely difficult and challenging and come out on the other side. Some days are better than others, but it IS on the other side. I survived telling my teenage sons I had cancer when I could barely get the stupid word out. I survived all those disappointing non-reactions and reactions from family, friends and colleagues. I survived my husband growing a beard for some odd reason when I was going bald. No justice in that! I survived throwing up in the chemo room (at lunch time of course – amazing how quickly people can tuck away a sandwich!) I survived the health care system that wasn’t exactly all that helpful on the social/emotional side of things. I survived realizing that my life was not eternal.
Looking for the Humor
And surviving cancer is not without humor. Telling my class of kindergartners and parents that I had cancer was a challenge, especially showing up with 1” hair (a different color of course) sticking up all over my head. And no eyebrows. That I nearly did not survive. I never learned the trick of eyebrow liner. Always ended up with these winging designs that sent me into fits of laughter. I kept telling the kiddos that yes, it really was me. I got a call from the school office after I made my first classroom visit to come “pick up a personal item.” Turned out to be my new breast prosthesis that apparently I did not have the correct knack of using. It had fallen out of my shirt and onto the classroom floor. The kindergarteners were playing Frisbee with it across the room when the principal came in. Took him awhile to figure out just what it was. He had the substitute place it discreetly in a brown bag and take to the front office for “pick up.” I did survive the initial humiliation and then broke out in huge chuckles.
Taking a Leap of Faith
I survived the life-changing challenges of starting a cancer non-profit while continuing to teach. I had absolutely no business experience, just a passion to help educate and make things easier for others. I survived asking for LOTS of help which was not in my comfort zone. Today, almost twenty years later, we have a new executive director leading the way. I am blessed to still be involved in a meaningful way. Still surviving.
Surviving is not without its disappointments. With this work, I have not completely survived feeling so incredibly guilty around others with cancer that have metastatic disease and/or going through cancer treatment for chronic disease….no end in sight. I still struggle when fellow cancer advocates with chronic disease disregard my completed, past treatment thinking I can’t comprehend their chronic situation. That hurts. I don’t understand fully, but I really, really try.
Inspiring Other Advocates
How much of a challenge is it for someone surviving cancer to become an advocate for others in the same space? Tremendous! So I founded an annual leadership conference ten years ago for cancer advocates helping others with all types of cancer in all kinds of capacities (Escape to THRIVE). These advocates are filling gaps in cancer care all over the country. All of them not only surviving but taking that giant leap into helping others through all this. I hesitate to call it a journey…that’s so cliché these days but it is a voyage. We are all travelers in that cancer space. The courage of all these people that have CHOSEN to help others despite the constant reminder of their own cancer! They have taken on the job as advocate and guide. It takes such bravery as they are reminded almost daily of their own experiences. I get such extreme fulfillment from encouraging advocates to keep up their incredibly valuable work and stay well along the way. That’s the tricky part. If you want to keep surviving, you have to be aware of what you are asking the self to do.
Surviving and Moving Forward
I work hard at surviving…meditate as often as I can, sustained exercise like walking, swimming, hiking – some with friends and some solo. I recently learned the term “outgoing introvert.” Sounds like survival to me! I try to say “Enough!” when I need to and remind myself “I am Enough” when I need to.
So in the end, I consider myself not a survivor but surviving…the continual path of struggle and triumph, ease and fear, sadness and humor, hesitation and courage….surviving life, not just cancer.
Sherri and her family supporting Bag It
by Mindy Griffith | May 31, 2021 | Blog
Judy Pearson (who writes under Judith L. Pearson) is a published biographer who was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer in 2011. Her quest for survivorship information eventually led her to recently publish From Shadows to Life: A Biography of the Cancer Survivorship Movement.
How did you first become interested in the cancer survivorship movement?
I founded A 2nd Act, a survivorship nonprofit, in 2016. Through it, I was introduced to Susie Leigh, one of the founders of the survivorship movement. That random introduction opened the door to the material that became this book.
Fifty years ago, President Richard Nixon signed the National Cancer Act. What impact did it have on the disease?
Prior to the 1970s, only 50% of those diagnosed with cancer survived their disease. And because of the fear that cancer was contagious, survivors lived as pariahs. President Nixon’s motivation for signing it and declaring war on cancer was reelection.
Unprecedented amounts of money were made available for research (and a cure helped) and won him a second term. But no one ever considered what life would be like for the increasing number of individuals who would survive the disease.
Much of your book is about the creation of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS). What strides did it make in changing our country’s view of people who had been diagnosed with cancer?
First and foremost, the NCCS founders created a definition for survivorship. It begins at diagnosis, because that’s when someone begins surviving the disease, and it continues through the balance of life.
Remarkably, until nearly the turn of the 21st century, survivors were discriminated against on all fronts. They could lose their jobs and their insurance for disclosing a cancer diagnosis. NCCS’s early focus was on combatting this discrimination, from the halls of Congress to the bridge clubs and golf courses of small-town America.
They fought to improve healthcare, during and after cancer treatment, helping with the troubling longterm effects. And, like the canaries in the coal mine, all of the survivors’ experiences have helped inform current treatment modalities. Doctors have learned that less is often more, and that quality of life far outweighs quantity of life.
What work still needs to be done in the area of cancer survivorship?
When we’re diagnosed, we spend a period of time in a frenetic stage of diagnostics and treatment. But hopefully, that’s just a small blip on the timeline of one’s life. True, cancer doesn’t end when treatment does.
But there’s healing in helping. The survivorship movement was based on the veterans guiding the rookies. Advocating for ourselves and others will power the movement forward and benefit us. We are now the movement: survivors, caregivers, and medical professionals. So let’s get moving!
Do you want to hear more about Judy’s cancer experience and the history of survivorship? Join us on Sunday, June 6 as she helps Bag It celebrate National Cancer Survivors Day® with a virtual conversation. You can join the virtual presentation on Facebook or register to join the Zoom conversation.
Learn more about the event
by Bag It Team | Nov 22, 2020 | Blog
Author: Jenna Frinfrock
When Bag It announced the creation of the virtual Tribute Garden this past spring, I knew I needed to show my support by paying tribute not only to my dad, but also to his oncologist. In 2009 my father was diagnosed with advanced stage-four multiple myeloma. It was a terrifying diagnosis, followed by weeks of radiation treatments, months of chemotherapy medications, and a final successful stem cell transplant. Through it all, my dad had the good fortune of being a patient of Dr. Michael Boxer’s at Arizona Oncology. Not only did Dr. Boxer patiently answer all of our questions, he took the time to know us personally and encourage my dad throughout his treatments in the years following his original diagnosis.
I truly cannot imagine what we would have done without the reassuring kindness and medical expertise that Dr. Boxer offered at every visit. Over the course of the last ten years, Dr. Boxer was instrumental in allowing my dad to beat back his cancer into remission and enjoy years of family gatherings. Because of Dr. Boxer’s care, my dad was able to attend family BBQs, celebrate holiday dinners and enjoy weekly zoo trips with his four grandchildren.
We all know that familiar adage, “it takes a village to raise a child.” I believe the same can be said when it comes to supporting someone with cancer. I will forever be grateful for the role that Dr. Boxer played in “our village” as he oversaw my dad’s care and treatment for ten years. It was a privilege for me to submit a tribute on his behalf when he retired from Arizona Oncology in June of 2020 after a very prestigious and inspiring career.
Check out the Virtual Tribute Garden here. It’s a place where you can recognize those touched by cancer.
It’s a wonderful time to show your thanks to a medical provider, caregiver or friend.
by Mindy Griffith | Apr 8, 2020 | Blog
Happy April – March was certainly a bit of a lion (no matter what the saying means) – she roared for us. These are uncharted times for all of us. Those with cancer and other immunocompromised health issues are weighing heavily on my mind, but I also know you are resilient and have the opportunity to show the rest of us how you do it every day!
A huge thank you and show of appreciation for all of those in healthcare who are continuing to provide services to those with cancer and all of those in our communities – YOU ARE AMAZING and we appreciate the sacrifices you are making for others.
The Bag It team wants you all to know that we are thinking of you. There are lots of resources out there so please check out our coronavirus page to help support and update those of you impacted by cancer. And please feel free to share other resources with us. We are all working remotely and continuing to fulfill our mission of educating, supporting and empowering everyone impacted by cancer.
Bag It bags continue to be shipped out. The tools provided by Bag It are helpful for those with cancer and other diseases, or if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Print out a log or blank calendar page and track what is happening. I’m using the calendar as a quick journal so when I look back and scrapbook these days of quarantine I can remember the positive moments during this time.
We are all embracing new challenges each day (working from home, teaching our children, physical distancing, and more) so we hope you are able to find something positive each day from this situation. Stay physically active, eat well, wash your hands, distance yourself physically, but cherish the zoom calls, phone calls or letter writing options to stay connected or reconnect with friends, family and colleagues. It’s important to connect with others and keep your spirits up.
If you need anything – a chat, a card, a Bag It bag – let us know as we want to support you today and everyday. In addition, although Bag It does not provide financial assistance there are many programs out there that do and we have many of them listed on our resource page so check them out. Also, many pharmaceutical companies have resources to help with your care or medication so check out their websites.
Stay safe, stay healthy, be kind, be grateful!
By Kimberly Poole
When Bag It announced the creation of the 
A huge thank you and show of appreciation for all of those in healthcare who are continuing to provide services to those with cancer and all of those in our communities – YOU ARE AMAZING and we appreciate the sacrifices you are making for others. 
We are all embracing new challenges each day (working from home, teaching our children, physical distancing, and more) so we hope you are able to find something positive each day from this situation. Stay physically active, eat well, wash your hands, distance yourself physically, but cherish the zoom calls, phone calls or letter writing options to stay connected or reconnect with friends, family and colleagues. It’s important to connect with others and keep your spirits up.
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